Slay Your Seasonal Allergies with These 10 Foods

Seasonal allergies — with their symptoms of sneezing, sniffling, coughing and itching — are tough for any of us to deal with, but some great fresh foods are terrific choices for combating the body’s allergic responses.

Consider working these healthy choices into your diet to help you get through the spring allergy season.

1.) Cherries. Delicious cherries provide the double benefits of both vitamin C and quercetin, which is a natural plant chemical. Dr. Elson M. Haas, M.D., who practices integrative medicine in San Rafael, California, told WebMD that quercetin may reduce “histamine reactions.” Histamines are part of the body’s allergic response.

2.) Walnuts and flax seeds. These foods provide healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation, a contributor to the body’s allergic responses, experts tell us.

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3.) Yogurt with active cultures. The probiotic bacteria in yogurt can help fight allergies. “Probiotics help balance the bacteria in [the] digestive system and may prevent the immune system from overreacting to pollen and other allergens,” said Kamal Ivory, PhD, a senior researcher at the Institute of Food Research in the U.K. and the author of a study published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy, as noted in Fitness Magazine.

4.) Red grapes. These fruits contain the anti-inflammatory antioxidant resveratrol (just as red wine does) — which can reduce symptoms by reducing inflammation.

5.) Green tea and coffee. The caffeine in both of these popular drinks — hot or cold — can act as an antihistamine.

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6.) Oranges. These fruits provide a healthy dose of vitamin C, which can fight allergies by minimizing symptoms and reducing histamines in the body.

7.) Apples. They not only offer vitamin C — their skins include quercetin.

8.) Kiwis. These fuzzy fruits are rich in vitamin C and can also cut down on histamines, notes WebMD.

9.) Tuna, salmon, and mackerel. These foods contain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Go for two servings of fish every week, suggests WebMD: “A study from Japan found that women who ate more fish had lower levels of hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis.”

10.) Onions and parsley. These contain the above-mentioned, very helpful and very hard to pronounce quercetin.