TO study from Northwestern University of 37,988 participants has found an unexpected link between diet and COVID-19. Research suggests that drinking coffee may be associated with increased protection against the virus. The data, published in the journal Nutrients, sheds light on the connections between the foods we eat and how they affect our health.
Drinking one or more cups of coffee per day was found to be associated with a 10% lower risk of COVID-19, compared to drinking less than one cup per day. Java is an important source of caffeine and polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, the researchers concluded. Antioxidants, found in many superfoodsincluding fruits and vegetables, help protect cells from damage, reduce inflammation, and may help you live longer (via health line). By decreasing inflammation, we can help the immune system function more optimally.
Along with coffee, consuming vegetables was also found to reduce the risks associated with COVID-19, while processed meats increase the risks. “A person’s nutrition affects immunity,” says Marilyn Cornelis, one of the study’s authors and a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (via northwest now). Cornelis further notes that “the immune system plays a key role in an individual’s susceptibility and response to infectious diseases, including COVID-19.”
Food may not be medicine per se, but it certainly plays an important role in our overall health.
