According to research published in the April issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Research by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), an Indian diet rich in iron, zinc, and fiber, regular intake of tea, and use of turmeric in meals reduced COVID severity and mortality in the nation.

During the COVID-19 epidemic, the fatality rate in highly populated India was allegedly 5-8 times lower than in less densely inhabited Western nations. A multinational team of experts from India, Brazil, Jordan, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia undertook the study to see if dietary patterns were linked to differences in COVID-19 severity and mortality between the Western and Indian populations.

For the study, the team used the blood transcriptomes of severe COVID-19 patients from three Western countries (showing high fatality) and two datasets from Indian patients. The findings revealed that the components of Indian diets, which maintain high iron and zinc concentrations in the blood and abundant fiber in meals, played a role in mitigating carbon dioxide (CO₂) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated COVID-19 severity.

The study revealed that curcumin in turmeric played an important role in inhibiting pathways and processes related to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity, as well as lowering the death rate. The researchers noted that the catechins present in the tea acted as natural atorvastatin and lowered triglyceride levels in the blood.

The lead author of the study stated that these foods were able to activate cytokine storm-related pathways, intussusceptive angiogenesis, hypercapnia, and enhance blood glucose levels due to their high contents of sphingolipids, palmitic acid, and by-products such as CO₂ and LPS.

Additionally, the researchers also noted that coffee and alcohol, which are widely used in Western nations, contributed to an increase in COVID-19 severity and fatality rates by deregulating blood iron, zinc, and lipid levels. Similarly, an increased diet of red meat, dairy products, and processed meals increased COVID severity and fatality in the Western world.

(Source: https://telanganatoday.com/indian-diet-tea-and-turmeric-lowered-covid-severity-deaths-icmr-study )