If you suffer from a chronic cough that won’t go away, wake up with puffy and crusty eyes in the morning or you have bad breath throughout the day, then you may be suffering from excess mucus production. In fact, there are over 12 foods that cause excessive mucus in the body, some that may come to a surprise and others not so much.
Excessive mucus is a sign that the body is in a state of agitation. It can come from toxins, pollutants, allergies, and food additives, and often involves the lymphatic system, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system.
The Role of Mucus in The Body
That’s not to say that mucus doesn’t play a role in the body. It is produced by different mucus cells (i.e., goblet cells) among the epithelial lining of organs like the intestinal and respiratory tracts. They are found inside the bronchi, trachea, and larger bronchioles in the respiratory tract as well as the small intestines, the large intestine and conjunctiva in the upper eyelid.
Mucus is produced in order to protect the mucous membranes where they are found. The problem occurs when there is excess mucus production, which can be stimulated by irritants like dust, smoke, other pollution, chemicals, bacteria and viruses, food additives, and food allergens. Excess mucus is produced to capture these particles and shuttle them out of the body – meaning more coughing, stuffy noses, a harder time breathing, and more.
Too Much Mucus and Health Issues
If you suffer from too much mucus production, you may experience, one or more of the following symptoms:
– You suffer from a chronic cough that won’t go away
– You are currently experiencing mucus from a cold and/or flu
– You wake up with puffy and crusty eyes in the morning
– Bad breath throughout the day (even after brushing your teeth)
– You have a constant stuffy nose
– Your senses are dulled (you requires lots of salt to make food “taste good”)
– Your senses are not sharp – your mind is foggy and thinking clearly is difficult
These symptoms are often a result of a sluggish digestive tract, respiratory system and lymphatic system, which could be caused by excess mucus production. The digestive tract contains millions of tiny microvilli that absorb nutrients from food. In fact, over 80% of all absorption takes place in the small intestine. When we have excess mucus build-up in the intestine, it causes a glue-like buildup that sticks in the folds of the intestinal walls. This accumulation deforms the intestines and results in over 9-10 pound blockages in the average man or woman. This obstruction results in absorption issues, digestive problems, and an overall sick and poor-functioning body.
Although excess mucus production can come from allergies (aka. pollen, pet dander, smoke, dust), household chemicals, pollution, or bacteria and viruses, a major cause of mucus production is from the diet.
Mucus and Your Diet
Certain beverages and foods can trigger excessive mucus production in the body. Two main foods that cause excessive mucus build-up are dairy and wheat. Casein in dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.), and gluten in wheat require strong stomach acids for digestion. Once digestion is complete, food particles are left over that are too big to be used by the body. These partially-digested food particles putrefy and become coated with a thick mucus to prevent further putrefaction in the intestines.
Seeing as how a large percentage of the North American diet is made up of dairy and wheat, many people carry bodies that are in a chronic state of fighting off a sort of “viral invasion” – the body gets confused by the foreign products entering the mouth (like dairy and wheat products), and thus naturally protects itself by fighting these food particles, causing inflammation and triggering excess mucus.
To be a little more specific, here is a long list of foods that create mucus in the body:
– Dairy products (yogurt, milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, ice cream, butter, ghee)
– All corn products
– Eggs
– Sugary treats (cookies, cake, pies, pastries)
– Wheat (bread, pretzels, buns, bagels, muffins, etc.)
– Deep fried foods
– All soy products
– Safflower/sunflower oil
– Jams and jellies
– High-fat red meat
– Alcohol
– Caffeine
Eliminate Mucus and Treat Your Body Right
Eliminating foods that cause mucus is key to helping the body function at an optimal pace. Raw fruits and vegetables are one of the best mucus-cleansers out there. When I switch to a high-raw plant-based lifestyle, my mucus issues subsided and my health improved 10-fold.
Aside from that, however, there are also certain foods that can relieve excess mucus. These include:
– Radishes (red, daikon, horseradish, you name it – one of that best mucus-cleansers out there!)
– All leafy greens and herbs
– Cauliflower and broccoli
– Garlic
– Celery
– Asparagus
– Bamboo shoots
– Onions
– Ginger and turmeric
– Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges, kumquats, etc.)
– Pineapple
– Berries
– Brussels sprouts
– Hot peppers
If you enjoyed this article, then you’ll enjoy this mucus-cleansing juice recipe. One of my top recommended juices for those experiencing excess mucus build-up.
Sources:
http://www.freedomyou.com/mucus_clearing_diet_freedomyou.aspx
https://allergies.knoji.com/foods-that-cause-excessive-mucus-and-foods-that-reduce-mucus/
Soph says
Very helpful . I'm a ova-vegetarian I stay away from dairy I had ten pounds to lose I went on low carb meat/egg/cheese diet I dropped the weight fast, but the issue was mucus I was up all night coughing up mucus. I even got a sinus headache . I stopped the diet and went back to my vege diet with lot's of chili peppers and I was fine no more mucus. I think it is amazing how many people were sold sinus surgeries which I think can be very risky , when they could just do some of the simple things you've stated here see if they don't get well. Coconut milk is the richest of the milks I think so that is wonderful to have hot spicy chai drink
Carly Fraser says
Yes, totally! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Jenna Dailey says
That's funny. I've had the opposite experience. I've been on a low carb diet for several months now, but before going low-carb I always suffered from allergies and was congested most of the time. I even went to an allergist who said I was just allergic to everything, and I just accepted that was my lot in life. But since being on the low carb diet, I've had no allergies, no congestion. However, I was travelling and was hungry, my options were limited, so I caved and had a burger and fries, big mistake! I've been congested since I ate it yesterday and phlegmy. I went online looking to see if anyone else experienced this and came across this post.
Baldev says
Thanks for this very useful information.
Please continue this good work with a post on causes and cures of itching all over the body indicating role of garlic consumption daily.
Gwen says
Hi, Carly
I like beans and I had pinto beans and black beans , can you tell me if that’s why I have the gas? Also I eat papaya, mango and pineapples with flaxseed ground for breakfast is that gas forming also?
Carly Fraser says
Beans are always gas forming unless you soak and sprout them yourself, and then cook them. Papaya, mango and pineapple with flax would not cause gas.
Liston Aiken says
Carly, I do appreciate your article and the answers you have given. I have been battling mucus for maybe two years and now my breathing has become quite laboured. I will be following your advice to eliminate wheat and the little dairy I still use, go green and see how it pans out. Thanks for the help.
Carly Fraser says
Let me know how it goes!
Lynn says
Hi Carly, the past couple of weeks I've been dealing with acute bronchitis. And Alot of mucus in lungs. I will admit I've eaten subway and fried chicken and mushrooms this week. I even made cabbage soup. Didn't realize that was hurting me. I drink green tea alot, like Lipton and others. Does it have to be organic tea. What's a good brand that you can recommend. I have a hard time coughing up phlegm and swallow it 80% of Time. It gives me stomach spasm and anxiety. So it's a struggle.
Carly Fraser says
Hey Lynn – Yogi and Traditional Medicinals are two great tea companies. I'd stay away from conventional brands like Lipton, Red Rose, etc. Fried foods and everything else you mention is probably not helping your mucus issues. Stick with the suggestions in this article and see if your conditions improve.
Bruno says
Hi Carly, great article thanks for sharing.
Quick questions, what is your take on the book Prof. Arnold Ehret's mucusless-diet healing system?
I love my coffee but every morning I wake up and immediately start to get a running nose and need to blow as my digestive system starts to wake up is this normal?
Also I love my morning jolt of caffeine is there a good substitute for that instead of coffee? Would Matcha or Yerba Mate tea be a good substitute?
I could go on an on but I am convinced that a plant-based diet is the way to go as it can have a HUGE impact on overall well-being. I remember my tinnitus went away after a few weeks when I started juicing and focused heavy on leafy greens etc. It was like someone turned a switch off but it's back again and I know these long hard cold Canadian winters drive me to eat the wrong foods 🙁
Thanks again
Carly Fraser says
Hey Bruno – I have never read that book, but based off an ingredient list online of what he recommends, it looks great to me! If you're looking for a good coffee substitute, definitely go ahead and try getting some maca powder. That stuff will give you a serious buzz! Hope you can do your best to stay plant-based! 🙂