Fruits, immunity and COVID

The ongoing pandemic has taught every one of us that when it comes to health, a nutritious diet and mindful eating, along with regular exercise, is a key to a good life. Experts are repeatedly focusing on the consumption of fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Dieticians recommend citrus fruits as an excellent source of vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in our blood, thus reducing oxidative stress.

Vitamin C also helps to the increase production of white blood cells which further fight infections. Citrus fruits like oranges, pineapple, sweet lime, lemon, kiwi, and guava are loaded with the goodness of vitamin C. Thus makes an excellent choice of fruits to be consumed to fight infections. Interestingly, amla/Indian gooseberry, which still struggles to find its place in every household, possesses the highest vitamin C content. Amla is rich in vitamin C almost 20 folds greater than orange.

Adding to their benefits, Citrus fruits are also strong immune boosters, they help remove the foreign body which attacks our body in the form of bacteria, viruses etc.

Vitamin C is known to support the cellular functions of innate and adaptive immune systems of the human body. The Covid-19 virus being a foreign body causes oxidative stress when it attacks the human body, thus lowering a person’s immunity. Vitamin C helps to stimulate the formation of antibodies against these invading antigens.

Studies have demonstrated significant improvement in the symptoms of patients with severe infections like sepsis, trauma and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after treatment with high dose intravenous vitamin C.

Thus it is advisable to consume at least 100 grams of citrus fruits daily, both during and post Covid, to get the required vitamin C and boost immunity.

Source-https://indianexpress.com/article/lipost-Covidalth/covid-19-how-do-citrus-fruits-boost-immunity-7389952/