Checklist of Vegetables and Fruits to Nourish Lungs and Fight PM 2.5 Dust

PM 2.5 dust recurs every year in winter, with this year’s severity particularly concerning. Besides basic self-protection such as wearing masks to guard against dust, eating certain foods can also nourish the lungs and help resist PM 2.5 dust.

The Nutrition Division of the Department of Health revealed that PM 2.5 dust is an allergen causing respiratory diseases like asthma and lung diseases; long-term accumulation may lead to lung cancer. Consuming antioxidants from food can help fight inflammation and build immunity, focusing on five-colored fruits and vegetables as follows.

1. Red color

Rich in lycopene and betalaine, which help prevent cancer, such as tomatoes, watermelon, and pink-fleshed dragon fruit.

2. Blue/Purple color

High in anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that help prevent cancer and delay cell aging, such as purple cabbage, eggplant, purple grapes, prunes, and rose apples.

3. Green color

Contains chlorophyll and lutein, which act as antioxidants and cancer preventatives, such as broccoli, ivy gourd, kale, spinach, guava, green grapes, green rose apples, and green apples.

4. Yellow/Orange color

Contains beta-carotene, which fights inflammation, acts as an antioxidant, prevents cancer, and boosts immunity, such as carrots, pumpkin, ripe papaya, pineapple, and ripe mango.

5. White/Brown color

Contains flavonoids that act as antioxidants, reduce cancer cell division, and fight inflammation, such as Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, radish, Job's tears, bananas, mangosteen flesh, white-fleshed dragon fruit, and pears.

Dr. Kamol Chaisit, President of the Nutrition and Integrative Herbal Medicine Association, recommended anti-inflammatory foods that can detoxify the lungs as follows.

1. Anti-inflammatory herbs include

• Turmeric, which contains "Curcumin," effectively reducing toxins and inflammation in the lungs.
• Oregano leaves contain "Carvacrol," which reduces inflammation and detoxifies the respiratory system; these can be brewed into tea.

2. Orange-yellow fruits and vegetables

• Contain "Carotenoids" that prevent mutations in lung tissue and lung cancer, such as pumpkin, carrot, ripe Nam Dok Mai mango, and ripe papaya.
• It is advisable to alternate consumption, for example, eating half a cup of pumpkin one day and one carrot the next.

3. Broccoli

• Contains "Sulforaphane," which directly helps detoxify PM 2.5 dust from the lungs; it is recommended to consume at least 200 grams daily.

Additionally, daily intake of at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables is advised, combined with self-protection from PM 2.5 dust by wearing dust masks to guard against toxins and strengthen immunity. It is also best to minimize outdoor activities to reduce inhalation of toxic dust, and to installair purifiersinside the home.