6 Drinks for Asthma Symptom Relief

Common drinks can ease asthma symptoms, providing hydration, reducing inflammation, and even helping to keep airways open. From caffeinated drinks like coffee to nutrient-rich juices and herbal teas, discover how specific beverages can help you reduce asthma attacks.

1. Water: The Key to Staying Hydrated

Our bodies consist of about 55% to 60% water, which plays many roles in keeping us healthy.

For people with asthma, increasing water intake can be particularly beneficial. Here’s how water helps:

• Prevents exercise-induced dehydration: Drinking water during physical activity helps prevent dehydration, reducing the risk of bronchoconstriction, which is the narrowing of the airways.
• Supports healthy body weight: Choosing water instead of sugary drinks can help maintain a healthy weight, which may lower asthma risk in individuals who are overweight.
• Thins mucus in the lungs: Staying hydrated can thin out mucus in the lungs, decreasing the risk of inflammation and excess mucus in people with asthma.

2. Caffeinated Drinks: May Open Airways 

Some studies suggest that consuming caffeinated drinks may help reduce the risk of developing asthma and experiencing recurrent symptoms. Caffeine can temporarily affect the lungs as a weak bronchodilator, meaning it relaxes the airways to aid breathing.

Caffeinated beverages include:

• Coffee
• Soda
• Green tea
• Black tea
• Energy drinks

A large study found that drinking coffee one to two times daily might offer some protection against asthma. This benefit is linked to methylxanthines in caffeine, which have a bronchodilator effect. 

The study didn’t find similar benefits in other caffeinated drinks like soda and teas. The higher caffeine content in coffee—two to eight times more—might make it more effective in preventing asthma symptoms.  

While caffeinated beverages can ease some asthma symptoms, it is not used to treat asthma and should not replace your regular asthma treatment plan.

3. Tomato Juice: Vitamin-Rich Benefits 

Tomato juice is rich in vitamins A and C. One cup of tomato juice typically has about 20% to 42% of your daily needs of vitamin A and 60% of your daily vitamin C needs.

While tomato juice does not have the fiber found in whole tomatoes, a 4-ounce serving is considered one serving of vegetables. Researchers examined immune responses and found that diets rich in fruits and vegetables had a protective effect on lung inflammation and may be protective against asthma.

4. Milk: Reducing Inflammation

Dairy beverages, like cow’s milk, have beneficial nutrients (protein, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D). A study of more than 11,000 patients found that lifelong milk consumption was beneficial in asthma.

Unless you have an allergy to milk and other dairy products, which can be confirmed with skin or blood testing, dairy products do not need to be avoided.

5. Herbal Tea: All-Natural Medicinal Benefits

There are many different kinds of tea, and many contain unique natural medicinal properties that can be beneficial to people with asthma.

• Ginger tea: Ginger has been shown to relax the bronchial passages. Making tea with fresh ginger can help you take advantage of these properties.
• Mullein tea: Used for centuries to treat lung and respiratory conditions, including asthma, mullein is available as a tea with the ingredients gathered from several parts of the plant, including the roots, leaves, and flowers.
• Licorice root tea: Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice) is used in traditional Chinese medicine because it seems to support the immune system and provide anti-inflammatory effects.

While these teas offer potential benefits, evidence is limited. Speak with your healthcare provider to ensure they suit your needs.  

6. Orange Juice: Easing Exercise-Induced Symptoms

Orange juice may offer people with asthma a special benefit that comes with a vitamin C boost.

Vitamin C is one of the vitamins recognized as important for asthma management. Some studies suggest that vitamin C may help stop the narrowing of the airways after physical activity. While more research is needed, increasing your intake of vitamin C, which is easy with a glass of OJ, may work to prevent or treat exercise-induced asthma.

Drinks That May Make Asthma Worse 

There are certain beverages that can make asthma worse or have been associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. However, consuming these beverages does not mean you will develop asthma.

• Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can dehydrate you. Also, some types of alcohol, such as beer and wine, contain sulfites. People who are sensitive or allergic to sulfites are at risk for asthma symptoms if they consume these beverages.
• Sugary drinks: Growing evidence suggests that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, soda, and fructose during pregnancy, childhood, and adulthood may increase the risk of asthma.

An estimated 30% to 50% of people with asthma also have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you have both conditions, consider avoiding acidic drinks like coffee and orange juice that, despite potential benefits for asthma, can trigger acid reflux.

Additional Remedies for Asthma 

Complementary or alternative therapies and lifestyle changes like exercise, avoiding triggers, and quitting smoking may help prevent symptoms. A diet rich in foods like fruits and vegetables is linked to a lower risk of asthma and reduced severity and symptoms.