WHO’s Five keys to safer food:

Tips for Safe and Healthy Eating

India

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New Delhi, April 21, 2020 :

Eating a healthy diet is very important during the COVID-19 pandemic. What we eat and drink can affect our body’s ability to prevent, fight and recover from infections.

While no foods or dietary supplements can prevent or cure COVID-19 infection, healthy diets are important for supporting immune systems. Good nutrition can also reduce the likelihood of developing other health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.

For young children, a healthy and balanced diet is essential for growth and development. For older people, it can help to ensure healthier and more active lives.

Tips for maintaining a healthy diet:

1. Eat a variety of food, including fruits and vegetables

• Every day, eat a mix of whole-grains like wheat, maize and rice, legumes like lentils and beans, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables , with some foods from animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, eggs and milk).

• Choose wholegrain foods like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice when you can; they are rich in valuable fibre and can help you feel full for longer.

• For snacks, choose raw vegetables, fresh fruit, and unsalted nuts.

2. Cut back on salt

• Limit salt intake to 5 grams (equivalent to a teaspoon) a day.

• When cooking and preparing foods, use salt sparingly and reduce use of salty sauces and condiments (like soy sauce, stock or fish sauce).

• If using canned or dried food, choose varieties of vegetables, nuts and fruit, without added salt and sugars.

• Remove the salt shaker from the table.

• Check the labels on food and choose products with lower sodium content.

3. Eat moderate amounts of fats and oils

• Replace butter, ghee and lard with healthier fats like olive, soy, sunflower or corn oil when cooking.

• Choose white meat like poultry and fish which are generally lower in fats than red meat; trim meat of visible fat and limit the consumption of processed meats.

• Select low-fat or reduced-fat versions of milk and dairy products.

• Avoid processed, baked and fried foods that contain industrially produced trans-fat.

• Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking.

4. Limit sugar intake

• Drink plenty of water. Whenever available and safe for consumption, tap water is the healthiest and cheapest drink.

• Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juices and juice drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee and flavoured milk drinks.

• Choose fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as cookies, cakes and chocolate.

• Avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods given to children under 2 years of age, and should be limited beyond that age.

5. Avoid hazardous and harmful alcohol use

Alcohol is not a part of a healthy diet. Drinking alcohol does not protect against COVID-19 and can be dangerous. Frequent or excessive alcohol consumption increases your immediate risk of injury, as well as causing longer-term effects like liver damage, cancer, heart disease and mental illness. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

6. Breastfeed babies and young children

Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Women with COVID-19, can breastfeed if they wish to do so, and should take infection prevention and control measures.

• Babies should be breastfed exclusively during the first 6 months of life, as breast milk provides all the nutrients and fluids they need.

• From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient-dense foods. Breastfeeding should continue under babies at 2 years of age or beyond.

• Do not add salt and sugars to foods for infants and young children.

Infection prevention and control measures for a mother with COVID-19 who wishes to breastfeed or practice skin-to-skin contact include:

• Wearing a medical mask; If she does not have a mask, she should still be encouraged to continue breastfeeding and providing breast milk as the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the potential risks of transmission of the virus.

• Sneezing and coughing into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue.

• Performing frequent hand hygiene especially before and after holding her child, with soap and water or alcohol hand rub if available.

• Avoid talking while breastfeeding the baby as droplets can be produced while talking.

There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through contact with food or food packaging. COVID-19 is generally thought to be spread from person to person. However, it’s always important to practice good hygiene when handling food to prevent any food-borne illnesses.

Follow WHO’s Five keys to safer food: