It happened: You test positive for COVID-19. Plenty of rest, lots of tissues and over-the-counter symptom relief products can help you on your road to recovery — as well as following whatever advice your doctor gives you. But there’s one more thing to add to your treatment plan: eating the right healthy foods. “While there is no food or diet that will absolutely alleviate your COVID symptoms or make you bounce back faster, nutrition plays an important role, as it does with any virus or illness,” says Amanda Holtzer, M.S., R.D., dietitian at Culina Health. “You want to make sure you’re eating enough to fuel your body for the healing process, and focus on foods that are anti-inflammatory and support your immune system.”
And once you recover from COVID, it’s still important to continue feeding your immunity to help you stay healthy and primed to fight off other illnesses or future COVID reinfections. “Between 70% and 80% of the body’s immune system is housed in the gut, so eating a variety of food groups is key to keeping the gut microbiome diverse and able to enhance overall health,” explains Laura Iu, R.D., owner of Laura Iu Nutrition. “No single food will suddenly make your immune system strong overnight, but consuming nutrient-dense foods over time plays a big role.” Focus on fiber-rich foods like whole grains, add fruits and vegetables whenever possible, include probiotic-rich foods like kimchi or kefir, cook with fats like canola and olive oil, and keep protein and iron-rich foods on rotation, Iu says.
Ready to soothe your symptoms and boost your immune system?
Here’s what to eat when you have COVID:
Load up on vitamin C foods.
“Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that’s super important to cell and tissue growth and repair, so there’s good reason it’s known as an immune-boosting nutrient,” Holtzer says. Vitamin C-dense winners:
- Red bell peppers
- Oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous veggies
- Strawberries
Lean into aromatics.
Garlic, onion, scallions, leeks, shallots, chives—they’re all part of the allium family and boast anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, so they can give your immunity a lift as they satisfy your taste buds. These are two biggies when you’re feeling sick. “Try grating fresh garlic into bone broth or soup,” Holtzer says.
Focus on protein.
Cells break down when you’re dealing with an illness like COVID, and protein is the number one macronutrient that can help repair them, Holtzer says. When you’re feeling icky, your usual protein go-tos like meat, fish and legumes like beans may not be too appetizing, but these picks are also rich in protein and may be more comforting:
- Scrambled eggs
- Bone broth or bone broth-based soups (just one cup of bone broth has about 5g protein, Holtzer says)
- Yogurt or kefir
- Smoothies with protein powder
- Toast with nut butter
- Tofu
Embrace herbs and spices.
Many of these flavor enhancers help fight inflammation and are rich in antioxidants, says Iu, and they can be especially helpful if you have diminished or lost sense of taste. “Season heavily with bold flavors like garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon so the flavors can come through,” Iu adds. Cayenne in particular is a good one to utilize if you can handle spicy — it has a high concentration of capsaicin, says Iu, an anti-inflammatory substance that gives it its kick and may help reduce nasal congestion. Fresh or dried ginger, low sodium curry blends, nutmeg, cloves and all fresh or dried herbs also fit the bill.
Try hydrating foods.
Hydration is super crucial to help your body function properly, both when you’re sick and healthy. Besides the most obvious hydration solution — liquids — most fruits and veggies are also high in H20, and many also contain minerals that function as electrolytes to help balance fluid levels in the body. But these are standouts:
- Berries
- Melons
- Citrus
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Lettuces
If you’ve lost your appetite or sense of smell or taste, “smoothies are a great way to optimize your nutrition and hydrate,” Iu suggests. “You can use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and it’s also a great opportunity to add things like yogurt, nut butters or protein powders for an extra nutrient boost.”
Go for whole grains.
Your body also needs carbohydrates to fuel the healing process, and whole grains are an ideal choice because they contain other nutritional necessities like fiber, vitamins, minerals and sometimes even a bit of protein. Smart picks:
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Barley
- Kamut
- Farro
- Brown rice
- Bulgur
- Fonio
- Teff
- Whole wheat bread, pasta, or crackers
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Get some omega-3s.
This type of fatty acid helps tame inflammation, an important step toward recovering from an illness like COVID and staying healthy when you’re on the rebound. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Chia seeds
- Ground flaxseeds
- Fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines, trout, mackerel
- Walnuts
Food to help soothe your COVID symptoms:
Besides helping with recovery, sometimes you just want something that helps you actually feel better. COVID symptoms vary by person and variant, but here’s what may ease some common symptoms:
- Fever: Reach for beverages that are low in added sugar such as still or sparkling water, hot or iced tea, coconut water and low-sugar sports drinks or rehydration drinks. “Having a bit of sugar actually helps pull electrolytes like sodium and potassium into the body, which then helps promote water retention,” Iu explains. You can also make your own electrolyte drink with Iu’s easy recipe: 3 ½ cups of water + 1 cup of 100% juice + 1/2 tsp salt.
- Cough or sore throat: These foods are nutrient-dense, check several immune-support boxes and are also super comforting: smoothies, soups, curries and stews. “Mixing raw or Manuka honey with tea or hot water can be a helpful remedy for a sore throat and cough. Plus, these types of honey are a good source of antioxidants and feature antibacterial and anti-fungal properties for extra infection-fighting power,” says Iu. Or try making a good-for-you icy drink that feels good going down and tastes really great, says Holtzer: Blend a protein shake with a frozen banana and a bit of water or your preferred milk.
- Diarrhea: “You’ll want to increase your intake of soluble fiber — aka the type of fiber that absorbs fluid in the digestive tract and helps slow things down,” says Holtzer. Foods like oatmeal, beans, barley and apples fall under this umbrella.
- Nausea or vomiting: Focus on small or snack-sized portions, and opt for bland foods that are easily digested, Holtzer says, such as toast, crackers, rice and pretzels. Ginger may also help settle your stomach.
Foods to avoid if you have COVID-19:
In general, it’s a good idea to limit or avoid foods that are high in sugar or sodium, as well as alcohol. Also take a pass on highly processed foods that have minimal nutritional value, like chips, desserts and candy.
Bottom line:
Homemade meals that contain whole grains, protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables are ideal, as is staying properly hydrated — but “it’s important to keep in mind that we all have different access levels to food, so it’s okay if you need to lean on takeout, too,” says Iu. “At the end of the day, it’s more important that you’re actually eating.” That’s because when you have COVID, your body is under increased stress and typically needs more calories than you might normally consume, Iu explains, since it’s working harder to fight the infection.
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