We’ve all heard and seen the phrase ‘this is one of your five a day’ be used in our everyday lives. However, we have been completely unaware of the incredible benefit it can have on our lungs which are constantly exposed to air pollution every single day.
According to research conducted at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, they have found that eating fruit may reduce the effects of air pollution on lung function.
The study was presented by a PhD student from the Centre of Environmental Health and Sustainability in the University of Leicester, UK (so many long names I know).
She explains that “over 90% of the global population is exposed to air pollution levels that exceed the WHO guidelines, and ample research shows that exposure to higher air pollution levels is associated with reduced lung function”
She further adds that “separately, a healthy diet – particularly one high in fruits and vegetables – has been linked to better lung function. We wanted to explore whether a healthy diet or specific food groups could modify or partly mitigate the known adverse effects of air pollution on lung function.”
This could be down to the antioxidants naturally present in fruit, supported by research at the University of Leicester. Furthermore, this effect was more greatly highlighted in a study analysed by UK Biobank data from about 200,000 participants which compared their dietary patterns. This included their intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – with lung function.
Researchers said men generally reported eating less fruit than women, which could explain why the protective effect was seen more in females.
The researchers also factored in exposure to air pollution in the form of fine particle matter from sources including vehicle exhaust and industrial processes; age, height and socioeconomic factors were also considered.
In the low fruit intake group, there was a 78.1-millilitre reduction in lung function as air pollution exposure increased however for women in the high fruit intake group, lung function was only reduced by 57.5 millilitres.
As mentioned previously, this effect could be due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that are ‘naturally present’ in fruit, according to Kaewsri (the PhD student).
The researchers plan to extend their work to explore how diet can influence changes in lung function over time.
Sarah Sleet, chief executive at charity Asthma and Lung UK, comments on the study: “Fruit and vegetables, particularly those high in vitamin C and K, can really help support our lungs to function well. While eating more fruit isn’t a replacement for taking your medication as prescribed, enjoying fruit as part of a balanced diet looks like it can help our lungs when they’re faced with external pressures like pollution.”
So, takeaways are:
To remember to eat one or in this case, at least four of your five-a-day fruits. The benefits are quite clearly endless, and you are helping your body inside and out. When there is more research completed on the long-term benefits of fruit on lung function, I will make sure to do a part 2 – don’t you worry.
I hope you learnt something new, and I look forward to seeing you next week for a new question and a new answer.
