3 foods to include in your anti-pollution diet if you’re living in a toxic city

3 foods to include in your anti-pollution diet if you’re living in a toxic city  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: Air pollution can adversely affect our health in a number of ways. Breathing in polluted air can result in serious health problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory ailments. Long-term exposure to air pollution has also been linked to heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and shortened lifespan, etc. The WHO estimates that seven million people die every year from exposure to polluted air. But making simple changes to our lifestyle, including adopting an anti-pollution diet, can help reduce the effects of toxic pollutants on the health, especially if you’re living in a city like Delhi where the air quality is poor.

Research has shown that eating certain foods can help your body build resistance against the effects of pollution. The key is to focus on foods high in antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, which can help cleanse your airways because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Eating foods rich in antioxidants helps you fight free radicals produced by toxic air particles entering your body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells, causing illness and ageing.

Foods that can help protect your health from air pollution

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that can help safeguard against respiratory problems. The antioxidant lycopene has been linked to many health benefits such as a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Including fresh tomatoes in your diet may be a simple yet effective strategy to protect yourself and your family from the effects of toxic air. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and potassium.

Broccoli

The cruciferous vegetable possesses an abundance of health-protective properties due to its high content of fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants. Broccoli contains various potent antioxidants such as vitamin C, which can help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals. For example, a 12-week clinical study conducted by the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University found that those who included broccoli in their diet excreted toxins linked to ozone and particle pollution.

Spinach

The leafy green vegetable packed with vitamins and antioxidants may improve health in numerous ways. Spinach is low in carbs but high in nutrients that may help promote eye health, reduce oxidative stress, prevent cancer, and manage blood pressure. Research has shown that vitamin K-rich foods like spinach and kale can help fight inflammation, which is a key component of several lung diseases. So, adding this leafy green to your diet may support your lungs.

While the government and environmental protection agencies continue to play their part in combating rising air pollution, you can also reduce the effects of pollutants on the body by eating well, which will also improve your overall health.

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