In Reference to a conversation with Chandramala Awasthi, Clinical Dietician, Star Hospital, and Ruja Amatya, Management Dietician, Star Cafeteria

COVID 19: Healthy Diet VS Traditional Food Myth

 

Living in Nepalese society, diet is something we often overlook, mistaking it with tradition and norms. Everyone has different requirements depending on their health condition, and it is essential to stand by and focus on what nutrients one may need more or less rather than concentrating on what traditional food practices tell. When it comes to COVID-19, it is challenging to balance tradition, taste, and nutrients since it is a new disease where the sense of taste and smell are temporarily lost, and the process of deciding to eat healthy food becomes a challenge. 
 

Ideally speaking, when a person is suffering from COVID-19, generally, depending on their diet needs, a well-balanced diet with high calorie and high protein is provided based on their regularly checked blood parameters and insurance that the food they intake is easily digestible by their body. For people who are home quarantined, a balanced diet should be maintained with enough fluid as well as fresh and unprocessed fruits and vegetable intakes. Foods with a moderate amount of oil and fat and less amount of salt and sugar should be consumed. Most importantly, food shouldn’t be overcooked or deep-fried to avoid the loss of necessary vitamins in them. 

 

Diet for COVID-19: Myth Vs Facts

 

  • One of the most common beliefs when it comes to COVID-19 is that since it is a disease that comes under cold-related diseases, we tend to avoid any food that traditionally ‘makes us feel cold’, food such as fruits and vegetables.

When in reality, the nutrients in those fruits and vegetables are what our body really needs to build our immunity and boost our recovery process. 

 

  • Another widespread belief is that when suffering from COVID-19 should only eat liquid rice and daal, ‘jaulo’. Which is true for a handful of sicknesses but not true for COVID-19. This particular virus weakens our immune system and we need to a balanced diet with all kinds of nutrients to build strength so our body can fight it. 

 

  • Especially with old aged COVID-19 patients, people often suggest to not give them milk to drink, assuming it slows down the recovery and causes more harm

While in reality, Milk is one of the most important parts of a balanced diet, and for people who can digest it properly, it is a must-have in your daily diet plans. 

 

  • Vitamin D, which our body gets from sitting in the sun, is yet another most important nutrient needed by our body when fighting the coronavirus as it helps boost immunity power. But often, we Nepalese people try to avoid sitting in the sun because of the cold wind in the mornings and evenings. 

 

  • Another most common misconception is that eating garlic can directly prevent the COVID-19 virus. While garlic does carry a series of health benefits and, this fact is not true and garlic does not directly prevent COVID-19.