A person suffers from asthma when his airways constrict or swell and make it difficult for him/her to breathe normally. People with asthma have a chronic cough, produce a whistling sound when they breathe, and suffer from shortness of breath. Many kinds of foods can trigger asthma attacks or make the existing condition worse. Here are some top foods to avoid with asthma.

Dried fruits
One of the most common categories of foods to avoid with asthma is dried fruits. The problem is not with the product itself, but with how dried fruits are packaged. Many brands use an ingredient called sulfite as a preservative to extend the shelf life of dried fruits. A lot of people with asthma are allergic to all derivatives of sulfites and experience an asthma flare.

Shrimp
Shrimp is an amazing kind of seafood and is delicious in all forms. Shrimp also, unfortunately, is loaded with sulfites. While freshly caught shrimp can be safe, frozen and cured shrimps have sulfites added to them to prevent mold formation.

Peanuts
Some people can have peanut allergies and this can also lead to asthma attacks in a few cases. If one is diagnosed with asthma, they will fare better by staying away from peanuts without risking flare-up of allergies.

Beans
While beans directly do not cause allergies in most people, beans are gaseous. This means that they cause bloating, which can make it difficult for people with existing asthma conditions to breathe. In the list of foods to avoid with asthma, you should restrict the consumption of beans, especially when you have had a recent flare-up that you are treating.

Pickles
Another group of food you should avoid for the presence of sulfites in it, is pickles. All kinds of fermented and cured pickles usually have sulfites as one of the preserving ingredients. Check this out, before you eat out in a deli or order a takeaway.

Processed and frozen foods
Processed foods and frozen foods, both have large amounts of chemicals, artificial colors, and preservatives. These are extremely harmful even for healthier people without asthma and allergies. For those with existing allergies, these are definitely foods to avoid with asthma.

Foods that you are generally allergic to
Food allergy can directly cause an asthma attack too. If you are allergic to foods like chocolates, seafood, dairy, eggs, wheat, and so on, you definitely will have to stay away from all these foods. These can worsen asthma attacks.

Asthma is a seasonal condition. It is dormant a few months of the year and flares up all of a sudden. Knowing the foods to avoid with asthma will help you to handle the condition like an expert. Always keep your asthma medications and inhalers close by and always try new foods in smaller quantities to know if your body accepts them.