Covid risk is more ‘severe’ if you eat this one type of food
Coronavirus can spread easily and cause serious illness in some people, as can other respiratory infections such as flu. Symptoms of Covid are very varied, ranging from nausea and headaches to fatigue and even diarrhoea.
However, most people contracting the virus present a high temperature, fever or chills, feeling generally unwell, and a continuous cough. Professor Tim Spector says that the severity of these and eight other common symptoms listed by NHS Inform largely depends on what you eat.
In a Zoe podcast episode, the British Medical Doctor revealed that a study of one million people identified “a clear relationship” between the two, noting “the strongest factor, after age, was the quality of their diet.” It wasn’t just whether candidates were eating too much or too little, but rather how much of one particular food type they consumed.
According to Tim, diets high in ultra-processed and inflammatory foods but low in fibre “had a surprisingly high impact on the risk of having severe Covid”. He added that those who ate a diet low in ultra-processed food and higher in fibre were less likely to contract “really bad” Covid symptoms, though it won’t prevent infection entirely.
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The immune system—specifically the gut—is the largest immune organ in the human body, which strongly links the two variables. Professor Spector said: “To understand how you might fight off an infection or keep it under control through your diet, you’ve got to understand the link between the food you eat and your gut microbes, and your gut microbes and your immune system.
“People eating a junk food diet, very little fibre, and you know the typical American diet, are going to have an inflamed gut microbiome that’s going everywhere. It’s all distracted, it’s trying to put out fires all over the place. And so when a real virus comes along it’s not able to really pin it down. So that’s why keeping our immune system in perfect health is really crucial.”
Some research suggests you can alter your gut microbes within days, depending on several factors, like how drastically you change your diet. Tim recommends three simple but effective changes to those seeking to "rapidly alter" their gut health and “boost their immune system.”
He suggests diversifying your weekly plant intake, aiming for 30 varieties. Beneficial plants are generally categorised into six groups: wholegrains (like brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa), vegetables, fruit, legumes (lentils, chickpeas and beans), nuts and seeds and herbs and spices.
Increasing fibre is another important factor for improved gut health and goes hand in hand with plant diversity. Each plant group contains different fibre types, so eating a wide range is a surefire way to increase your fibre intake. Consuming fermented foods containing probiotics and live microbes, like yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kefir, is an excellent way to feed a healthy gut microbiome
Of course, these changes are most effective when foods that damage gut bacteria, like ultra-processed foods. This blanket term covers, but is not limited to, artificially sweetened drinks, crisps, packaged cakes and biscuits, cereals with added sugar, flavourings and colouring, baked beans, some ready meals, and packaged pastries like pies and pasties.
Tim reiterated that a healthy immune system can “fine tune” its defences against illness without “wasting a lot of energy.” The benefits of a healthy gut microbiome and immune system aren't limited to infections.
Nurturing a healthy gut can minimise the effects of ageing and help fight illnesses, even cancer; “It’s the same principal”, the professor said.
He added: “I can’t stress enough that’s why we saw these big differences of social class effects on the severity [of Covid] as well. It’s all linked to diet as much as anything else.”