What Should You Eat (and Avoid) With COVID-19? (2024)

It's well-known that a balanced, nutrient-dense diet is key to maintaining a robust immune system.While there's limited research on how specific foods may impact how your immune system helps you recover from a COVID infection, some options still might be helpful.

If you're wondering what to eat with COVID, many whole foods—like fruits and whole grains—and dairy products can contain nutrients beneficial to immune system functioning while you're sick. Other foods and drinks, such as sweets and sodas, can be less helpful. Here's what you should know about the best and worst foods you can eat if you test positive for COVID.

There's no evidence that eating specific foods will lessen how long you have COVID symptoms. Yet, some foods—specifically, the nutrients they contain—appear to help the body mount a more successful response to germs.

Vitamin D is critical to maintaining immune health. Vitamin D supplementation—especially in deficient participants—helped protect against acute respiratory tract infection.

Other micronutrients—like vitamin C, vitamin B12, and zinc, among others—may also help improve immune health. Macronutrients are also important. Some evidence has suggested that certain macronutrients, likefiberand protein, also strengthen immunity.

Fermented foods could play a role in immune health as well. Some researchers found that consuming fermented foods led to increased microbiome diversity. Your microbiome is all the microorganisms that live inside your body, like gut bacteria. Those microorganisms can impact your immune response.

Other Considerations

Still, much of the research around diet and immunity hinges on dietary habits established before coming down with an illness. In other words, your immune system can't achieve powerhouse status overnight.

Also, while you could get some of the above nutrients from supplements to help deter sicknesses, dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and are not always suitable for everyone. Supplement effects vary from person to person and depend on variables like the type and dosage. Talk with a healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting any supplements—especially if you want to use them when you're sick.

Besides, you can get most of the nutrients you need to help your immune system from what you eat. For many people, eating during a bout of COVID mainly means eating well to feel well. Here are several foods to add to your grocery order if you or someone in your home has COVID.

1. Fruits and Vegetables

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a great way to improve general andimmune health. For example, fruits and vegetables high in immune-supporting vitamin C include:

• Citrus fruit
• Green leafy vegetables
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
  

If a sore or scratchy throat means fresh fruits won't go down easily, try them blended in a smoothie. You can also consider a veggie-based soup as a warm option to increase your vegetable consumption.

The prebiotic fiber inwhole grainsprovides "food" for healthy bacteria to flourish in the digestive system. A thriving microbiome is associated with a better-functioning immune system, and good bacteria in the digestive tract reduce inflammation by preventing bad bacteria from growing.

Oatmeal and barley are good whole-grain choices to try if you have COVID. Both contain a fiber called beta-glucan, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Since both have a naturally smooth texture, they shouldn't aggravate a scratchy throat.Other nutritious, high-fiber grains include:

• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Whole wheat pasta and bread

3. Proteins

Of the three macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbs—protein is known for building muscle and repairing tissues. Protein also serves as the backbone of all your cells, including your immune cells. Some evidence suggests that protein deficiency may impair immune function and put you at greater risk of infections.

Many protein sources, like beef, pork, and chicken, contain micronutrients like zinc. Zinc is beneficial for the immune system.

Many plant-based options also offer protein, like beans, lentils, and tofu. What's more, those options are also good sources of fiber. However, you may want to avoid high-fiber foods that may aggravate bloating and diarrhea if COVID causes any digestive issues.

You don't have to avoid dairy when you're sick; in fact, dairy products can be helpful. Dairy products are great sources of nutrients like protein, vitamin D, and zinc.

Yogurt is a good starting place; it contains probiotics, which are helpful for the immune system.Since yogurt and yogurt-based foods like smoothies and shakes typically have a mild flavor and a cooling texture, you're likely to tolerate them well while ill. You can also stick with milk if yogurt isn't a go-to for you.

Also, increased dairy intake in general has its benefits, especially in relation to COVID. One study found that low-fat dairy had protective effects against COVID.

5. Beverages

It'seasy to get dehydrated if you have COVID symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.If you're losing fluids, keep water nearby and sip often. You also have other options for hydration, including:

• Coffee
  
• Hot tea, like chamomile tea
• Unsweetened fruit juices

Keep in mind to limit caffeinated drinks if you choose to have those. Consuming too much caffeine can also lead to dehydration.

To feel your best, steer clear of foods in those categories and choosefoods that fight inflammation instead. Processed and high-sugar foods can promote inflammation, making it harder for your system to fight off sickness. Those foods may include:

• Fast food
• Fried food
• Soda
• Sweets

You'll also want to watch your alcohol intake as your body works to recover from COVID. Drinking too much alcohol, even before an infection, can weaken your immune system.

What To Eat If You Have Nausea

You may not feel like eating if you experience nausea as a COVID symptom. When you do feel up to eating, try the following foods:

• Baked chicken or fish
• Clear soups
• Crackers
• English muffins or toast
• Gelatin
• Noodles or rice
• Popsicles
• Potatoes

Some COVID infections cause the loss of taste and smell. That interference with your senses can be a barrier to eating well or eating at all.Consider doing the following tips for food:

• Add to vegetable dishes, if possible, small amounts of toppings such as cheese, olive oil, or nuts.
• Consider eating non-combination foods—not casseroles, for example—that allow for individual flavors to come out.
• Make food that contains a lot of various colors or textures.
• Use herbs with strong odors or hot spices for flavoring food.

A Quick Review

No specific food or perfect menu plan is guaranteed to help you feel better quickly if you have COVID, especially if you don't feel like eating. Still, if you feel up to eating normally, try incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables and skip thefoods that weaken your immune system. A healthy, whole-food diet might help you build a healthy immune system the next time you encounter COVID or other illnesses.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.