A healthy immune system is important for COVID-19 recovery. You may consider complementing COVID-19 treatments with foods that include vitamins A, C, and D, as well as zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.

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.

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.

What Foods to Eat If You Have COVID-19
This video shares 5 food recommendations for when you have COVID-19.
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Vitamin D is the most frequently discussedTrusted Source micronutrient among nutrition experts for the management of COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus binds toTrusted Source angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a protein receptor found in the lungs and fat tissue, at the beginning of an infection. This may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and severe illness.

Vitamin D interacts with the ACE2 receptors, potentiallyTrusted Source preventing the virus from binding to them and reducing complications associated with COVID-19.

Vitamin D may also play a protective role and support the healing of damaged tissues, primarily in the lungs.

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.

Vitamin D-rich foods and beverages:

  • Cod liver oil
  • Herring
  • Egg yolk
  • Sardine
  • Canned light tuna
  • Wild-caught or farmed salmon
  • Fortified orange juice
  • Wild mushrooms

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble antioxidant carotenoid. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and research has shownTrusted Source it may be beneficial for managing pneumonia and respiratory infections.

Studies indicateTrusted Source that vitamin A may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, enhance the immune response, and decrease the severity of COVID-19.

Researchers think it protects the ACE2 receptors, similarly to vitamin D, and may work on several other molecular targets to combat COVID-19.

Some people may develop vitamin A deficiency during infections such as COVID-19, and this may actually increase the severity of the disease.

Vitamin A-rich foods:

  • Beef liver
  • Chicken liver
  • King mackerel
  • Goat cheese
  • Cooked sweet potato
  • Collard greens
  • Raw carrots
  • Raw baby spinach

Zinc is regarded as one of the most important minerals.

Research has shownTrusted Source that its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may reduce the risk of heart disease, may support eye health, and are essential for immune health.

Zinc deficiency has been associated withTrusted Source an increased risk of infections and less favorable outcomes in those with COVID-19.

In COVID-19, zinc may reduceTrusted Source the risk of getting a bacterial infection at the same time and decrease the activity of the ACE2 receptors, which are targets of the novel coronavirus.

It also protects the health of the lung tissue and may beTrusted Source a therapeutic additional treatment for COVID-19. StudiesTrusted Source on this are now underway.

Foods rich in zinc:

  • Ground beef
  • Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao)
  • Canned seafood oyster
  • Cashew nuts
  • Hemp seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Raw, sprouted lentils

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are a category of fatty acids shown to haveTrusted Source anti-inflammatory benefits, including for brain health, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega-3 fats may 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 toTrusted Source do this by becoming part of cell membranes of various tissues throughout the body and preventing the production of pro-inflammatory compounds.

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 worsenedTrusted Source by the novel coronavirus.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in particular, may improveTrusted Source recovery in people with COVID-19.

However, higher-quality research in humans is needed before healthcare professionals recommend them for this purpose.

Foods rich in different types of omega-3 fatty acids:

  • Chia seeds
  • Dry-roasted soybeans
  • Canned sardines
  • Cod liver oil
  • King mackerel
  • Flaxseed
  • Walnuts
  • Salmon

Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that supports immune health in people of all ages.

Animal and human studies have foundTrusted Source that vitamin C may reduce oxidative stress, improve endothelial function to guard against heart disease, and support recovery from the common cold.

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.

Preliminary evidence suggestsTrusted Source that taking vitamin C may help those with COVID-19, but more studies in humans are needed.

Vitamin C-rich foods:

  • Raw guava
  • Acerola (West Indian cherry)
  • Raw kiwi
  • Raw cauliflower
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Potato with skin
  • Red sweet pepper
  • Raw papaya

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 studying vitamin D, 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.