How the Covid-19 pandemic is changing the way we eat, with expert advice for making food choices that help you stay healthy and happy
Vitamin C supplements, turmeric juices, green smoothies — none of them will give you virus-fighting superpowers.
That doesn’t mean vitamins and minerals aren’t critically important for immune health, but the benefits take time to build up.
It does not happen overnight, and it’s not all about diet,
Vitamins and minerals are essential for cellular health in every organ system in the body.
For immune cells, vitamins C, D, and E, and zinc appear to be particularly important.
These nutrients “are needed for the immune system to maintain its normal function and have the ability to produce the arsenal they need to combat pathogens when they face them,
When you have deficiency of these nutrients, the cells of the immune system cannot function normally and their ability to fight pathogens will be impaired.
Next is a quick rundown of how each of these nutrients benefits the immune system and how to work them into your diet.
But first, an important caveat: None of these vitamins and minerals have been tested on the body’s ability to fight off the novel coronavirus.
There is no evidence that vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, or any other nutrient is an effective prevention method or treatment for Covid-19.
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Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the micronutrient most famously associated with a robust immune system.
Vitamin C also helps with the production and function of immune cells that attack viruses and bacteria.
Immune cells accumulate and concentrate vitamin C and then quickly use it up during an active immune response.
Citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, and kiwi are all excellent sources of vitamin C.
The National Academy of Medicine recommends 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day for men and 75 milligrams for women.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D stimulates the body’s first line of defense by increasing the number and activity of cells that gobble up invading pathogens.
Vitamin D is harder to obtain through diet, although it can be found in fatty fishes like salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
Milk, orange juice, and many cereals are also fortified with vitamin D to aid with calcium absorption.
Adults should consume 15 micrograms of vitamin D, also measured as 600 international units (IU).
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another type of antioxidant that shields immune cells from damage and hormones that suppress the cells’ activity.
Through its protective effects, vitamin E enhances immune cell function.
A fat-soluble nutrient, vitamin E is found in vegetable oil, seeds and nuts, and avocados.
Adults need an average of 15 milligrams of vitamin E a day, which can be achieved through three tablespoons of vegetable oil or two ounces of almonds.
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Zinc
Zinc is essential for immune cell maintenance and development.
The best way to get these vitamins is through diet, the one exception being vitamin D, which an estimated 30% to 50% of people are deficient in.
Experts recently advised people to take vitamin D supplements based on a review paper from 2017 that showed the nutrient could help protect against respiratory illnesses in people who were deficient.
For the rest of the vitamins and minerals, dietitians advise eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains throughout the week rather than focusing on eating specific foods and amounts every single day.
“The easiest thing is to eat balanced meals that contain a variety of foods throughout the week, [with] half of your plate being fruits and vegetables,
Eating foods with a variety of color will also help ensure that you’re meeting your vitamin needs.”
If you’re unable to achieve the recommended amount every day, you aren’t going to become deficient in a nutrient overnight.
“Usually it takes longer for fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin E to be depleted compared to water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C,.
“Regardless, you are not going to become deficient in nutrients if you do not consume the recommended level for one day, as the body has a store of them.
There also appears to be a ceiling effect where consuming more than the recommended daily amounts of a specific vitamin probably won’t help you.
There’s very little clinical trial data to support what a lot of people consider to be conventional wisdo
