What Foods to Eat to Beat Hay Fever
Updated: Feb. 08, 2017If you suffer from spring allergies take a look at your plate: Some foods can make allergies worse. Surprised? Here’s how to eat for relief.
Don’t eat: honey
If pollen leaves your eyes red, skip honey: The sweet stuff can have microscopic amounts of the allergen mixed in.
Don’t eat: fermented foods
If mold makes you sneezy, skip anything that’s been fermented or could harbor other strains of mold spores: raisins, beer, wine, sourdough bread, blue cheese, pickles, and vinegar. Certain fermented foods can also bother your belly.
Don’t eat: plants in the sunflower family
If ragweed triggers your symptoms, avoid its edible relatives as well: tarragon, artichokes, endive, and chamomile tea.
Eat: flaxseeds
The tiny seeds are packed with omega-3s, but don’t pop them whole: The body can absorb their fatty acids only when the seeds are ground. Here’s how to make flaxseeds and other superfoods even healthier.
Eat: turmeric
The prime ingredient in this Indian spice, curcumin, has a natural antihistamine effect. Stir it into soups, egg dishes, and curries. Here are more natural allergy remedies that provide relief.
Eat: salmon and herring
Some reports suggest that eating omega-3 fatty acids can help soothe allergy symptoms; salmon and herring are excellent sources.