It is always important to eat a healthy diet, but it can be especially important when you are at home recovering from COVID-19. A diet that is rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients is ideal. It is important to provide your body with the nourishing foods it needs to make a full recovery. While over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol might help alleviate some of your symptoms in the present, it is also essential to provide your body with these foods.

According to Eunice Yu, M.D., medical director of COVID-19 Recovery Care at Henry Ford Health, “some people rely on supplements to help them recuperate, but nothing is better than fresh fruits and vegetables,” It’s totally fine if you want to take supplements, but none of them have any proof that they help support the immune system or speed up recovery. Consuming foods that have been processed only to a limited degree is ideal.

When you have COVID, the following foods are recommended to eat:

Consume an abundance of foods high in vitamin C.

According to Holtzer, “Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that is super important to cell and tissue growth and repair, which is why it is known as a nutrient that boosts the immune system.” Vitamin C-dense winners:

  • Red bell peppers
  • Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and various others
  • Papaya \sKiwi
  • Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and other similar vegetables
  • Strawberries, fresh red sweet pepper, and red pepper flakes arranged on a wooden board with a rustic look.

Put your focus on the aromatics.

Garlic, onions, scallions, leeks, shallots, and chives are all members of the allium family. Since they possess anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, eating them can give your immune system a boost while simultaneously satiating your craving for a good taste. When you are ill, these are two very important considerations. Holtzer recommends that you “Try grating fresh garlic into bone broth or soup.”

Pay attention to the protein.

According to Holtzer, protein is the primary macronutrient that may assist in the healing of broken-down cells that occur while an individual is coping with a disease such as COVID. Your typical sources of protein, such as meat, fish, and legumes like beans, may not sound so tasty when you’re not feeling well. However, the following options are also high in protein and could be more comforting:

  • Scrambled eggs
  • Soups made with bone broth or bone broth-based soups (just one cup of bone broth has about 5g protein, Holtzer says)
  • Yogurt or kefir
  • Smoothies that include protein powder.
  • Toast with nut butter and toast
  • Tofu

Appropriate the use of herbs and spices.

According to Iu, many of these flavour enhancers help fight inflammation and are rich in antioxidants. According to Iu, these flavour enhancers can be particularly helpful if you have a diminished or lost sense of taste. Iu recommends heavily seasoning the dish with bold flavours such as garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and cinnamon so that the flavours can be appreciated. Iu says that cayenne, in particular, is a good one to use if you are able to handle spicy foods because it has a high concentration of capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory substance that gives it its kick and may help reduce nasal congestion. Cayenne has a high concentration of capsaicin. In addition, fresh or dried ginger, low sodium curry mixes, nutmeg, cloves, and any and all fresh or dried herbs are acceptable alternatives.

Consume these meals that will help you stay hydrated.

When you’re sick or not, staying hydrated is extremely important for helping your body perform its functions as it should. In addition to the most straightforward method of hydration, which is drinking liquids, the majority of fruits and vegetables are also rich in water, and many of them also contain minerals that can act as electrolytes to help the body maintain a healthy fluid balance. However, these examples really stand out:

  • Berries \ Melons
  • Citrus \ Cucumber \ Tomatoes \ Lettuces

Lu recommends using smoothies as a “great way to optimise your nutrition and hydrate” if you have lost your appetite, sense of smell, or sense of taste. You can use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and this is a great opportunity to add things like yogurt, nut butters, or protein powders for an extra nutrient boost. “You can use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables,”

Always opt for whole grains.

Whole grains are an excellent choice because they contain other nutritional necessities such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and occasionally even a little bit of protein. Your body also needs carbohydrates to fuel the healing process, and your body can only get these from whole grains. Excellent choices:

  • Oatmeal, Quinoa, Barley, Kamut, and Farro, along with Brown Rice.
  • Bulgur
  • Fonio 
  • Teff 
  • Whole wheat products including bread, pasta, and crackers.

Get some omega-3s.

Inflammation can be brought under control with the help of this particular type of fatty acid, which is an important step in recovering from an illness such as COVID and maintaining good health while you are on the mend. Examples of foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids include:

  • Seeds of the Chia plant.
  • Flax seeds that have been ground up
  • Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and trout
  • Walnuts

Your COVID symptoms may be eased by the following foods:

In addition to aiding in the healing process, there are times when you just want something that makes you feel better overall. The signs and symptoms of COVID can vary from person to person and from strain to strain, but the following may help relieve some of the more common symptoms:

Fever: In the event that you have a fever, you should consume liquids that have a minimal amount of added sugar, such as still or sparkling water, hot or iced tea, coconut water, and low-sugar rehydration drinks or sports beverages. Iu explains that consuming some sugar helps the body pull electrolytes like sodium and potassium into the body, which in turn helps promote water retention. You can also make your own electrolyte drink by following Iu’s straightforward recipe, which is: 3.5 cups of water, 1 cup of juice made from 100% fruit, and 0.5 teaspoons of salt.

Sore throat/ Cough:Smoothies, soups, stews, and curries are all examples of foods that are high in nutrients, provide support for the immune system in a number of different ways, and are extremely comforting. When combined with hot liquids like tea or water, honey, particularly raw honey or Manuka honey, can be an effective treatment for coughs and sore throats. In addition, these varieties of honey are an excellent source of antioxidants and feature antibacterial and antifungal properties, which provide additional infection-fighting power, according to Iu. Or, according to Holtzer, you could try making a healthy icy drink that not only tastes great but also feels good to drink: Create a protein shake by combining a frozen banana, a little bit of water, and your preferred milk. Blend the ingredients until smooth.

Diarrhea: If you have diarrhea, “You’ll want to increase your intake of soluble fiber,” which is the type of fibre that absorbs fluid in the digestive tract and helps slow things down, according to Holtzer. “Diarrhea is a sign that your body is not processing food properly.” Oatmeal, beans, barley, and apples are all examples of foods that fall under this category.

Nausea: If you are experiencing nausea or vomiting, Holtzer recommends that you eat bland foods that are easy to digest, such as toast, crackers, rice, and pretzels. You should also limit your portions to the size of a snack. It’s possible that ginger will also help settle your stomach.

If you have COVID-19, the following foods should be avoided:

In general, it’s a good idea to cut back on or completely abstain from consuming alcohol, as well as foods and drinks that are high in sugar or sodium. Avoid foods that have been overly processed and offer little in the way of nutritional benefits, such as chips, desserts, and candy. For more information visit our website. 

Bottom line:

Homemade meals that contain whole grains, protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables are ideal, as is staying properly hydrated; however, “it’s important to keep in mind that we all have different access levels to food,” says Iu. It’s okay if you need to lean on takeout as well. “At the end of the day, it is more important that you are actually eating,” said the professor. It explains that this is because when someone has COVID, their bodies are under increased stress and typically require more calories than they might normally consume because their bodies are working harder to fight the infection. This is the reason why this occurs.

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