Healthy Diet Tips during COVID-19

Eating a healthy diet is extremely vital throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. What we eat and drink is able to affect our body’s efficiency to prevent, fight and recover from infections.

Healthy diets are necessary for supporting the immune systems during COVID-19. Good nutrition system can also minimize the likelihood of developing other health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.

For babies, a healthy diet means exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months, with the introduction of nutritious and immune foods to complement breast milk from age 6 months to 2 years and beyond. For young children, a healthy and balanced diet is unavoidable for growth and development. For older people, it can help to confirm healthier and more active lives.

Tips for maintaining a healthy diet not only COVID-19 but also your every day’s life:

1. Eating variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables:

• Each and Every Day, eat a mix of whole grains like wheat, maize and rice, legumes like lentils and beans, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables , with some foods from animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, eggs and milk).
• Select whole grain foods like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice when you can; they are wealthy in valuable fibre and can help you feel full for longer.

• For snacks, pick raw vegetables, fresh fruit, and unsalted nuts.

2. Reduce on salt:

• Limit salt intake to 5 grams (equivalent to a teaspoon) in a day.

• While cooking and preparing foods, use salt sparingly and minimize use of salty sauces and spice (like soy sauce, stock or fish sauce).

• If using canned or dried food, elect varieties of vegetables, nuts and fruit, without added salt and sugars.

• Remove the salt shaker from the table, and test with fresh or dried herbs and spices for added flavour instead.

• Check the labels on food and take products with lower sodium content.

3. Eating moderate amounts of fats and oils:

• It’s better to replace butter, ghee and lard with healthier fats like olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil when cooking.
• Try to select white meats like poultry and fish which are generally lower in fats than red meat; trim the meat of visible fat and limit the costs of processed meats.
• While eating select low-fat or reduced-fat versions of milk and dairy products.
• Try to avoid processed, baked and fried foods that contain industrially produced trans-fat.
•  Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking.

4. Limitation of sugar intake:

• You have to limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices and juice drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, and ready-to-drink tea and coffee and flavoured milk drinks.
• Select fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as cookies, cakes and chocolate. When other dessert options are chosen, make sure that they are low in sugar and consume small portions.
• Must have to avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugar should not be added to complementary foods given to children under 2 years of age, and should be limited beyond that age.

5. Staying hydrated: Drink enough water:

Good hydration is the key for optimal health. When available and safe for consumption, tap water is the healthiest and cheapest drink. Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages is an easy way to limit your intake of sugar and excess calories.

6. Avoid risky and harmful alcohol use:

Alcohol cannot be a part of a healthy diet. Drinking alcohol does not save anyone against COVID-19 and can be dangerous. Frequent or over alcohol consumption increases your immediate risk of injury, as well as causing longer-term effects like liver damage, cancer, heart disease and mental illness. There is no safety level of alcohol consumption.

7. Breastfeed babies and young children:

Breast Milk is the ideal food for babies. It is safe, clean and carries antibodies which help protect against too many common childhood illnesses. Babies should be breastfed only during the first 6 months of life, as breast milk provides all the nutrients and fluids they need.

• From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of enough, safe and nutrient-dense foods. Breastfeeding should continue under babies at 2 years of age or beyond.

Women with COVID-19 can also be breastfeed if they wish to do so and should take infection prevention and control measures.

 

According to WHO, there is no proof that COVID-19 can be spread through contact with food or food packaging. COVID-19 is generally spread from person to person. However, it’s always a great thing to practice good hygiene when handling food to prevent any food-borne illnesses. 

Must be follow WHO’s Five keys to safer food:

1.   Always Keep clean

2.   Individual raw and cooked

3.   Cooking your food completely

4.   Keeping your food at safe temperatures

5.   Using safe water and raw materials

Last but not the least, Stay home and Stay safe. And take care of your family specially child through eating healthy food.