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NUTRITION u Evidence Based

5 Foods to Eat If You

Have COVID-19
By Amber Charles Alexis, MSPH, RDN on
February 14, 2022 — Medically reviewed by
Kim Rose-Francis RDN, CDCES, CNSC, LD,
Nutrition

There’s an important relationship among your

nutritional status, immune health, risk of
infection, and ability to recover from illness (1  ,
2  , 3  ).

Poor nutrition is associated with inflammation

and oxidative stress, which compromise
immune health. Both inflammation and
oxidative stress are elevated when you have
COVID-19 (1  , 2  ).

The World Health Organization declared the

novel coronavirus a pandemic in March 2020.
The virus’s full name is severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-
2), and the illness it causes is called COVID-19
(4  ).

COVID-19 negatively affects nutritional status

because it decreases appetite and may limit
your access to nutritious foods during
confinement, yet it simultaneously increases
your body’s need for nutrients, such as vitamin
D (3  , 5  , 6  ).

Diet and nutrition can help support your

immune health if you have COVID-19,
especially if you consume foods with
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
(1  , 2  , 5  , 6  , 7  ).

It’s important to note that this is an emerging

area of research. These foods won’t prevent
you from contracting the novel coronavirus or
cure the disease, but they have been shown to
support immune health.

This article lists key nutrients, foods, and

nutrition practices that may be beneficial for
people who have COVID-19 or are recovering
from it.

Davide Illini/Stocksy United

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1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is the most frequently discussed
micronutrient among nutrition experts for the
management of COVID-19 (5  ).

This fat-soluble vitamin and hormone exerts an

anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing
overactivity of the immune system, according
to newer and older research (1  , 5  , 8  , 9  ).

In the body, vitamin D acts on angiotensin

converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a protein
receptor found in the lungs and fat tissue (1  ,
7  ).

The novel coronavirus binds to ACE2 at the

beginning of an infection, potentially leading to
acute respiratory distress syndrome and
severe illness in people with COVID-19 (10  ).

However, vitamin D interacts with the ACE2

receptors, potentially preventing the virus from
binding to them, and reducing complications
associated with COVID-19 (1  , 10  , 11  ).

Vitamin D may also play a protective role and

support healing of damaged tissues, primarily
in the lungs (10  ).

Foods to eat

On average, people make approximately 80%

of their vitamin D when their skin is exposed to
sunlight (ultraviolet light) and get the remaining
20% from their diet (8  ).

As a result, taking vitamin D daily may be a

good idea if you’re in confinement due to
COVID-19 and have little sunlight exposure
(5  ).

However, some medications may interact with

vitamin D supplements — including blood
thinners, which are common among people
with COVID-19 as a result of the increased risk
of blood clotting.

That’s why it’s best to speak with a healthcare

professional before you start taking vitamin D
supplements regularly.

Increasing your intake of vitamin D-rich foods

while you have or are recovering from COVID-
19 is a great way to reduce the risk of a vitamin
D deficiency and potentially improve your
immune response.

Here are seven foods rich in vitamin D, along

with the amount of the vitamin each contains
(12  , 13  , 14  , 15  , 16  , 17  , 18  ):

Cod liver oil: 170% of the Daily Value (DV)

per 1 tablespoon (13.6 grams)

Herring: 27% of the DV per 100 grams

Egg yolk: 27% of the DV per 100 grams

Sardine: 24% of the DV per 100 grams

Canned light tuna: 34% of the DV per

100 grams

Salmon, wild-caught or farmed: 66% of

the DV per 100 grams

Fortified orange juice: 25% of the DV per

100 grams

Wild mushrooms are a vegetarian source of

vitamin D. Their levels vary depending on the
type of light they were exposed to as they
were growing, according to older research
(19  ).

SUMMARY

Vitamin D may help protect your lungs

during novel coronavirus infection by
disrupting viral attachment in your
body. Several foods are rich in vitamin
D, including cod liver oil, salmon,
herring, and some wild mushrooms.

2. Carotenoids and vitamin A

Carotenoids are antioxidants as well as
pigments (red, green, yellow, and orange).
They’re found in nature in some colorful algae,
bacteria, fungi, plants, fruits, and vegetables,
some of which you can include in your diet
(20  , 21  ).

Of the 700 carotenoids identified in nature,

only about 30 have been found in the human
body. One of these is vitamin A and its
precursor, beta carotene (20  , 22  , 23  ).

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble antioxidant

carotenoid. It has anti-inflammatory properties,
and research has shown it may be beneficial
for managing pneumonia and respiratory
infections (1  , 24  , 25  , 26  ).

In the case of COVID-19, studies indicate that

vitamin A reduces inflammation and oxidative
stress, enhances the immune response, and
may decrease the severity of the disease (24  ,
25  ).

Researchers think it protects the ACE2

receptors, similarly to vitamin D, and may work
on several other molecular targets to combat
COVID-19 (24  , 25  ).

Some people may develop vitamin A

deficiency during infections such as COVID-19,
and this may actually increase the severity of
the disease. If this happens, you might need to
take vitamin A supplements (25  ).

However, drug interactions are also possible if

you’re taking vitamin A supplements, so make
sure you speak with a healthcare professional
before taking them.

Foods to eat

Dark green leafy vegetables and organ meats,

particularly liver, are rich sources of vitamin A.

Here are eight foods rich in vitamin A, along

with the % of the DV per 100 grams of each
(27  , 28  , 29  , 30  , 31  , 32  , 33  , 34  ):

Beef liver: 552% of the DV

Chicken liver: 327% of the DV

King mackerel: 24% of the DV

Goat cheese: 54% of the DV

Sweet potato, cooked: 87% of the DV

Collard greens: 28% of the DV

Carrots, raw: 93% of the DV

Baby spinach, raw: 31% of the DV

SUMMARY

Vitamin A is a carotenoid that may

help provide powerful protection
against infections, including COVID-
19. Food sources include liver, dark
green leafy vegetables, and
pigmented vegetables such as sweet
potatoes and carrots.

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3. Zinc
Zinc deficiency has been associated with an
increased risk of infections and poorer
outcomes in those with COVID-19 (1  , 35  ).

Zinc is regarded as one of the most important

minerals. Research has shown that its
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
may reduce the risk of heart disease, may
support eye health, and are essential for
immune health (36  , 37  , 38  , 39  ).

In COVID-19, zinc may reduce the risk of

getting a bacterial infection at the same time
and decrease activity of the ACE2 receptors,
which are targets of the novel coronavirus
(40  ).

It also protects the health of the lung tissue

and may be a therapeutic additional treatment
for COVID-19. Studies on this are now
underway (41  , 42  , 43  , 44  ).

If you’ve received a diagnosis of zinc

deficiency, your doctor may have
recommended that you take zinc supplements.
However, be careful not to take too much,
because zinc is toxic in excess amounts. Stick
to the dose your doctor recommends (45  ).

Foods to eat

Here are seven foods rich in zinc, along with

the % of the DV per 100 grams of each (46  ,
47  , 48  , 49  , 50  , 51  , 52  ):

Ground beef: 41% of the DV

Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao): 30% of

the DV

Seafood oyster, canned: 73% of the DV

Cashew nuts: 53% of the DV

Hemp seeds: 90% of the DV

Pumpkin seeds: 71% of the DV

Lentils, sprouted, raw: 14% of the DV

SUMMARY

Zinc is an essential mineral with anti-

inflammatory properties that may
benefit people with COVID-19. Rich
food sources include ground beef,
cashews, and hemp seeds.

4. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are a category
of fatty acids shown to have anti-inflammatory
health benefits, including for brain health, heart
disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (1  , 9  , 53  ,
54  ).

These omega-3 fats, specifically

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may improve
recovery in people with COVID-19 (55  ).

However, higher quality research in humans is

needed before healthcare professionals may
recommend taking it for this purpose.

Omega-3 fats reduce inflammation and the

potential for the “cytokine storm” in COVID-19,
which is hyperactivity of the immune system
that causes negative symptoms.

They’re thought to do this by becoming part of

cell membranes of various tissues throughout
the body and preventing the production of pro-
inflammatory compounds (56  ).

Another potential benefit of omega-3 fats in

treating those with or recovering from COVID-
19 is their role in improving mood, anxiety, and
depression — all of which may be worsened by
the novel coronavirus pandemic (57  , 58  ).

Research is underway to determine the

therapeutic role of omega-3 fats for COVID-19.

Foods to eat

Here are eight foods rich in omega-3 fatty

acids, along with the amount of omega-3s
found in each. Note that these contain
different types of omega-3s (12  , 15  , 17  ,
29  , 59  , 60  , 61  , 62  ):

Chia seeds: 6 grams per 100 grams

Soybean, dry-roasted: 1.4 grams per 100

grams

Sardines, canned: 498 mg per 100 grams

Cod liver oil: 935 mg per tablespoon

King mackerel: 159 mg per 100 grams

Flaxseed: 23 grams per 100 grams

Walnuts: 9 grams per 100 grams

Salmon: 113 mg per 100 grams

As you may have noticed, many foods rich in

omega-3 fats are also rich sources of vitamin
D.

SUMMARY

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are

known for their anti-inflammatory
health benefits and may help treat
COVID-19. Foods rich in omega-3 fats
include salmon, sardines, and chia
seeds.

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5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that
supports immune health in people of all ages
(63  ).

Animal and human studies have found that

vitamin C may reduce oxidative stress, improve
endothelial function to guard against heart
disease, and support recovery from the
common cold (64  , 65  , 66  ).

Emerging research demonstrates that giving

vitamin C to people with COVID-19 may
support recovery and improvement during the
disease course (44  , 66  , 67  ).

Vitamin C has a potential role in the prevention

and management of pneumonia and bacterial
infections such as sepsis, although some in the
scientific community question its use (66  ,
67  ).

Preliminary evidence suggests that taking

vitamin C may help those with COVID-19, but
more studies in humans are needed (68  ).

Foods to eat

Here are eight foods naturally high in vitamin

C, along with the % of the DV per 100 grams of
each (69  , 70  , 71  , 72  , 73  , 74  , 75  ,
76  ):

Guava, raw: 253% of the DV

Acerola (West Indian cherry): 1,867% of

the DV

Kiwi, raw: 103% of the DV

Cauliflower, raw: 54% of the DV

Canned tomatoes: 14% of the DV

Potato, with skin: 13% of the DV

Sweet pepper, red: 142% of the DV

Papaya, raw: 68% of the DV

SUMMARY

Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin

that supports immune health and is
known to reduce the risk of
pneumonia. This nutrient shows
promise as a treatment for COVID-19,
and more research is currently
underway.

The bottom line

COVID-19 negatively affects nutritional status,
and a healthy, functional immune system is
paramount to reducing the risk of infection and
supporting recovery.

Researchers are looking with great interest at

vitamin D, carotenoids, vitamin A, zinc, omega-
3 fatty acids, and vitamin C to determine their
potential health benefits as complementary
treatments for COVID-19.

There is currently no clinical evidence that a

low histamine diet is beneficial to those with or
recovering from COVID-19. More research in
humans is needed.

Just one thing

Try this today: Pick out a new fruit or
vegetable to try from the grocery
store. Eating a variety of foods with
anti-inflammatory properties supports
immune health.

Check out these eight Caribbean

cultural foods to learn more.

WATCH MORE FROM HEALTHLINE

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Last medically reviewed on February 14, 2022

How we reviewed this article:

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