Table of contents:
- Throat mucus may be important for preventing infectious diseases
- What causes phlegm in the throat and producing more mucus?
- 1. Certain food allergies that you are not aware of
- 2. High histamine
- 3. Gastric acid increases
- 4. Unhealthy diet
Have you ever felt that your throat was very itchy and had a lump in it? This condition is often caused by too much throat mucus and buildup. This phlegm throat can be triggered by the food or drink you consume daily.
Actually, having a lot of mucus in the throat is normal or not? What causes phlegm in the throat? As well as what types of food can make a blocked throat due to mucus?
Throat mucus may be important for preventing infectious diseases
The mucus in your throat actually plays a role in preventing various foreign substances from entering the body. If a foreign substance accidentally enters it, it sticks to the mucus, then the body will secrete the substance and the mucus comes out - either through mucus or phlegm. However, when your body is infected or the environment is cold, it can lead to more throat mucus production.
What causes phlegm in the throat and producing more mucus?
1. Certain food allergies that you are not aware of
One of the things that can make the mucus in your throat increase is allergies. Many people who feel like they have something blocked in their throat - due to mucus - don't realize that they have an allergy and are experiencing an allergy at the time. Allergies not only make your body itchy but can also cause other effects, for example the production of more mucus in the throat.
Some types of foods that can cause allergies are eggs, fish, milk and their products, nuts, shellfish, and soybeans.
2. High histamine
Histamine is released automatically by the body when you have an allergy, but sometimes histamine is contained in some foods or certain types of food to increase histamine in the body - even if you are not allergic. Foods that contain natural histamine are cheese, yogurt, butter, vinegar, smoked fish, packaged meats, and dried fruit.
Meanwhile, foods that can increase the production of histamine in the body and then trigger the production of throat mucus are bananas, chocolate, strawberries, papaya, pineapple, and eggs.
3. Gastric acid increases
Gastric acid that rises back into the throat, also known as stomach acid reflux, stimulates the production of excess mucus. This is because stomach acid can injure the throat, so the body will automatically produce mucus so that inflammation does not occur. Meanwhile, you unconsciously consume foods that can make stomach acid rise, such as chocolate, coffee, mint, carbonated drinks, and foods that are high in fat. Avoid this if you have a sore throat.
4. Unhealthy diet
A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine in 2006 found that people who apply a high-sodium diet, consume too much carbohydrates and processed meats, tend to experience congestion due to mucus more often. So, an unhealthy diet can also make your throat mucus increase.