Meat-Free Diet Helps Ward Off Severe COVID
“Now, new research suggests they may provide another health benefit: lowering COVID-19 severity.“
The following written content via N.H.
Advocates of plant-based diets suggest they can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, and help the environment.
Now, new research suggests they may provide another health benefit: lowering COVID-19 severity.
A plant-based diet was associated with 73% lower odds of moderate to severe COVID-19 infection in the study. A pescatarian diet, which includes fish but limits or eliminates meat, was associated with 59% lower odds. Compared to those who ate a plant-based diet, those with a low-carb, high-protein diet had nearly four times the odds of moderate to severe COVID-19 infection, according to the study.
“Our results suggest that a healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may be considered for protection against severe COVID-19,” said the researchers led by Dr. Sara Seidelmann of Stamford Health in Connecticut.
Plant-based diets were described as high in vegetables, legumes and nuts and low in poultry and red and processed meats.
The researchers noted that plant-based diets are rich in nutrients, especially phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids), vitamins and minerals, which are important for a healthy immune system. Fish is an important source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Researchers drew on the survey responses of nearly 2,900 frontline doctors and nurses with extensive exposure to COVID-19 infection. The doctors were working in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The survey asked about their dietary patterns over the past year, based on a food frequency questionnaire. It also asked about the severity of any COVID infections they had.
Researchers learned that 568 respondents had symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection or no symptoms but a positive swab test for the infection.
Among the 568 cases, 138 clinicians said they had moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. The remaining 430 said they had very mild to mild COVID infection. Read more from Newsmax Health.
