Research Result Consuming processed meat can promote asthma symptoms

Eating sausages and ham has a negative effect on asthma
Our diet also often affects our health. For this reason, poor nutrition can certainly trigger or increase illnesses. Researchers now find that consuming processed meat can appear to aggravate the symptoms of asthma.

The researchers from the Paul Brousse Hospital found in an investigation that the consumption of sausage, salami and ham leads to a worsening of the symptoms of asthma. The physicians published their findings in the journal "BMJ Thorax".

The consumption of processed meat seems to increase the symptoms of asthma. For this reason, those affected should reduce the consumption of ham, salami and sausages. (Photo: Kalle Kolodziej / fotolia.com)

Four servings of processed meat per week affect the symptoms of asthma
Consuming more than four servings of processed meat a week increases your asthma risk, experts say. For the study, the scientists examined nearly 1,000 subjects from France.

The preservative nitrite seems to trigger the increased risk of asthma
The researchers suggest that a preservative in the processed meat leads to the increased risk of asthma. This substance called nitrite is included in sausages, salami and ham, for example. However, the connection has not been fully reviewed and further investigation is needed, say the experts. Processed meat has previously been linked to the development of cancer.

Do not consume more than 70 grams of processed red meat per day
Instead of worrying about the type of food, people should simply eat a healthy and varied diet, the researchers explain. The doctors advise that people should not consume more than 70 grams of red and processed meat a day.

Physicians watched the participants over a period of ten years
The French study on food and health covered the period from 2003 to 2013. About half of the participants in the study suffered from asthma. The remaining controls had no history of asthma. The experts examined the typical asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath and wheezing in connection with the consumption of cured meat.

Biggest negative effects for consumers of four servings of meat per week
If people are already suffering from asthma, increasing the consumption of meat leads to a worsening of the symptoms of the lungs, the experts say. The biggest deterioration has been seen in humans consuming more than four servings of processed meat per week. This corresponds to about eight slices of ham or four sausages.

Many factors in a person's life affect the risk of asthma
The experts emphasize in their study that the investigation can not prove whether the cause of the deterioration is definitely due to the diet. There are also many other factors in a person's life that can lead to a worsening of the symptoms of asthma. The researchers tried to consider the most obvious factors, such as obesity, but the link between processed meat and worsening asthma persisted.

Proper diet for the relief of asthma symptoms
Although certain foods may be the cause of allergies in some people, there is no specific nutritional advice to manage asthma symptoms, explain the doctors. For most people with asthma, the advice for a healthy diet is similar to that of all other people. It is important for those affected to follow a balanced diet, which should include plenty of fresh and unprocessed foods, as well as low levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat, the researchers emphasize. (As)