An academic paper examining the connection between food and allergies suggests that plant-based diets can play a key role in protecting allergy sufferers.
Zhang Ping of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden conducted more than a decade of research to see how diet affects allergy symptoms.
published in Nutrientsthe results show the potential of plant foods in protecting against allergens.
What is an allergy and what affects it?
Allergies are the immune system’s response to things like pollens, foods, and house dust mites.
In most people, these substances are harmless. But for others, the immune system identifies them as a threat and creates an inappropriate response.
There is still much debate about ways to prevent or minimize allergies. Some suggest early exposure to allergens and breastfeeding as preventative measures. It is also generally accepted that the beneficial bacteria in probiotics can help reduce the risk of developing allergies.
How can a plant-based diet help fight allergies?
This study highlighted several food and nutritional risk factors associated with allergy.
These include high saturated fat, cholesterol, low dietary fiber, and low vegetables and fruits. Mr. Ping also pointed to the association with simple sugars and processed foods and low levels of iron and vitamins A, D, and E.
In this article, Mr. Ping states that balanced plant-based diets protect against allergies and reduce the severity of allergic diseases. [because] Plant-based diets contain high amounts of hypoallergenic nutrients.
The importance of fiber to fight allergies
This study explains that adequate dietary fiber and macronutrient intake are necessary to maintain immune tolerance to allergens.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) recommends that adults consume around 30g of dietary fiber per day. Currently, the average UK adult gets just 18g, the BDA says.
Those who follow a plant-based diet naturally get more fiber. In fact, the foods BDA recommends for increasing fiber intake are all plant-based. Some of the top fiber foods include peanuts (7.6 grams), figs (6.9 grams), parsnips (4.7 grams), and strawberries (3.8 grams).
In addition to helping allergy sufferers, fiber has a host of other health benefits. According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), there is strong evidence linking fiber to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
Creating more plant-based diets can have a huge impact
According to estimates, in the UK, around 20 million people suffer from an allergic disease.
Half of these people have active allergy symptoms each year, while 2.5 million have symptoms severe enough to require medical attention. Experts suggest rates are also rising, with two in five children in the UK suffering from allergies.
These figures show the significant impact that changing the diet to plant-based foods can have. Mr. Ping calls [f]Other clinical trials […] Investigating the potential beneficial effects of plant-based diets and hypoallergenic nutrients in the prevention and management of allergic diseases.
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