NEW YORK — A new study from the University of Guadalajara has linked the severity of COVID-19 symptoms to dietary intake, citing that adults who regularly consume a healthy diet including legumes, cereals, bread and grains have less severe symptoms if they contract the virus.
The CDC had previously stated that health conditions such as obesity elevate the chances of severe COVID symptoms, and this new study demonstrates the importance of healthy dietary choices in managing infections. The FDA maintains that grains are an important part of a healthy diet, especially whole grains, which should make up half of a person’s total grain consumption per day.
The initiative behind the study was to explore the link between diet-related diseases and COVID-19. Scientists are still trying to unravel the mystery of why some people have little to no symptoms while others are impacted more severely. The study stated that vaccination against the virus is a critical factor and the essential first line of defense, but exploration of diet as a preventative measure also needs to be carefully explored.
Led by the university’s department of medical sciences, the experiment explored the association of symptom severity and habitual food intake in 236 adult patients suspected to be infected with the virus, with 103 testing positive. Individuals who had an increased habitual intake of the legumes and grain-based products showed decreased overall symptom severity.
“This study is only a start and the sample size is relatively small. However, even such a study shows how important the effect of diet can be,” said Dr. Claudia Lerma, one of the authors of the paper. “The study does not negate the essential attention to vaccination. Alternatively, it shows that how diet management can help vaccination to mitigate the burden of COVID-19.”
