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Home » Diets that Work » Coronavirus: How to eat healthily while in lockdown – The Independent

Apr 22

Coronavirus: How to eat healthily while in lockdown – The Independent

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The UK government is facing calls to launch a healthy eating campaign to educate the nation on how food can boost the immune system during lockdown.

Last week, a group of leading food policy experts including Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University of London, wrote a letter to the environment secretary and Public Health Englands chief executive, citing evidence that a healthy diet could help fight off infections.

However, the letter states that this vital information is not being shared with the public.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

In addition to current government measures, clear and well-informed public guidance is required from the government on what is nutritionally necessary and sufficient to maintain UK food security and nutritional appropriateness, the letter reads.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation(WHO) is also urging people to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on lockdown, saying it could boost their chances of a fast recovery should they contract Covid-19.

In addition to exercising regularly, quitting smoking and drinking, maintaining a healthy diet plays acrucial role in determining how well people recover from coronavirus, theWHO has said.

But what exactly does a health diet comprise of, and how can one ensure they are eating as well as they are stuck inside their homes all the time?

Read on for tips from nutrition experts on how to maintain a healthy diet while inlockdown.

When trying to eat healthily, its crucial to plan ahead, says Bridget Benelam, senior nutrition scientist at theBritish Nutrition Foundation.

Its easy to run out of inspiration for what to prepare when youre having all your meals at home, she tells The Independent.

Try planning out a few meals so you know what you need and dont have to face the whats for dinner dilemma every night.

Planning meals in advance could also ensure you use up all of the ingredients you have before buying more, thus preventing waste.

A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon

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Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome

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A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy

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DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome

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A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona

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Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City

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DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn

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People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel

Reuters

A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony

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Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium

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Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary

Reuters

A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn

Reuters

A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome

Reuters

A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon

AFP/Getty

Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome

Reuters

A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany

The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome

A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy

EPA

DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome

Reuters

A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona

EPA

Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City

Reuters

DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn

Reuters

People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel

Reuters

A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony

Reuters

Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium

Reuters

Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary

Reuters

A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn

Reuters

A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome

Reuters

Variety is key to a healthy diet, says registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine, who suggests avoiding omitting any food groups while on lockdown unless you have an allergy.

Threenutrients that you should definitely include (because they help to support your immune system) are vitamin A (found in sweet potato andspinach), vitamin C (found in berries, tomatoes & peppers) and zinc (found in meat, shellfish, dairy andbread), Ludlam-Raine adds.

Keeping healthy and nutritious snacks nearby will ensure you dont head straight to the biscuit tin at the slightesthunger pang.

Ludlam-Raine suggests preparing snacks around the protein and produce mantra, i.e. pairing a piece of protein with a piece of produce, which is almost always going to be a healthy combination.

Think cheese andapple, yoghurt andberries, nuts and dried fruit or even hummus and carrots, she adds.

Another way to reduce food waste is to make the most of your freezer.

Big one-pot dishes such as chilli, curries and stews will freeze particularly well, says Ludlam-Raine, and they are a quick and easy way to consume plenty of vegetables in one sitting. Fruits such as berries and bananas can also be easily frozen and used in smoothies for the mornings.

Dont forget about the humble potato too, she adds. You can freeze them and turn them into chips very easily.

Canned oily fish in particularis a really handy item to have in your cupboard while on lockdown, says Benelam. Not only is it cheap and has a long shelf life, but it is rich in omega-3, which studies say can improve mental wellbeing.

Oily fish is alsoone of the few rich sources of vitamin D in the diet, Benelam adds, something we all need to consider if were staying at home and may not be getting much sun exposure, which is our main source of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is also important for bone health and to support the immune system.

Another cupboard essential that will stand the test of time, nut butters are a usefulitemto have around because they are full of good fats and nutrients, says Benelam.

Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora