What should our diet look like during the Covid-19 pandemic?

While there is no cure for the Covid-19 so far, a proper diet can ensure a robust immune system that can help resist any onslaught by the virus.

Minerals and vitamins found in many vegetables and fruits can help fortify the body's stores of nutrients - provide the basic building building blocks to help the body restore itself to health.

Covid-19 works by damaging cell lining in long cells, therefore nutrients that help in cell repair, can fight the possible long term effects of the virus.

With so much misinformation published on miracle cures to the coronavirus, fact can often be lost among falsehoods.

TRT World spoke to Dr Inci Turkoglu, a lecturer at Hacettepe University’s Department of Nutrition, to find out what if anything, we can eat to help protect ourselves from the effects of the disease.

Turkoglu stressed that there were no cures to the Coronavirus, but eating nutritious foods could create an effective deterrent for viruses and other pathogens.

“We recommend normal healthy individuals should include a variety of foods in their diet including milk, meat, vegetables, fruits, and cereals.” Turkoglu said.

“People should consume five portions of fruit and vegetables a day,” the academic said, highlighting the importance of consuming foods that helped build up a strong immune system.

One crucial piece of advice for people in quarantine at home, who cannot get to shops, was to replace the meat they would normally eat with legumes, such as beans, which contain high quality, nutrient enriched, stores of protein.

Turkoglu also encouraged taking in other sources of protein, by eating dairies, such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese. Vegans should opt for high protein alternatives to these products.

But it is not just about the good food you put, Turkoglu explained.

Proper nutrition also involves keeping bad foods, such as sugars, fats, and synthetic chemicals out.

The nutritionist warned that quarantine conditions encouraged bouts of binge eating, which should be avoided.

Ensuring adequate fluid intake is also a vital element to immunity, according to the scientist.

"In addition to all this, there is a very, very important factor, that is, water consumption,” he said, advising intake of between two and three litres of water a day overall.

Alongside regular exercise indoors, people will be well prepared to resist the possible effects of the virus. Although, given the unknown nature of the disease, nothing should be taken for granted.

In his parting warning, Turkoglu warned against becoming victims to those promising miracle cures through supplement sales.

These were ineffective against the Covid-19 virus, he said.