Breathe easier in smoggy cities: Eating this simple food could protect your lungs from the harms of air pollution

If you live in a smog-filled city, there’s only so much you can do to protect your lungs from polluted air — masks, filters, and cleaner routes all help. But new research suggests something far simpler might strengthen your lungs’ natural defenses: fruit.

A study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam has found that eating more fruit could make your lungs more resilient to the harmful effects of air pollution. The findings, reported by Women’s Health, indicate that fruit lovers might literally be breathing easier.

The Study That Connected Fruit to Lung Function
Researchers analyzed health and diet data from nearly 200,000 participants in the UK Biobank, looking at their fruit, vegetable, and whole grain consumption alongside a key measure of lung function known as FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second). They then compared these results with participants’ exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — the tiny, invisible particles that make up much of urban air pollution.

Here’s what they found: those who consumed four or more servings of fruit a day experienced a smaller decline in lung function compared to people who ate two or fewer servings. Specifically, every five-microgram increase in PM2.5 exposure was linked to a 78.1 milliliter drop in FEV1 among low-fruit eaters, but only a 57.5 milliliter drop among those with higher fruit intake.

Simply put, eating more fruit didn’t reduce exposure to pollution — it helped the lungs cope better with its effects.

The Science Behind Fruit’s Lung-Protecting Power
So, how can a bowl of fruit possibly shield your lungs from pollution?

Dr. Jimmy Johannes, pulmonologist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, told Women’s Health that fruits may offer anti-inflammatory benefits that counteract pollution-induced damage. “One possibility is the potential anti-inflammatory effects from having larger quantities of fruit,” he said. “That may somehow mitigate some of the effects of air pollution.”

Dr. Anna Hansell, study co-author and director of the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester, explained that air pollution generates oxidative stress — an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body that harms cells. “Fruits are high in antioxidants that can neutralize some of these adverse effects,” she said.

Antioxidants like vitamin C, flavonoids, and carotenoids, commonly found in berries, citrus fruits, and apples, help mop up these harmful molecules, reducing the inflammatory stress that pollution causes in lung tissue.

Beyond Diet
While you can’t eat your way out of smog, the researchers stress that combining healthy habits with pollution-smart choices can make a difference.

Dr. Hansell advises minimizing exposure whenever possible — such as walking or cycling through parks or quieter streets instead of traffic-heavy roads. Dr. Johannes adds that using air purifiers and keeping windows closed during peak pollution hours can reduce indoor exposure.

And as for your plate? Filling it with color may be a good place to start. Fruits, as the study suggests, won’t make you immune to pollution — but they may help your lungs fight back a little harder.