8 Immune-Boosting Foods to Help Fight COVID

Most people tend to reach for comfort foods when they’re not feeling well. But even though you may not want to think about your diet while you’re sick, science shows that certain vitamins and minerals play an important role in your immune system function. 

Many researchers have looked into the connection between nutrition and COVID. Most of the studies have looked at dietary supplements rather than specific foods. But it probably doesn’t hurt to eat foods that are rich in the most helpful nutrients. So if you have COVID, we’ll go through the best foods to eat, according to the research. 

1. Strawberries

Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C — and have even more vitamin C than an orange. In fact, this is true for a lot of different fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to help fight off damage to immune cells. Research shows that vitamin C can help against bacterial and viral infections. And vitamin C supplementation in people with COVID-19 lowered their chances of dying. 

If a juice or smoothie seems appetizing when you’re sick, adding fruits and veggies high in vitamin C make an easy addition. Foods high in vitamin C included in these studies are:

• Broccoli

• Red bell peppers

• Tomatoes

• Eggplant

• Cauliflower

• Kale

• Spinach

• Guava

• Kiwifruit

• Oranges

• Pineapple

• Blackberries

• Papaya

• Thyme

• Turmeric

• Cardamom

• Coriander

2. Eggs

Eggs, especially the yolks, are high in vitamin D. And they’re a great option because there are many different ways to eat eggs — and they can be easy on the stomach when you’re not feeling well. 

Vitamin D plays an essential role in how your immune system works:

• It helps prevent the immune system from overreacting and decreases inflammation.

• Vitamin D also may prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from attaching to certain receptors in the body. This process may reduce complications from the virus. 

• It may also help protect the lungs.

It’s important to note that most studies of vitamin D and its effect on COVID-19 used vitamin D supplementation. This means that people were taking extra vitamin D beyond their regular diet. But increasing your intake of vitamin D through your diet may still help prevent vitamin D deficiency, and help your immune system fight off the virus. 

Other foods that are high in vitamin D include:

• Mushrooms

• Sardines

• Canned light tuna

• Beef liver

• Fortified breakfast cereals

3. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, another vitamin that plays an important role in the immune system.

Vitamin A supports the production of immune cells that fight against invaders. It also acts as an antioxidant and prevents damage to cells. One small study found that vitamin A supplementation had no effect for people hospitalized with COVID. But others conclude that vitamin A supplementation may improve outcomes — especially if a person is deficient (which is more likely if someone has COVID). The overall conclusion is that adding a little bit of vitamin A to your diet may help, especially if your levels are lower because of being sick.

More foods that contain vitamin A include:

• Fish oil

• Fish liver

• Carrots

• Lima beans

• Corn

• Green soybeans

• Beef liver

• Chicken liver

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can be warm and comforting when you’re sick. It’s also a good source of zinc.

Zinc helps regulate how the immune system functions. And there’s a lot of research on whether zinc can help with the common cold. For people with COVID, zinc may help lessen symptoms and severity of the illness. Most research has focused on zinc supplementation on top of what you’d get from eating foods with high levels of zinc.

To get more zinc in your diet, you can also look for these foods:

• Chickpeas

• Red meat

• Milk

• Kidney beans

• Dark chocolate

• Nuts and seeds

• Cheese

• Yogurt

• Lentils

• Oysters

5. Beans

Beans are a good source of protein and lectin. And they can be an easy addition to soups and broths if you’re sick.

When your body is fighting off any illness, including COVID-19, it’s breaking down cells. Protein helps to rebuild and repair these damaged cells, which can help you recover. A certain type of protein known as lectin has been shown to have antiviral properties against COVID-19. 

Other foods that contain lectin include:

• Peanuts

• Lentils

• Tomatoes

• Eggplant

• Fruits

• Wheat

And scientists believe that protein — from things like eggs, fish, lean meat (like chicken), and whey protein — can help to decrease inflammation. 

6. Nuts

Omega-3 fatty acids — found in many different types of nuts — have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Two types of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the severity of COVID and help recover from the virus. They may also help reduce the risk of stroke for people post-COVID.

You can also find omega-3 fatty acids in foods like:

• Beans

• Flaxseed

• Salmon

• Mackerel

• Tuna

7. Carrots

Carrots are high in vitamin E. Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant that helps maintain immunity against viruses and other respiratory infections. And a lot of the foods listed above are also high in vitamin E. These include:

• Sunflower seeds

• Hazelnuts

• Peanuts and peanut butter

• Kiwifruit

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Bell peppers

• Mango

• Asparagus

• Shrimp

8. Fiber

Most of the foods listed above — especially the plant-based foods — are also high in fiber. Most people are familiar with the way fiber is good for gut health. But researchers have also looked into its benefit in COVID. 

While more research is needed to fully understand the role that fiber plays against COVID, it’s potentially beneficial because of the way gut health is linked to overall health. And it has been shown to decrease the severity of other respiratory and infectious diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the flu.

Foods to avoid with COVID-19

If you have COVID-19, try to avoid foods that increase inflammation in the body. These include:

• Foods high in sugar

• Too much salt

• Alcohol 

Reaching for comfort food isn’t necessarily bad — especially when you’re sick. And a homemade chicken noodle soup, even if high in salt, can still be good for you. Just do your best to stay away from highly processed foods when possible. This includes things like candy, cakes, salted nuts, bacon, cold cuts, sausage, sugary drinks, and frozen dinners. 

Can your diet lower your risk of getting COVID-19?

The data is mixed about whether diet can lower a person’s risk of COVID-19.

One study of nearly 600,000 adults in the U.S. and U.K. found that a healthy, plant-based diet may lower the risk of developing COVID. After monitoring the participants throughout the first year of the pandemic, researchers found that people with the healthiest diets were almost 20% less likely to get COVID. And this was after researchers ensured that other factors like exercise, weight, and socioeconomic status were taken into consideration.

But another smaller study found different results. Researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 healthcare workers about their diets. After dividing participants into three categories based on their diet (plant-based, pescatarian, and low-carbohydrate or high-protein), they found no difference in the risk of COVID-19.