ByAcademy of Culinary NutritionLast updated onReading Time: 6 minutes
The change of seasons can have a substantial effect on our physical and mental health. Depending on the time of year, the seasons can inspire a sense of renewal, or compel us to ‘nest’ and hunker down with cozy foods and sweaters. Unfortunately, for millions of people around the world, seasonal changes can also lead to allergic reactions to the pollen drifting through the air that can cause itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, and nasal and sinus congestion. Incorporating key foods for allergy season can greatly help with preventing and addressing seasonal allergy symptoms, also known as hayfever or allergic rhinitis.
Generally speaking, the best foods for allergy season and hayfever are:
Highly anti-inflammatory, which helps to reduce inflammation associated with allergy symptoms
Rich in antioxidants, which help to combat free radicals damage, lower inflammation and offer allergy relief
Immune system supportive, as seasonal allergies are a result of the immune system reacting to compounds in the air
Let’s talk about some optimal foods for allergy season, plus tips and recipes to help you incorporate them into your diet.
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory herb that’s compounds help to reduce the inflammation and discomfort that comes along with seasonal allergies. This study comparing ginger extract to loratidine, an over-the-counter antihistiamine medication, found that ginger was just as effective at reducing nasal symptoms like congestion, runny nose, and sneezing – plus it didn’t have the unpleasant side effects caused by loratidine such as drowsiness and dizziness.
Ginger is incredibly versatile, which is why it’s one of our favourite foods for allergy season. Use it in tea (hot or cold), soups, stews, elixirs, curries, baked goods, and more!
Turmeric is another member of the fantastic foods for allergy season club because of its anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive properties. Curcumin, one of turmeric’s most potent and active components, has been shown to relieve sneezing and nasal congestion caused by seasonal allergies and hayfever.
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Bell Peppers
Photo: alis&po on Unsplash
Bell peppers contain a payload of Vitamin C, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant vitamin. Studies show that Vitamin C consumption helps to both prevent hayfever from developing andease allergy symptoms once they occur.
You might automatically associate Vitamin C with citrus fruits. While it’s true that citrus such as lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C, they are also high in histamine, which can provoke seasonal allergy symptoms and hayfever.
Other Vitamin C foods are broccoli, dark leafy greens, guavas, parsley, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and strawberries.
Recipe To Try:Bell Pepper Pesto by Meghan Telpner (*ACN Founder + Director)
In addition to being a source of quercetin, grapes – particularly the skins – are a tremendous source of many other antioxidants that block the production of inflammatory chemicals. In this study of children in Crete following a Mediterranean-style diet, eating grapes, apples, tomatoes and oranges daily were linked to less wheezing and other hayfever symptoms.
Berries have anti-inflammatory, immune-supportive and anti-allergic properties such as quercetin and Vitamin C. The flavanoids in berries aid with blocking the production of histamine, which may be why it helps to reduce allergy symptoms.
Reading Time: 6 minutes 
