A healthy diet is very important during the covid-19 pandemic. What we eat and drink can affect the body's ability to prevent, fight and recover from infections.

Although there are no foods or supplements that can prevent and treat covid-19 infection, it is important to follow healthy diets to support the 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 babies, a healthy diet means exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, giving nutritious and safe substances as breast milk supplements to children aged 6 months to two years and more.

 For young children, a healthy and balanced diet is essential to ensure their growth and development. As for the elderly, this will help to ensure a healthier and more active life.

Tips for maintaining a healthy diet:

1. Eat a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables

* Eat daily a mixture of whole grains such as wheat, corn and rice, legumes such as lentils and beans, a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, with some animal-source food (such as meat, fish, eggs, milk).

* Choose, as much as possible, whole grain foods such as unprocessed corn, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice because they are rich in valuable fiber and can help you feel full longer.
• For snacks, choose raw vegetables, fresh fruits, unsalted nuts.

2. Reduce salt consumption

* Limit your salt intake to 5 grams (equivalent to a teaspoon) per day.
• When cooking and preparing food, use a small amount of salt and limit the use of salted sauces and seasonings (such as soy sauce, gravy or fish sauce).

• If you eat canned or dried foods, choose types of vegetables, nuts and fruits that do not contain added salt and sugar.
* Keep salted away from the dining table, try fresh or dried herbs and spices to flavor your food.

* Check food labels and choose products with a lower sodium content.

3. Eat moderate amounts of fats and oils

* Replace butter, margarine and lard with healthy fats such as olive oil, soy oil, sunflower oil and corn oil during cooking.

* Choose white meats such as poultry and fish, which usually contain less fat than red meat; separate meat from visible grease and reduce consumption of processed meat.

* Choose types of milk and dairy products that contain low percentages of fat.

* Avoid processed, oven-cooked and fried foods that contain industrially produced trans fats.
* Try to Steam or boil food instead of frying.

4. Reduce sugar consumption

* Reduce the consumption of sweets and sugary drinks such as soft drinks, fruit juices and juice drinks, concentrated liquids and powders, flavored waters, energy boosting drinks and sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee, flavored milk drinks.

* Choose fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as biscuits, cakes and chocolate. And if you choose other types of dessert, make sure that they contain low percentages of sugar, and eat small amounts of it.
* Avoid giving sugary foods to children. Salt and sugar should not be added to complementary foods given to children under two years of age, and their consumption after this age should also be limited.

5. Keep fluids in your body by drinking enough water

Maintaining a sufficient amount of fluid in the body is necessary to ensure optimal health. Tap water is the healthiest and least expensive beverage if it is available and safe for consumption. Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened drinks is also a simple way to limit your intake of sugar and excess calories.

6. Avoid dangerous and harmful use of alcohol

Alcohol does not fall into the healthy diet. Drinking alcohol does not protect against covid-19 and can even be dangerous. Frequent or excessive alcohol consumption also directly increases the risk of injuries, causing long-term effects such as liver damage, cancer, heart disease and psychiatric illnesses. There is no safe level of alcohol abuse.

7. Breastfeeding babies and young children

Breast milk is the ideal food for babies because it is safe, clean and contains antibodies that help protect against many common diseases that affect babies. Babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life because breast milk provides all the nutrients and fluids they need.

* Starting from the sixth month of life, breast milk should be supplemented with a variety of suitable, safe and high-nutrient foods. Breastfeeding of babies should be continued until the age of two years or more 
Women infected with covid-19 can breastfeed their babies if they wish, and they should take infection prevention and control measures. Please see the questions and answers regarding breastfeeding and covid-19

Tips for food safety during the covid-19 pandemic

There is no evidence that covid-19 can be spread by contact with food or food packaging materials. Covid-19 is generally believed to be transmitted between people. However, it is always important to observe good hygiene rules when handling food in order to prevent any foodborne illness.

1-Keep Yourself Clean
2-separate raw food from cooked food
3-cook the food well
4-keep food at a safe temperature
5. use safe water and safe raw materials.