7 Foods to Avoid With COPD

Avoid sodas, seltzers, and other carbonated beverages when you have COPD. They are infused with carbon dioxide, which leads to belly gas and bloating, making breathing more of a chore.

“The thoracic [chest] and stomach cavities have a fixed amount of space,” says MeiLan Han, MD, a pulmonologist at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor and the author of Breathing Lessons: A Doctor’s Guide to Lung Health. Over time, the lungs of COPD patients tend to trap air and gas, become enlarged, and take up more of that space. “As patients become more and more hyperinflated, they become increasingly sensitive to being bloated because it physically impacts their room to breathe,” Dr. Han explains.

If the stomach expands with too much gas, it pushes up against the diaphragm — the main muscle of breathing — and interferes with its function, creating shortness of breath. So instead of reaching for carbonated drinks, Han recommends hydrating with water, herbal teas, and noncarbonated juices.

Too much salt in your diet can trigger COPD complications by causing your body to hold on to fluids, which can increase your risk of pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs), says Han.

To keep salt intake in check, the COPD Foundation recommends choosing foods that are labeled “low sodium” or that have less than 140 milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving.

You can also slash your sodium intake by preparing your own meals at home from fresh ingredients and limiting frozen foods like pizzas, canned vegetables and soups, and salty snacks like chips, crackers, and salted nuts.

Signs of too much salt in your diet include swelling of the legs and weight gain.

Processed or cured meats, like sausages, bacon, hot dogs, and lunch meats, have been linked to impaired lung function and an increased risk of COPD, according to research.

It’s not entirely clear how cured meat intake may aggravate COPD symptoms, but investigators suspect that nitrites, used as a preservative in processed meats, may damage lung tissue.

The high salt content of cured meats can also lead to fluid retention, putting people with COPD at risk for pulmonary hypertension, says Han.

Processed meats also tend to be high in saturated fats, which can raise levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease, which often coexists with COPD. “They’re just not part of a healthy diet,” Han adds.

The list of health troubles tied to drinking too much alcohol is long. Another one you can add: Over-imbibing can be harmful to your lungs.

According to research, heavy drinking has been linked to an increased risk of respiratory infections, including pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This is likely because alcohol can impair immune response, the authors write.

Too much alcohol can also slow your breathing and make it more difficult to cough up mucus, notes Cleveland Clinic. What’s more, alcohol can interact with medicines you’re taking, especially oral steroids.

Another reason to limit beer, wine, and cocktails when you have COPD is that these drinks tend to fill you up without offering much nutritional value.

Talk to your doctor about how alcohol may impact your COPD, and how much of it is safe for you to drink.

If you’re prone to acid reflux — also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD — it’s a good idea to avoid any foods that may aggravate your symptoms.

Many people with COPD also have GERD, and having both can complicate your COPD symptoms, says Jorge Mercado, MD, the director of pulmonary medicine at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn.

The reason is that when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, it can sometimes detour into the lungs, which is known as aspiration, Dr. Mercado notes. This can damage lung tissue, trigger coughing and wheezing, and lead to a lung infection, including pneumonia. “So when you have patients with respiratory disorders, having your acid reflux under control is paramount,” he says.

If you suffer from GERD, be aware of — and avoid — any potential triggers. For many these include coffee, caffeinated tea, alcohol, chocolate, sodas, mint, fried or spicy foods, tomato sauce, and citrus juices. If reflux is a challenge for you, certain medications may help, and you may feel better sleeping with your head slightly elevated at night, advises Mayo Clinic.

Fried foods, such as french fries, fried chicken, and doughnuts, may be on your list of favorites, but they are among the worst foods to eat when you have COPD.

Because these foods are high in fat, they take longer to digest and can therefore cause gas, indigestion, and bloating, all of which make it harder to breathe, says the National Emphysema Foundation.

Fried foods are also loaded with saturated fats, which can raise levels of LDL in your blood and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Reaching for fried foods on a regular basis can also lead to weight gain. When you carry around excess pounds, your heart and lungs have to work harder, making breathing more difficult, notes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

For easier breathing and better overall health, reach for baked versions of your favorite fried foods.

While cruciferous veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, they can give you extra gas, which can lead to bloating and more restricted breathing, says Alicia Romano, RD, a registered dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

The most common culprits include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale.

If you tend to get gassy after eating any of these vegetables but don’t want to miss out on the nutritional benefits, try eating them less often or swapping them out with other types of vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, or sweet potatoes, Romano suggests.

You can also reduce the amount of bloating you get from these and other foods by slowing down at mealtime. “That means chewing your food really well to make sure you’re not gulping it down and injecting any extra air,” Romano says.

For some people, eating smaller meals, but more often, may be a strategy to reduce shortness of breath while eating.

The Takeaway

Limiting trigger foods in your diet can help COPD symptoms in check. But the right mix of nutrients in your diet can strengthen your lungs, ease shortness of breath, and increase your energy.

Learning which foods to include and which to avoid can have a huge impact on your quality of life and help you live well with this chronic condition.