Food nutrients as inherent sources of immunomodulation during COVID-19 pandemic

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - a novel coronavirus has rapid spread, and caused community infection around the globe. During the absence of a vaccine, people focused more on an immunity-boosting diet and needed clear knowledge about immunity-boosting foods. However, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food science & technology 2022-03, Vol.158, p.113154-113154, Article 113154
Main Authors: Vishwakarma, Siddharth, Panigrahi, Chirasmita, Barua, Sreejani, Sahoo, Monalisa, Mandliya, Shubham
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clinical trials
Food
Immune components
Nutrients
SARS-CoV-2
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Summary:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - a novel coronavirus has rapid spread, and caused community infection around the globe. During the absence of a vaccine, people focused more on an immunity-boosting diet and needed clear knowledge about immunity-boosting foods. However, after the vaccination drive, the importance of food as a natural source of immunomodulation cannot be neglected. So, the purpose of this review was to describe the role of vital nutrient in boosting immune system of body apart from other factors like adequate sleep, exercise, and low stress levels. Macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, B-cells, and T-cells are the important components having important role in maintaining immunity of the human body. The first four-act as the initial mediators of innate host defense, and the latter two produce antibodies for pathogen destruction. The review investigated vital nutrients like vitamin-C, A, E and D, iron, zinc, folic acid, probiotics, and prebiotics affecting these immune components in some extent. Fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, seeds, nuts, cereals, millets, and superfoods like chlorella and spirulina are good sources of these nutrients. However, fortified foods, functional foods, encapsulated foods with bioactive compounds and plant-based foods have shown immense potential in boosting immunity against viral infections like COVID-19. Some clinical trials and retrospective cohort studies have shown reduction in the severity of COVID-19 patients with relation to plant-based diet, vitamin D and C doses, probiotic, and zinc salts application. •Macrophages, neutrophils, & dendritic cells help in detecting pathogen attacks.•Vitamins and minerals support the proper functioning of immune components.•Superfoods like chlorella and spirulina can combat acute respiratory infections.•Functional food, fortified food and plant based food can reduce COVID-19 severity.
ISSN:0023-6438
1096-1127
0023-6438
DOI:10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113154