Nutritional information to help support your own recovery from COVID-19 

Where to start?

There is a lot of information about 'healthy eating' and it can be confusing to know what to eat. A good place to start is the Eatwell Guide. There are several versions to reflect some of the different ways people like to eat.

Have a look at the guide most relevant for you:

• Eatwell Guide
• South Asian Eatwell Guide
• African Caribbean Eatwell Guide
• Plant-based Eatwell Guide

Why not compare the guide with your own diet to see how well balanced your diet is? What changes could you make to improve your nutrition?

The evidence suggests that a Mediterranean-style diet is highly beneficial. Similar to the Eatwell Guide advice, the Mediterranean diet includes high levels of plant-based foods, some fish and nuts and only moderate amounts of dairy and poultry.

Food groups for the Mediterranean diet include:

• vegetables and fruits
• fish and seafood
• nuts and seeds
• legumes e.g. beans, chickpeas, lentils
• wholegrain breads e.g. wholemeal bread, granary bread
• yoghurt, eggs, cheese and poultry eaten in moderation.
• healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, avocados, olives and avocado oil
• herbs and spices

New evidence 

Research about diet and COVID-19 is ongoing.

Here are some recent studies which suggest that eating a diet with plenty of plant-based foods may reduce the severity of COVID-19 infection. 

A diet high in plant-based foods includes most of the key nutrients needed for the immune system to function well. These nutrients include vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E, and folate, amino acids, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic). A high plant-based food diet also has other compounds naturally found in plants, which are beneficial for health e.g. polyphenols.

Eating more plant-based foods may reduce the risk of hospital admission with COVID-19 (Soltanieh et al., 2023)

This study suggests that what you eat might affect how sick you get from COVID-19. The main finding is simple: eating more plant-based foods may lead to less severe COVID-19 symptoms. 

Here's how the study was conducted:

• Participants: 141 individuals, around 46 years old on average, who were hospitalised with COVID-19.
• Method: Participants were asked about their eating habits over the past year. They reported how often they ate 147 different foods (daily, weekly, or monthly) and typical portion sizes.
• Assessment: Each person's diet was scored using a "plant-based food index." The 147 foods were categorised into three main groups:
  • Healthy foods: Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans/lentils (legumes), vegetable oils, nuts, tea, and coffee.
  • Less Healthy foods: Sugary drinks, refined grains (like white bread), fruit juices, potatoes, sweets, and desserts.
  • Animal foods: Animal fats, dairy, eggs, fish/seafood, poultry, and red meat.
• Results: The study found a strong connection between a plant-focused diet and a better outcome following COVID-19 infection:
  • Less severe symptoms: People who ate more plant-based foods had less serious COVID-19 symptoms when they got sick.
  • Lower hospital risk: A higher intake of plant-based foods was linked to a lower chance of needing hospital care.
  • Limitations: This study had a small number of participants. Factors such as physical activity and socio-economic status were not considered. This may limit who the results apply to.

What it means for you:

• Eating less meat and more plant-based foods may reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and risk of hospital admission.
• Plant-based foods included legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils), vegetables, potatoes, fruits, seeds, wholegrain bread and cereals.

Eating more vegetables, fruits and fish was related to a lower chance of having COVID-like symptoms (Sharma et al., 2023)

This study from Vietnam explored the connection between diet and having common symptoms often linked to COVID-19.

Here is a simple breakdown of the study:

• Participants: Almost 4,000 people who had "COVID-19-like" symptoms (like a cough or fever) but tested negative for the actual virus.
• Results: People who ate more vegetables, fruits, and fish were less likely to report having those symptoms. This type of diet is believed to help reduce long-term inflammation in the body.
• Limitations: This study suggests a benefit but does not prove that this diet prevents or reduces actual COVID-19 symptoms. It only highlights a possible link.

What it means for you:

• Eating more fruits, vegetables, and fish is good for your general health and nutrition.
• A diet rich in these foods might also help you avoid general cold/flu-like symptoms and potentially even COVID-19 symptoms.

• The main takeaway is: a healthy diet high in fruit, vegetables and fish may help to reduce 'COVID-like' symptoms and may reduce chronic inflammatory diseases.

ZOE study

The researchers wanted to understand the relationship between eating habits and COVID-19 symptom severity. Here is a simple breakdown of the study:

• Participants: The ZOE COVID-19 symptom study analysed the self-reported diets of nearly 600,000 individuals.
• Results: Researchers found that a plant-based diet was associated with less severe COVID-19 symptoms.
• Limitations: the study group had a high socioeconomic status. This means the results may not be applicable to everyone.

What it means for you:

• This study suggests that a healthy diet high in plant-based foods may result in less severe COVID-19 symptoms.
• A diet rich in plant-based foods provides key nutrients and compounds beneficial for immune system function.

Finding help and professional advice 

Healthcare professionals can help you by: 

• Offering sources of advice and support
• Signposting to support groups, a link worker (if this is available), online resources or apps
• Helping you get support from local services, the Department for Work and Pensions and advice about financial support
• Providing written information as a reminder of what was discussed
• Tailoring advice for managing specific symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue or brain fog
• Helping you find support if you are self-isolating, lonely, recently bereaved or other issues

Healthcare professionals may sometimes refer you to a colleague or service with the relevant specialist knowledge you need. You can access expert nutritional assessment and advice through:

• Your GP - ask for a referral to see a dietitian
• Your local Long Covid clinic - a dietitian may be part of this team
• Your hospital consultant - they can refer you to a dietitian
• Directly contacting a dietitian or a registered nutritionist for a private appointment. For information on finding a dietitian or registered nutritionist, please see our Find a dietitian or nutritionist to help your COVID-19 recovery page

You may find it helpful to listen to or watch the podcast about “Psychological well-being and communication with health professionals”. This talks about how to make the most of your healthcare professional appointment. 

Want to know more about nutrition and COVID-19? 

Listen to or watch our podcasts about:

• Diet and COVID-19
• Dietary advice and symptoms, malnutrition, antihistamine diets 
• Anti-inflammatory diets with a discussion about the Mediterranean diet in more detail.
• Links between food and COVID-19 symptoms, which explain how to monitor your symptoms and possible dietary changes you could make