Medically reviewed by Kayla Girgen, RD
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- What you eat may influence how your body responds to allergens.
- Foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds like omega-3s and quercetin may be helpful in reducing allergy symptoms.
- For best results, incorporate these and other healthy, whole foods consistently throughout your diet.
Allergy symptoms occur when your immune system overreacts to everyday triggers, like pollen. Boosting your immune system and reducing inflammation could help reduce that reaction, lessening annoying allergy symptoms like sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes in the process.
1. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and lemons are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. Among other benefits, vitamin C may be able to help break down histamine, a chemical your immune system releases when it detects an allergen. Histamine is responsible for the sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes you feel during a reaction.
Though more research is needed, some evidence suggests that there are links between more severe allergies and lower vitamin C levels.
Your body can't make vitamin C on its own, so you need to get it through food every day. If you choose to get it from citrus, whole fruit is preferable to juice—that's because whole oranges, grapefruits, and other fruits contain fiber, which supports blood sugar and gut health. A healthy gut also helps your immune system better respond to allergens.
2. Onions
Onions are a rich source of quercetin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant compound that may help fight allergies.
Mast cells, which are part of the immune system, activate and release histamine when your body detects an allergen. Though more research is needed, some studies suggest quercetin may be able to inhibit the activation of some mast cells, lowering histamine levels in the body.
Quercetin also targets two other bodily compounds involved in allergic reactions—leukotrienes cause airway swelling and mucus production, and cytokines tell your immune system to ramp up inflammation.
You can also get quercetin from apples, berries, broccoli, green tea, and other foods; however, your body absorbs the quercetin in onions more efficiently than it does from most other foods.
3. Fatty Fish
Salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Your body uses omega-3s to help regulate your immune system, including its response to allergens.
Omega-3s work by reducing inflammatory chemicals in your body—the same ones that drive allergy symptoms. More real-world evidence is needed, but animal and cellular research supports the idea that omega-3s could be beneficial for allergies. A 2024 study done in rats found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced sneezing, nasal scratching, and inflammation.
To incorporate more fatty fish into your diet, it's best to aim for two servings weekly. If you don't eat fish, walnuts and flaxseeds are solid plant-based sources of omega-3s.
4. Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and it's been used for centuries to treat digestive issues, flu, and more. But there's some evidence it could be useful for allergies, too.
One 2020 study put ginger extract head-to-head with loratadine, a common antihistamine, and found that the two reduced nasal allergy symptoms to a similar extent.
The active compounds in ginger—called gingerols and shogaols—work by regulating the immune system. That includes limiting the activation of histamine-producing mast cells, which are responsible for allergy symptoms.
5. Yogurt and Kefir
Much of your immune activity happens in the gut, where immune cells and gut microbes work together to react to allergens, viruses, and more. In fact, unhealthy gut microbiomes—the collection of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract—have been linked to worse allergy symptoms.
Yogurt and kefir are rich in probiotics—these live bacteria support a healthy gut and may help correct some of the inflammation that's linked to allergies. These dairy products also have antioxidant properties, meaning they can help neutralize harmful molecules (free radicals) in the body which may improve allergies.
A 2024 study found that people with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) who took probiotics had measurable improvements in symptoms and quality of life compared to those who took a placebo.
When choosing yogurt or kefir, look for products that say they contain live and active cultures. This confirms the probiotics are still effective.
How To Work These Foods Into Your Diet
Managing your allergies through diet means choosing foods that support your immune system. These foods provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that may help your body respond more calmly to allergens.
You don't need to eat citrus fruits, onions, ginger, fish, and yogurt or kefir every day for allergy relief. Instead, focus on where each food fits naturally into your diet, and pair them with other nutritious choices:
- Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit work well at breakfast or as a snack.
- Yogurt or kefir pairs well with granola or fruit salad.
- Fatty fish can be baked, grilled, or added to salads and pasta.
- Onions can be used raw in salads and sandwiches, or cooked in soups or stir-fries.
- Ginger works in hot drinks, stir-fries, and soups.
