They recommend avoiding the consumption of highly processed products due to the chronic inflammation they cause which can complicate Covid-19
NotiPress. – A better diet can help you stay healthy against Covid-19 and other diseases, experts say. With the onset of the pandemic, the interest in maintaining a healthy diet has increased, given the greater likelihood of developing severe Covid-19 if you have metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or obesity; as well as heart disease.
According to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, changes in eating habits include trends such as home cooking and baking, an increase in the demand for organic, plant-based, vegan and vegetarian foods, and a reduction in the demand for what is seen as more exotic food. Despite an increase in the trend of home cooking, 17% of respondents in the UK reported consuming more canned food, says market research firm Mintel.
In Spain, on the other hand, despite a decline in the purchase of perishable food such as fish or shellfish – which would be widely consumed in that country under other circumstances – there was also a decrease in the purchase of non-pre-cooked food. perishable, possibly because of the perception that they are less healthy and because of the increase in the time available to cook with the confinement measures at home, GFSI says.
To protect you from Covid-19 through a healthier diet that boosts the immune system, nutritionist Matías Marchetti points out the importance of avoiding ultra-processed foods because of the chronic inflammation they produce in the body. According to Marchetti, ultra-processed foods high in flour, added sugars, fructose syrup, fats, sodium, lactose, artificial preservatives like sodium glutamate and alcohol are among the foods to avoid.
To make better food choices and promote better lifestyle habits related to daily eating, Marchetti recommends planning all meals, trying to include vegetables in each dish and accompanying them with the correct serving of protein, carbohydrates and fats. “The first is to recognize that each person has different needs and that only a specialist can recognize these needs,” says the specialist and recommends visiting a nutritionist to identify everyone’s personal needs, adopt the correct regimen. calculate and receive professional guidance throughout the period. this process.
Maintaining a good diet is important not only because of the metabolic and heart disease risks for Covid-19, but also because of the possibility that vaccines may be less effective in obese people or those who drink a lot of alcohol on a regular basis, as one study suggests published in Frontiers in Immunology, Related to Influenza Virus, and another published in Alcohol research: current reviews, respectively.
Faced with the risks posed by poor nutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic, experts are urging people to eat healthier, to stay protected, with a strong immune system, against these and other diseases.