The Truth About Spicy Food and Asthma

Living with asthma is already hard enough, but there are asthmatics who have to forego their love of spicy food in order to avoid attacks.

Is this really necessary?

The truth is a bit complicated, but I’ll provide all the details below.

No Two People with Asthma Are the Same

Before we delve too far into the topic of spicy food and asthma, it’s important to point out something intrinsic about the latter: no two asthmatics are the same.

Most have some degree of trouble with cardiovascular activity at a young age. However, for plenty of others, it was hardly an issue. There are also world-renowned athletes you’d never guess struggled with this problem.

Triggers for asthmatics can range from pollen to pet hair to laughter to thunderstorms. This is why the disease can be so difficult to get a grip on when the sufferer is young. It’s often a process to find out which things must be avoided.

Nonetheless, there is no reason to think that spicy food and asthma are directly related, which is what we’ll talk about next.

Spicy Food and Asthma: What’s Really to Blame

As you may know, spicy food takes the blame for all sorts of problems. People say it causes diarrhea, early births and everything in between.

However, a lot of times things like spicy food and asthma have indirect relationships. Sure, some people simply have sensitive stomachs and should avoid spicy ingredients and other foods that would raise their stomach’s pH levels, but for most people, other things are at play.

One explanation for the link between spicy food and asthma is salicylates. These are a type of acid found in a number of different types of food and for the vast majority of people, they don’t cause any problems whatsoever.

Amongst people who are sensitive to them, though, they can cause the following symptoms:

Headaches
Fatigue
Nausea
Swelling
Persistent Cough
Upset Stomach
Depression

A complete list of the potential problems caused by salicylates would take pages to compile.

Still, you can probably see how the salicylates in spicy food and asthma would be linked. One moment you’re eating a tamale, the next, you have a persistent cough, nausea and swelling. For an asthmatic, a tight chest and trouble breathing would be the obvious result.

Other Foods Are Often to Blame

A reoccurring problem I’ve noticed when people blame ailments on spicy food is that they rarely take into account other foods they consumed that could be the problem.

Again, some people really are sensitive to spice.

As with trying to list the symptoms of salicylates, if I tried listing all the foods that could trigger asthmatics, we’d be here for days.

Still, let’s look at some of the more common examples:

Eggs
Soy
Seafood
Milk
Wine
Beer

Hopefully, it’s clear how any one of these food items could be paired with a spicy option. Eggs, soy and milk are often used in baked goods, so they become less obvious triggers but triggers all the same.

Beer and Buffalo wings go hand-in-hand.

The point is that if you think spicy food and your asthma are linked, it’s worth doing a little self-experimentation (with your inhaler nearby, of course).

Try a jalapeno all by itself and see what happens. If your asthma doesn’t flare up, then you know the problem has something to do with another ingredient.

The Roles of Acid Reflux and GERD

Similarly, there are other food items that can cause problems that then go on to cause asthma. Once more, spicy foods are to blame but only indirectly.

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It’s a digestive disorder that can cause heartburn or acid indigestion and is extremely common amongst pregnant women.

Acid reflux and GERD may both lead to asthmatic attacks as their impacts reach all the way past the esophagus and can trigger a hyper-reaction in the person’s airways.

Spicy food may cause these two problems in people, but again, the culprit is usually other ingredients. Fatty and oily foods are a great example because they’re so easily pushed back up the throat. When this happens, lots of stomach acid follows, which, in turn, causes the burning sensation that is then linked to an asthmatic attack.

How to Enjoy Spicy Food without Asthma Attacks Occurring

If you have acid reflux or GERD, you should speak to a doctor. The main problem is that a valve in your esophagus has weakened and is, therefore, allowing stomach acid to travel right past it where it results in heartburn.

Other signs you may have GERD and want to speak to a professional include experiencing heartburn or asthma attacks after eating any of the following:

Chocolate
Onions
Tomato Sauce
Mint

The same goes for drinking carbonated or alcohol beverages.

Get your GERD fixed and you should be able to enjoy your favorite spicy food without heartburn or an asthma attack flaring up.

If you don’t have GERD, but do have a sensitive stomach, try taking TUMS or another kind of antacid before you indulge. Drinking lots of water helps, too, but antacids are great for immediately lowering the pH levels in your stomach.

You can also pair your spicy foods with basic, bland options like cream cheese (jalapeno poppers) or blue cheese (to go with your Buffalo wings).

Of course, as we mentioned at the beginning, everyone’s asthma is a bit different. It may simply be that salicylates are responsible for your attacks. In that case, it’s time to give up spicy foods because the two are basically inseparable.

While people blame all kinds of problems on spicy food, asthma attacks usually aren’t their doing. Instead, it’s more likely that the kick you want is accompanied by another ingredient that is causing the problem.

With the blessing of your doctor, go ahead and self-experiment like we mentioned earlier. Most of you will find that your favorite spicy foods can remain on the menu.