references
National Institutes of Health: "How Mucus Tames Microbes"
Mayo Clinic: "Food Allergy"
Mayo Clinic: "Cold symptoms: Does drinking milk increase phlegm?"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Histamine: The Stuff Allergies are Made of"
Annals of Dermatology: "A Histamine-Free Diet Is Helpful for Treatment of Adult Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria"
American Lung Association: "Understanding Mucus in Your Lungs"
Cleveland Clinic: "Sore Throat Remedies That Actually Work"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Immune response"
PLOS One: "Dietary Enrichment with 20% Fish Oil Decreases Mucus Production and the Inflammatory Response in Mice with Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Lung Inflammation"
National Institutes of Health: "Omega-3 Fatty Acids"
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: "Therapeutic Role of Functional Components in Alliums for Preventive Chronic Disease in Human Being"
Microorganisms: "Mucus: An Underestimated Gut Target for Environmental Pollutants and Food Additives"
University of Michigan Health: "Laryngopharyngeal Reflux"
Johns Hopkins Medicine: "GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn)"
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: "The Relationship of Mucus Concentration (Hydration) to Mucus Osmotic Pressure and Transport in Chronic Bronchitis"
Cell: "A dietary fiber-deprived gut microbiota degrades the colonic mucus barrier and enhances pathogen susceptibility"
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: "Dietary Fiber and Reduced Cough with Phlegm A Cohort Study in Singapore"
Cochrane Library: "Capsaicin for non‐allergic rhinitis"
Cleveland Clinic: "Hangover"
Nutrients: "Histamine Intolerance Originates in the Gut"
Mayo Clinic: "Cold Remedies"
Cell Host & Microbe: "The Impact of Dietary Fiber on Gut Microbiata in Host Health and Disease"
Kaiser Permanente: "Elecampane - Uses"
Kaiser Permanente: "Mullein"
Mount Sinai: "Quercetin Information"
Pacific College of Health and Science: "What Does Apple Cider Vinegar Not Do?"
Mount Sinai: "Sinusitis Information"
Mayo Clinic: "10 Common Nutrition Myths Debunked"
UNC Health: "Mucus, Our Body's Silent Defender"
Clinical Phytoscience: "Results of a randomised controlled study on the efficacy of a combination of saline irrigation and Sinupret syrup phytopreparation in the treatment of acute viral rhinosinusitis in children aged 6 to 11 years"
Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.
Soups and clear liquids can help eliminate extra mucus from your body.
Image Credit: peredniankina/iStock/GettyImages
Image Credit: peredniankina/iStock/GettyImages
- Foods That Help
- Supplements
- Foods to Avoid
- Other Causes
- Other Treatments
Some people think you can detox your body from mucus, but it’s more accurate to say you cannot truly detox your body of anything through a dietary cleanse, per the Mayo Clinic. Instead, focus on eating more whole foods and avoid foods that trigger symptoms — like mucus production.
The 4 Best Garlic Supplements for Your Health Goals
You may think that citrus fruits like oranges and lemons reduce mucus because of their vitamin C, but there is little evidence to support this claim.
Spicy foods can help clear out mucus-clogged airways, but it’s best to avoid spice if you have acid reflux.
Talk to your doctor before trying any supplement to naturally reduce mucus. Some herbal supplements may interact with medications such as blood thinners, and may negatively affect those with bleeding disorders, angina or asthma, per Mount Sinai.
There’s no evidence potatoes themselves are a mucus-producing food, but if you’re eating them in a processed form — think: chips, fries and tater tots — the other ingredients or additives might cause mucus or make it worse.
5 Tasty Coffee Alternatives to Help You Wake Up Without the Caffeine
Some claim milk and other dairy products are mucus-forming foods even if you’re not allergic to them. However, this likely isn’t the case. Rather, dairy often has a slimy texture that can mimic the feeling of phlegm, according to the Mayo Clinic.
4 Reasons Why You’re Coughing Up Mucus After Exercise
National Institutes of Health: "How Mucus Tames Microbes"
Mayo Clinic: "Food Allergy"
Mayo Clinic: "Cold symptoms: Does drinking milk increase phlegm?"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Histamine: The Stuff Allergies are Made of"
Annals of Dermatology: "A Histamine-Free Diet Is Helpful for Treatment of Adult Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria"
American Lung Association: "Understanding Mucus in Your Lungs"
Cleveland Clinic: "Sore Throat Remedies That Actually Work"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Immune response"
PLOS One: "Dietary Enrichment with 20% Fish Oil Decreases Mucus Production and the Inflammatory Response in Mice with Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Lung Inflammation"
National Institutes of Health: "Omega-3 Fatty Acids"
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: "Therapeutic Role of Functional Components in Alliums for Preventive Chronic Disease in Human Being"
Microorganisms: "Mucus: An Underestimated Gut Target for Environmental Pollutants and Food Additives"
University of Michigan Health: "Laryngopharyngeal Reflux"
Johns Hopkins Medicine: "GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux (Heartburn)"
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: "The Relationship of Mucus Concentration (Hydration) to Mucus Osmotic Pressure and Transport in Chronic Bronchitis"
Cell: "A dietary fiber-deprived gut microbiota degrades the colonic mucus barrier and enhances pathogen susceptibility"
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: "Dietary Fiber and Reduced Cough with Phlegm A Cohort Study in Singapore"
Cochrane Library: "Capsaicin for non‐allergic rhinitis"
Cleveland Clinic: "Hangover"
Nutrients: "Histamine Intolerance Originates in the Gut"
Mayo Clinic: "Cold Remedies"
Cell Host & Microbe: "The Impact of Dietary Fiber on Gut Microbiata in Host Health and Disease"
Kaiser Permanente: "Elecampane - Uses"
Kaiser Permanente: "Mullein"
Mount Sinai: "Quercetin Information"
Pacific College of Health and Science: "What Does Apple Cider Vinegar Not Do?"
Mount Sinai: "Sinusitis Information"
Mayo Clinic: "10 Common Nutrition Myths Debunked"
UNC Health: "Mucus, Our Body's Silent Defender"
Clinical Phytoscience: "Results of a randomised controlled study on the efficacy of a combination of saline irrigation and Sinupret syrup phytopreparation in the treatment of acute viral rhinosinusitis in children aged 6 to 11 years"
