The most recent trial confirms that two nutrients can reduce deaths from heart attacks and cancer.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can significantly reduce heart attacks and vitamin D supplementation can significantly lower the number of deaths caused by different types of cancer.
Researchers studied 26,000 American adults in the VITAL clinical trial for five years to see if fish oil or vitamin D would definitely ward off cardiovascular disease or cancer.
The outcomes were reassuring: marine omega-3 fatty acid intake was linked to a significant drop in heart attacks.
One-and-half servings per week of dietary fish intake showed the maximum heart health benefits, but higher dietary fish intake didn’t help more.
The greatest decrease in heart attacks was seen in African-Americans.
The benefit of 1 gram of omega-3 fish oil supplementation showed a small decrease in major cardiovascular events like stroke and death from cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol intake at a dose of 2000 IU per day showed a significant decrease of death from cancer for those who took it for at least two years.
However, supplementation with vitamin D3 capsules didn’t significantly lower incidence of any type of cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Dr. JoAnn Manson, the study’s first author, said:
“The pattern of findings suggests a complex balance of benefits and risks for each intervention and points to the need for additional research to determine which individuals may be most likely to derive a net benefit from these supplements.”
Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director, said:
“With heart disease and cancer representing the most significant health threats to women, it is imperative that we continue to study the viability of options that prevent these diseases and help women survive them.”
The 1 gram omega-3 fish oil supplementation used in the VITAL clinical trial was Omacor, a prescription medicine for adults.
The capsule contains 840 milligrams marine omega-3 fatty acids, of which 465 mg is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 375 mg is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The study was presented at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Chicago (Manson et al., 2019).
About the author ~ Mina Dean is a Nutritionist and Food Scientist. She holds a BSc in Human Nutrition and an MSc in Food Science.
The current study included 115 people experiencing depression
They were split into three group depending on how well they responded to depression treatment.
The results of blood tests revealed that those who responded the best to treatment had the highest levels of vitamin B12.
After treatment, those who were experiencing the highest levels of depression had the lowest levels of vitamin B12 in their system.
The study’s authors write:
“As far as we know, there have been no previous studies that have suggested a positive relationship between vitamin B12 and the treatment outcome in patients with major depressive disorder who have normal or high vitamin B12 levels.”
The link between depression and vitamin B12 deficiency may be explained by the fact that B12 deficiency can cause damage to the nervous system, which can affect the function of neurotransmitters and lead to symptoms of depression.
Additionally, B12 deficiency can also lead to anaemia, which is a condition characterized by a low red blood cell count.
Anaemia can cause fatigue, weakness, and irritability, all of which can contribute to feelings of depression.
Common signs of B12 deficiency
Other, more common signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include feeling tired, experiencing muscle weakness and being constipated.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is easy to rectify with supplements or by dietary changes
The body uses vitamin B12 to make red blood cells and to keep the nervous system healthy.
Good sources of vitamin B12 include fish, poultry, eggs and low-fat milk.
Fortified breakfast cereals also contain vitamin B12.
People who may have difficult getting enough vitamin B12 include vegetarians, older people and those with some digestive disorders, such as Crohn’s disease.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also be caused by certain medical conditions or by certain medications, such as proton pump inhibitors or metformin.
The common, inexpensive supplement was linked with a 44% reduction in suicide attempts and self-harm.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the US, with more than 45,000 people dying by suicide in 2020. Experts recommend many strategies and treatments to decrease the risk of suicide, including psychotherapy, peer support, economic support, and medications like antidepressants. Few if any would be likely to put folic acid supplements on that list, but a recent study done at the University of Chicago may change that.
The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry on September 28th, used data from the health insurance claims of 866,586 patients and looked at the relationship between folic acid treatment and suicide attempts over a two-year period. They found that patients who filled prescriptions for folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, experienced a 44% reduction in suicidal events (suicide attempts and intentional self-harm). Robert Gibbons, PhD, the Blum-Riese Professor of Biostatistics and Medicine at the University of Chicago, the lead author of the study, is hopeful that these findings could improve suicide prevention efforts, especially because of how accessible folic acid is.
“There are no real side effects, it doesn’t cost a lot of money, you can get it without a prescription,” Gibbons said. “This could potentially save tens of thousands of lives.”
Gibbons initially became interested in folic acid in the context of suicide because of a previous study in which his group looked for relationships between risk of attempting suicide and 922 different prescribed drugs. The study simultaneously screened each drug for associations with increases and decreases in suicide attempts. Surprisingly, folic acid was associated with a decreased risk of suicide attempt, along with drugs expected to be associated with risk of suicide, like antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics.
This could potentially save tens of thousands of lives.
Robert Gibbons, PhD
One of the challenges of this earlier study was to analyze the effects of many drugs in a large-scale data set, which is difficult. Many people take more than one drug, and drugs can have different effects when taken together than when taken alone. It can also be difficult to get meaningful results from studies like these that look for relationships in large data sets because of confounding factors, which can cause two variables in a study, like suicide and a drug, to seem to have a direct causal relationship with each other. Sometimes, these are actually both related to a confounding factor, such as socioeconomic status or health-conscious attitudes, or because they are prescribed for a condition that is associated with suicide (e.g. depression). But Gibbons and his group were able to partially eliminate these complications by comparing subjects to themselves before and after being prescribed a drug, instead of comparing subjects who did and did not take the drug to one another.
In fact, they initially thought folic acid had only shown up in their study because of a simple explanation, but that turned out not to be the case. “When we first saw this result, we thought it was pregnancy. Pregnant women take folic acid, and pregnant women tend to have a low suicide rate, so it’s just a false association. So, we just did a quick analysis to restrict it to men. But we saw exactly the same effect in men,” Gibbons said.
To investigate and further confirm the relationship between folic acid and suicide risk, Gibbons and his co-authors did this new study and focused specifically on folic acid, and accounted for many possible confounding factors, including age, sex, mental health diagnoses, other central nervous system drugs, conditions that affect folic acid metabolism, and more. Even after adjusting for all these factors, filling a prescription for folic acid was still associated with a decreased risk of attempting suicide.
They even found that the longer a person took folic acid, the lower their risk of suicide attempt tended to be. Each month of being prescribed folic acid was associated with an additional 5% decrease in risk of suicide attempt during the 24-month follow-up period of their study.
It also occurred to the authors that maybe people who take vitamin supplements in general want to improve their health and would thus be less likely to attempt suicide. To address this possibility, they did a similar analysis with another supplement, vitamin B12, as a negative control. But unlike folic acid, there didn’t seem to be any relationship between vitamin B12 and risk of suicide.
Although Gibbons and his co-authors were careful to adjust for confounding factors, they cannot yet say for sure whether the relationship between folic acid and suicidal events is causal; that is, they don’t yet know if taking folic acid will directly cause a person’s risk of suicide to become lower. To know for sure, the authors are following up this study with a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test whether folic acid directly lowers the risk of suicidal events, including ideation, attempts and completion. This will involve randomly splitting subjects into two groups, giving a placebo to one group and folic acid to the other and comparing the rate of suicidal events over time.
If their findings are confirmed in the new research, folic acid would be a safe, inexpensive, and widely available suicide prevention strategy, and potentially help save thousands of lives.
September 28, 2022
By Lily Burton PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
After analysing more than 1,000 raw foods, researchers ranked the ingredients that provide the best balance of your daily nutritional requirements – and they found a few surprises.
Many of us are paying more attention to our diets and how the food we eat can support our health. To help sort out the fact from the fiction, BBC Future is updating some of our most popular nutrition stories from our archive.
Imagine the ideal food. One that contains all the nutrients necessary to meet, but not exceed, our daily nutrient demands. If such a food existed, consuming it, without eating any other, would provide the optimal nutritional balance for our body.
Such a food does not exist. But we can do the next best thing.
The key is to eat a balance of highly nutritional foods, that when consumed together, do not contain too much of any one nutrient, to avoid exceeding daily recommended amounts.
Scientists studied more than 1,000 foods, assigning each a nutritional score. The higher the score, the more likely each food would meet, but not exceed your daily nutritional needs, when eaten in combination with others.
Calculated and ranked by scientists, these are the 100 most nutritious foods:
A short guide to the 100 most nutritious foods
Please note: a few of the foods listed are endangered species, which we would not recommend. We would advise researching the provenance of all ingredients if buying them yourself.
100. SWEET POTATO (v)
86kcal, $0.21, per 100g
A bright orange tuber, sweet potatoes are only distantly related to potatoes. They are rich in beta-carotene.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 49
99. FIGS (v)
249kcal, $0.81, per 100g
Figs have been cultivated since ancient times. Eaten fresh or dried, they are rich in the mineral manganese.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 49
98. GINGER (v)
80kcal, $0.85, per 100g
Ginger contains high levels of antioxidants. In medicine, it is used as a digestive stimulant and to treat colds.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 49
97. PUMPKIN (v)
26kcal, $0.20, per 100g
Pumpkins are rich in yellow and orange pigments. Especially xanthophyll esters and beta-carotene.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
96. BURDOCK ROOT (v)
72kcal, $1.98, per 100g
Used in folk medicine and as a vegetable, studies suggest burdock can aid fat loss and limit inflammation.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
95. BRUSSELS SPROUTS (v)
43kcal, $0.35, per 100g
A type of cabbage. Brussels sprouts originated in Brussels in the 1500s. They are rich in calcium and vitamin C.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
94. BROCCOLI (v)
34kcal, $0.42, per 100g
Broccoli heads consist of immature flower buds and stems. US consumption has risen five-fold in 50 years.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
93. CAULIFLOWER (v)
31kcal, $0.44, per 100g
Unlike broccoli, cauliflower heads are degenerate shoot tips that are frequently white, lacking green chlorophyll.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
92. WATER CHESTNUTS (v)
97kcal, $1.50, per 100g
The water chestnut is not a nut at all, but an aquatic vegetable that grows in mud underwater within marshes.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
91. CANTALOUPE MELONS (v)
34kcal, $0.27, per 100g
One of the foods richest in glutathione, an antioxidant that protects cells from toxins including free radicals.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
90. PRUNES (v)
240kcal, $0.44, per 100g
Dried plums are very rich in health-promoting nutrients such as antioxidants and anthocyanins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
89. COMMON OCTOPUS
82kcal, $1.50, per 100g
Though nutritious, recent evidence suggests octopus can carry harmful shellfish toxins and allergens.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 50
88. CARROTS (v)
36kcal, $0.40, per 100g
Carrots first appeared in Afghanistan 1,100 years ago. Orange carrots were grown in Europe in the 1500s.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
87. WINTER SQUASH (v)
34kcal, $0.24, per 100g
Unlike summer squashes, winter squashes are eaten in the mature fruit stage. The hard rind is usually not eaten.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
86. JALAPENO PEPPERS (v)
29kcal, $0.66, per 100g
The same species as other peppers. Carotenoid levels are 35 times higher in red jalapenos that have ripened.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
85. RHUBARB (v)
21kcal, $1.47, per 100g
Rhubarb is rich in minerals, vitamins, fibre and natural phytochemicals that have a role in maintaining health.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
84. POMEGRANATES (v)
83kcal, $1.31, per 100g
Their red and purple colour is produced by anthocyanins that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
83. RED CURRANTS (v)
56kcal, $0.44, per 100g
Red currants are also rich in anthocyanins. White currants are the same species as red, whereas black currants differ.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
82. ORANGES (v)
46kcal, $0.37, per 100g
Most citrus fruits grown worldwide are oranges. In many varieties, acidity declines with fruit ripeness.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
81. CARP
127kcal, $1.40, per 100g
A high proportion of carp is protein, around 18%. Just under 6% is fat, and the fish contains zero sugar.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 51
80. HUBBARD SQUASH (v)
40kcal, $8.77, per 100g
A variety of the species Cucurbita maxim. Tear-drop shaped, they are often cooked in lieu of pumpkins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 52
79. KUMQUATS (v)
71kcal, $0.69, per 100g
An unusual citrus fruit, kumquats lack a pith inside and their tender rind is not separate like an orange peel.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 52
78. POMPANO
164kcal, $1.44, per 100g
Often called jacks, Florida pompanos are frequently-caught western Atlantic fish usually weighing under 2kg.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 52
77. PINK SALMON
127kcal, $1.19, per 100g
These fish are rich in long-chain fatty acids, such as omega-3s, that improve blood cholesterol levels.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 52
76. SOUR CHERRIES (v)
50kcal, $0.58, per 100g
Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) are a different species to sweet cherries (P. avium). Usually processed or frozen.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 53
75. RAINBOW TROUT
141kcal, $3.08, per 100g
Closely related to salmon, rainbow trout are medium-sized Pacific fish also rich in omega-3s.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 53
74. PERCH
91kcal, $1.54, per 100g
Pregnant and lactating women are advised not to eat perch. Though nutritious, it may contain traces of mercury.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 53
73. GREEN BEANS (v)
31kcal, $0.28, per 100g
Green beans, known as string, snap or French beans, are rich in saponins, thought to reduce cholesterol levels.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
72. RED LEAF LETTUCE (v)
16kcal, $1.55, per 100g
Evidence suggests lettuce was cultivated before 4500 BC. It contains almost no fat or sugar and is high in calcium.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
71. LEEKS (v)
61kcal, $1.83, per 100g
Leeks are closely related to onions, shallots, chives and garlic. Their wild ancestor grows around the Mediterranean basin.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
70. CAYENNE PEPPER (v)
318kcal, $22.19, per 100g
Powdered cayenne pepper is produced from a unique cultivar of the pepper species Capsicum annuum.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
69. GREEN KIWIFRUIT (v)
61kcal, $0.22, per 100g
Kiwifruit are native to China. Missionaries took them to New Zealand in the early 1900s, where they were domesticated.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
68. GOLDEN KIWIFRUIT (v)
63kcal, $0.22, per 100g
Kiwifruits are edible berries rich in potassium and magnesium. Some golden kiwifruits have a red centre.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
67. GRAPEFRUIT (v)
32kcal, $0.27, per 100g
Grapefruits (Citrus paradisi) originated in the West Indies as a hybrid of the larger pomelo fruit.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
66. MACKEREL
139kcal, $2.94, per 100g
An oily fish, one serving can provide over 10 times more beneficial fatty acids than a serving of a lean fish such as cod.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
65. SOCKEYE SALMON
131kcal, $3.51, per 100g
Another oily fish, rich in cholesterol-lowering fatty acids. Canned salmon with bones is a source of calcium.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 54
64. ARUGULA (v)
25kcal, $0.48, per 100g
A salad leaf, known as rocket. High levels of glucosinolates protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 55
63. CHIVES (v)
25kcal, $0.22, per 100g
Though low in energy, chives are high in vitamins A and K. The green leaves contain a range of beneficial antioxidants.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 55
62. PAPRIKA (v)
282kcal, $1.54, per 100g
Also extracted from the pepper species Capsicum annuum. A spice rich in ascorbic acid, an antioxidant.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 55
61. RED TOMATOES (v)
18kcal, $0.15, per 100g
A low-energy, nutrient-dense food that are an excellent source of folate, potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
60. GREEN TOMATOES (v)
23kcal, $0.33, per 100g
Fruit that has not yet ripened or turned red. Consumption of tomatoes is associated with a decreased cancer risk.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
59. GREEN LETTUCE (v)
15kcal, $1.55, per 100g
The cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is related to wild lettuce (L. serriola), a common weed in the US.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
58. TARO LEAVES (v)
42kcal, $2.19, per 100g
Young taro leaves are relatively high in protein, containing more than the commonly eaten taro root.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
57. LIMA BEANS (v)
106kcal, $0.50, per 100g
Also known as butter beans, lima beans are high in carbohydrate, protein and manganese, while low in fat.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
56. EEL
184kcal, $2.43, per 100g
A good source of riboflavin (vitamin B2), though the skin mucus of eels can contain harmful marine toxins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
55. BLUEFIN TUNA
144kcal, $2.13, per 100g
A large fish, rich in omega-3s. Pregnant women are advised to limit their intake, due to mercury contamination.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
54. COHO SALMON
146kcal, $0.86, per 100g
A Pacific species also known as silver salmon. Relatively high levels of fat, as well as long-chain fatty acids.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 56
53. SUMMER SQUASH (v)
17kcal, $0.22, per 100g
Harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible. Its name refers to its short storage life.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 57
52. NAVY BEANS (v)
337kcal, $0.49, per 100g
Also known as haricot or pea beans. The fibre in navy beans has been correlated with the reduction of colon cancer.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 57
51. PLANTAIN (v)
122kcal, $0.38, per 100g
Banana fruits with a variety of antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypoglycaemic and anti-diabetic properties.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 57
50. PODDED PEAS (v)
42kcal, $0.62, per 100g
Peas are an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, minerals and water-soluble vitamins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 58
49. COWPEAS (v)
44kcal, $0.68, per 100g
Also called black-eyed peas. As with many legumes, high in carbohydrate, containing more protein than cereals.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 58
48. BUTTER LETTUCE (v)
13kcal, $0.39, per 100g
Also known as butterhead lettuce, and including Boston and bib varieties. Few calories. Popular in Europe.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 58
47. RED CHERRIES (v)
50kcal, $0.33, per 100g
A raw, unprocessed and unfrozen variety of sour cherries (Prunus cerasus). Native to Europe and Asia.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 58
46. WALNUTS (v)
619kcal, $3.08, per 100g
Walnuts contain sizeable proportions of a-linolenic acid, the healthy omega-3 fatty acid made by plants.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 58
45. FRESH SPINACH (v)
23kcal, $0.52, per 100g
Contains more minerals and vitamins (especially vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus and iron) than many salad crops. Spinach appears twice in the list (45 and 24) because the way it is prepared affects its nutritional value. Fresh spinach can lose nutritional value if stored at room temperature, and ranks lower than eating spinach that has been frozen, for instance.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 59
44. PARSLEY (v)
36kcal, $0.26, per 100g
A relative of celery, parsley was popular in Greek and Roman times. High levels of a range of beneficial minerals.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 59
43. HERRING
158kcal, $0.65, per 100g
An Atlantic fish, among the top five most caught of all species. Rich in omega-3s, long-chain fatty acids.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 59
42. SEA BASS
97kcal, $1.98, per 100g
A generic name for a number of related medium-sized oily fish species. Popular in the Mediterranean area.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 59
41. CHINESE CABBAGE (v)
13kcal, $0.11, per 100g
Variants of the cabbage species Brassica rapa, often called pak-choi or Chinese mustard. Low calorie.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 60
40. CRESS (v)
32kcal, $4.49, per 100g
The brassica Lepidium sativum, not to be confused with watercress Nasturtium officinale. High in iron.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 60
39. APRICOTS (v)
48kcal, $0.36, per 100g
A ’stone’ fruit relatively high in sugar, phytoestrogens and antioxidants, including the carotenoid beta-carotene.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 60
38. FISH ROE
134kcal, $0.17, per 100g
Fish eggs (roe) contain high levels of vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Caviar often refers to sturgeon roe.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 60
37. WHITEFISH
134kcal, $3.67, per 100g
Species of oily freshwater fish related to salmon. Common in the northern hemisphere. Rich in omega-3s.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 60
36. CORIANDER (v)
23kcal, $7.63, per 100g
A herb rich in carotenoids, used to treat ills including digestive complaints, coughs, chest pains and fever.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 61
35. ROMAINE LETTUCE (v)
17kcal, $1.55, per 100g
Also known as cos lettuce, another variety of Lactuca sativa. The fresher the leaves, the more nutritious they are.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 61
34. MUSTARD LEAVES (v)
27kcal, $0.29, per 100g
One of the oldest recorded spices. Contains sinigrin, a chemical thought to protect against inflammation.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 61
33. ATLANTIC COD
82kcal, $3.18, per 100g
A large white, low fat, protein-rich fish. Cod livers are a source of fish oil rich in fatty acids and vitamin D.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 61
32. WHITING
90kcal, $0.60, per 100g
Various species, but often referring to the North Atlantic fish Merlangius merlangus that is related to cod.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 61
31. KALE (v)
49kcal, $0.62, per 100g
A leafy salad plant, rich in the minerals phosphorous, iron and calcium, and vitamins such as A and C.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 62
30. BROCCOLI RAAB (v)
22kcal, $0.66, per 100g
Not to be confused with broccoli. It has thinner stems and smaller flowers, and is related to turnips.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 62
29. CHILI PEPPERS (v)
324kcal, $1.20, per 100g
The pungent fruits of the Capsicum plant. Rich in capsaicinoid, carotenoid and ascorbic acid antioxidants.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 62
28. CLAMS
86kcal, $1.78, per 100g
Lean, protein-rich shellfish. Often eaten lightly cooked, though care must be taken to avoid food poisoning.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 62
27. COLLARDS (v)
32kcal, $0.74, per 100g
Another salad leaf belonging to the Brassica genus of plants. A headless cabbage closely related to kale.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 63
26. BASIL (v)
23kcal, $2.31, per 100g
A spicy, sweet herb traditionally used to protect the heart. Thought to be an antifungal and antibacterial.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 63
25. CHILI POWDER (v)
282kcal, $5.63, per 100g
A source of phytochemicals such as vitamin C, E and A, as well as phenolic compounds and carotenoids.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 63
24. FROZEN SPINACH (v)
29kcal, $1.35, per 100g
A salad crop especially high in magnesium, folate, vitamin A and the carotenoids beta carotene and zeazanthin. Freezing spinach helps prevent the nutrients within from degrading, which is why frozen spinach ranks higher than fresh spinach (no 45).
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 64
23. DANDELION GREENS (v)
45kcal, $0.27, per 100g
The word dandelion means lion’s tooth. The leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 64
22. PINK GRAPEFRUIT (v)
42kcal, $0.27, per 100g
The red flesh of pink varieties is due to the accumulation of carotenoid and lycopene pigments.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 64
21. SCALLOPS
69kcal, $4.19, per 100g
A shellfish low in fat, high in protein, fatty acids, potassium and sodium.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 64
20. PACIFIC COD
72kcal, $3.18, per 100g
Closely related to Atlantic cod. Its livers are a significant source of fish oil rich in fatty acids and vitamin D.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 64
19. RED CABBAGE (v)
31kcal, $0.12, per 100g
Rich in vitamins. Its wild cabbage ancestor was a seaside plant of European or Mediterranean origin.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 65
18. GREEN ONION (v)
27kcal, $0.51, per 100g
Known as spring onions. High in copper, phosphorous and magnesium. One of the richest sources of vitamin K.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 65
17. ALASKA POLLOCK
92kcal, $3.67, per 100g
Also called walleye pollock, the species Gadus chalcogrammus is usually caught in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. A low fat content of less than 1%.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 65
16. PIKE
88kcal, $3.67, per 100g
A fast freshwater predatory fish. Nutritious but pregnant women must avoid, due to mercury contamination.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 65
15. GREEN PEAS (v)
77kcal, $1.39, per 100g
Individual green peas contain high levels of phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and dietary fibre.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 67
14. TANGERINES (v)
53kcal, $0.29, per 100g
An oblate orange citrus fruit. High in sugar and the carotenoid cryptoxanthin, a precursor to vitamin A.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 67
13. WATERCRESS (v)
11kcal, $3.47, per 100g
Unique among vegetables, it grows in flowing water as a wild plant. Traditionally eaten to treat mineral deficiency.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 68
12. CELERY FLAKES (v)
319kcal, $6.10, per 100g
Celery that is dried and flaked to use as a condiment. An important source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 68
11. DRIED PARSLEY (v)
292kcal, $12.46, per 100g
Parsley that is dried and ground to use as a spice. High in boron, fluoride and calcium for healthy bones and teeth.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 69
10. SNAPPER
100kcal, $3.75, per 100g
A family of mainly marine fish, with red snapper the best known. Nutritious but can carry dangerous toxins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 69
9. BEET GREENS (v)
22kcal, $0.48, per 100g
The leaves of beetroot vegetables. High in calcium, iron, vitamin K and B group vitamins (especially riboflavin).
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 70
8. PORK FAT
632kcal, $0.95, per 100g
A good source of B vitamins and minerals. Pork fat is more unsaturated and healthier than lamb or beef fat.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 73
7. SWISS CHARD (v)
19kcal, $0.29, per 100g
A very rare dietary source of betalains, phytochemicals thought to have antioxidant and other health properties.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 78
6. PUMPKIN SEEDS (v)
559kcal, $1.60, per 100g
Including the seeds of other squashes. One of the richest plant-based sources of iron and manganese.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 84
5. CHIA SEEDS (v)
486kcal, $1.76, per 100g
Tiny black seeds that contain high amounts of dietary fibre, protein, a-linolenic acid, phenolic acid and vitamins.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 85
4. FLATFISH
70kcal, $1.15, per 100g
Sole and flounder species. Generally free from mercury and a good source of the essential nutrient vitamin B1.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 88
3. OCEAN PERCH
79kcal, $0.82, per 100g
The Atlantic species. A deep-water fish sometimes called rockfish. High in protein, low in saturated fats.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 89
2. CHERIMOYA (v)
75kcal, $1.84, per 100g
Cherimoya fruit is fleshy and sweet with a white pulp. Rich in sugar and vitamins A, C, B1, B2 and potassium.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 96
1. ALMONDS (v)
579kcal, $0.91, per 100g
Rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Promote cardiovascular health and may help with diabetes.
NUTRITIONAL SCORE: 97
SOURCES
Food selection, ranking and cost based on the scientific study “Uncovering the Nutritional Landscape of Food”, published in the journal PLoS ONE.
Nutritional data based on The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28.
Nutritional insights from The Encyclopaedia of Food and Health (2016), published by Elsevier Science.
Produced for BBC Future by Fact & Story. This page was originally published as an infographic.
A vitamin that reduces autoimmune disease risk by almost one-quarter.
Vitamin D supplementation over five years is linked to lower autoimmune disease risk of 22 percent, a study reveals.
Inflammatory disorders such as thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and polymyalgia rheumatica are examples of autoimmune diseases (AD).
AD can lead to life-threatening complications and death as currently there are no cures for AD and only a few treatments seem to be effective.
However, past research has highlighted that vitamin D and omega-3 (or n-3) fatty acid supplements may benefit many patients with these conditions.
A study called ‘VITAL’ assessed 25,871 participants to see whether supplementation of vitamin D or omega-3 or a combination of these two have any impact on reducing AD rates.
Participants were divided into different groups; receiving either 2,000 IU vitamin D3 or 1,000 mg of fish oil a day or a combination of both.
The fish oil capsule contained 460 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 380 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The research team found that those who received vitamin D with fish oil or vitamin D alone were less likely to develop AD.
Dr Karen Costenbader, the study’s senior author, said:
“This is the first direct evidence we have that daily supplementation may reduce AD incidence, and what looks like more pronounced effect after two years of supplementation for vitamin D.
Now, when my patients, colleagues, or friends ask me which vitamins or supplements I’d recommend they take to reduce risk of autoimmune disease, I have new evidence-based recommendations for women age 55 years and older and men 50 years and older.
I suggest vitamin D 2000 IU a day and marine omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), 1000 mg a day—the doses used in VITAL.”
The results show that 5 years vitamin D supplementation reduced autoimmune disease by 22 percent in patients with AD.
Whereas supplementation of fish oil with or without vitamin D reduced the AD rate by only 15 percent.
“Autoimmune diseases are common in older adults and negatively affect health and life expectancy.
Until now, we have had no proven way of preventing them, and now, for the first time, we do.
It would be exciting if we could go on to verify the same preventive effects in younger individuals.”
About the author
Mina Dean is a Nutritionist and Food Scientist. She holds a BSc in Human Nutrition and an MSc in Food Science.
Swapping out the butter or other artery-clogging fats in your diet for heart-healthy olive oil may add years to your life, researchers say.
Folks who consume more than 1/2 a tablespoon of olive oil a day are less likely to die from heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or lung disease when compared to people who consume less of this healthy fat, a new study finds.
It’s not just adding olive oil to your diet that staves off death from disease, said study author Marta Guasch-Ferre, a research scientist in the nutrition department at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. “We need to pay attention to overall diet quality and lifestyle, and consistent with our results, the key would be to add olive oil into the diet as a substitution of other unhealthier fats.”
Olive oil is rich in healthful antioxidants, polyphenols and vitamins, and is a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. “One may speculate that mechanisms related to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive oil may have played a role in these findings,” Guasch-Ferre said.
Olive oil use could also be a marker for a healthier lifestyle. Folks in the study who consumed the most olive oil were more physically active, less likely to smoke and ate more fruits and vegetables than people who consumed less olive oil.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data on more than 90,000 people from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who were free of heart disease and cancer when the study began in 1990. These folks were followed for 28 years. Every four years, they were asked how often they ate certain foods, including fats such as margarine, butter, mayonnaise, dairy fat and olive oil.
When compared with people who never consumed olive oil, those who consumed more than 1/2 a tablespoon a day had a 19% lower risk of dying from heart disease, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer, a 29% lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease, and an 18% lower risk of dying from lung disease.
The researchers also developed statistical models to simulate what would happen if a person swapped out 3/4 a tablespoon of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or other vegetable oils with olive oil. This switch reduced the chances of dying from all causes. Substituting olive oil for other vegetable oils such as canola, corn, safflower and soybean didn’t have the same effect, the study showed.
Many questions on the potential health benefits of olive oil need answering before broad recommendations on its use can be made, wrote Susanna Larsson in an accompanying editorial. She is an epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
For example, Larsson asked, “What is the amount of olive oil required for a protective effect? Are the protective effects confined to polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil or are refined olive oil and other vegetable oils as beneficial?”
Nutritionists not involved in the new study point out that eating a healthy, balanced diet is more important than any one food.
It’s not just the olive oil that confers these health benefits, it’s likely what the olive oil travels with and/or adds flavor to, said Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health emerita at New York University.
“Olive oil is part of the classic heart-healthy Mediterranean diet,” Nestle noted. This style of eating includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and lean protein, and is low in processed foods. “It’s never about one food, it’s really about dietary patterns,” she said.
Olive oil has calories, and they can add up quickly, Nestle pointed out. There are about 120 calories in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
This isn’t a lot of olive oil either, said Meghan McLarney, a dietitian at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. “A typical salad at a restaurant has about 4 tablespoons of dressing.”
Replacing a fat is different from adding one to your diet, and there are easy ways to replace butter and other animal fats with olive oil, she said.
“If a recipe calls for butter, cut out half of the butter and replace it with olive oil,” McLarney said. “This blend is a great way of transitioning and introducing a healthier fat but keeping the flavor.”
Swapping out butter or margarine for olive oil or infused olive oil can make a great flavoring on whole grains, vegetables and proteins. “You can bake with olive oil, too,” she said.
SOURCES: Marta Guasch-Ferre, PhD, senior research scientist, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston; Marion Nestle, PhD, Paulette Goddard professor, nutrition, food studies, and public health, emerita, New York University, New York City; Meghan McLarney, RD, dietitian, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha; Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Jan. 11, 2022
The deficiency is easy to rectify with diet or supplementation.
Mental confusion can be a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency, research suggests.
People with a B12 deficiency can have problems with their memory and concentration.
Depression symptoms like low mood and low energy are also linked to the deficiency.
Low levels of vitamin B12 can even contribute to brain shrinkage, other studies have suggested.
Around one-in-eight people over 50 are low in vitamin B12 levels, recent research finds.
The rates of deficiency are even higher in those who are older.
Fortunately, these deficiencies are easy to rectify with diet or supplementation.
Good dietary sources of vitamin B12 include fish, poultry, eggs and low-fat milk.
Fortified breakfast cereals also contain vitamin B12.
People who may have difficulty getting enough vitamin B12 include vegetarians, older people and those with some digestive disorders, such as Crohn’s disease.
One study has found that high doses of B vitamins can help reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is one of the most serious types of mental illness.
It can cause delusions, hallucinations, confused thinking and dramatic changes in behaviour.
The study reviewed 18 different clinical trials, including 832 patients.
It found that high doses of B vitamins helped reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia.
The vitamins were particularly effective if used early on in treatment.
Dr Joseph Firth, the study’s lead author, said:
“Looking at all of the data from clinical trials of vitamin and mineral supplements for schizophrenia to date, we can see that B vitamins effectively improve outcomes for some patients.
This could be an important advance, given that new treatments for this condition are so desperately needed.”
Professor Jerome Sarris, study co-author, said:
“This builds on existing evidence of other food-derived supplements, such as certain amino-acids, been beneficial for people with schizophrenia.”
About the author
Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology.
He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004.
The study was published in the journal Psychological Medicine (Firth et al., 2017).
Vitamin D Reduces the Need for Opioids in Palliative Cancer
Patients with vitamin D deficiency who received vitamin D supplements had a reduced need for pain relief and lower levels of fatigue in palliative cancer treatment, a randomized and placebo-controlled study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet shows. The study is published in the scientific journal Cancers.
Among patients with cancer in the palliative phase, vitamin D deficiency is common. Previous studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D in the blood may be associated with pain, sensitivity to infection, fatigue, depression, and lower self-rated quality of life.
A previous smaller study, which was not randomized or placebo-controlled, suggested that vitamin D supplementation could reduce opioid doses, reduce antibiotic use, and improve the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.
244 cancer patients with palliative cancer, enrolled in ASIH, (advanced medical home care), took part in the current study in Stockholm during the years 2017-2020.
All study participants had a vitamin D deficiency at the start of the study. They received either 12 weeks of treatment with vitamin D at a relatively high dose (4000 IE/day) or a placebo.
The researchers then measured the change in opioid doses (as a measurement of pain) at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the start of the study.
“The results showed that vitamin D treatment was well tolerated and that the vitamin D-treated patients had a significantly slower increase in opioid doses than the placebo group during the study period. In addition, they experienced less cancer-related fatigue compared to the placebo group,” says Linda Björkhem-Bergman, senior physician at Stockholms Sjukhem and associate professor at the Department of Neurobiology, Healthcare Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet.
On the other hand, there was no difference between the groups in terms of self-rated quality of life or antibiotic use.
“The effects were quite small, but statistically significant and may have clinical significance for patients with vitamin D deficiency who have cancer in the palliative phase. This is the first time it has been shown that vitamin D treatment for palliative cancer patients can have an effect on both opioid-sensitive pain and fatigue,” says first author of the study Maria Helde Frankling, senior physician at ASIH and postdoc at the Department of Neurobiology, Healthcare Science and Society, Karolinska Institutet.
The study is one of the largest drug studies conducted within ASIH in Sweden. One weakness of the study is the large drop-out rate. Only 150 out of 244 patients were able to complete the 12-week study because many patients died of their cancer during the study.
The study was funded by Region Stockholm (ALF), the Swedish Cancer Society, Stockholms Sjukhems Foundation and was carried out with the support of ASIH Stockholm Södra and ASIH Stockholm Norr.
Story Source: Materials provided by Karolinska Institutet. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference: Maria Helde Frankling, Caritha Klasson, Carina Sandberg, Marie Nordström, Anna Warnqvist, Jenny Bergqvist, Peter Bergman, Linda Björkhem-Bergman. ‘Palliative-D’—Vitamin D Supplementation to Palliative Cancer Patients: A Double Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Trial. Cancers, 2021; 13 (15): 3707 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153707
“You can’t wink your eye without nutrients being involved, never mind think, remember, learn, or sleep.” So says brain expert Aileen Burford-Mason, author of The Healthy Brain: Optimize Brain Power at Any Age. Find out more about how to feed your body’s command and control centre.
When people embark on the path to healthy eating, they’re often motivated by a desire to lose weight or to help fend off disease. It’s less common for people to embrace a wholesome diet to boost the well-being of their brain.
This is something that puzzles Toronto-based biochemist, immunologist, and cell biologist Aileen Burford-Mason. An expert in orthomolecular nutrition, she says the brain requires proper nutrition to function optimally. In fact, as the most metabolically active organ of the body, the brain uses nutrients at 10 times the rate of any other tissue or organ in the body.
Our body’s command and control centre
“Over the years, it has really astonished me how many times people have said, ‘Why would the brain need food?’” Burford-Mason says. “You can’t wink your eye without nutrients being involved, never mind think, remember, learn, or sleep. There are nutrients involved in every single function of the body. The purpose to eating is to get all the essential nutrients into us, without which we can’t function.
“Because it has such high needs for nutrition, the brain may be the first to warble when we’re short,” she adds. “It may be the first place to tell us, with anxiety, depression, not being able to sleep. There’s so much evidence now that nutrition is at the root of developing dementia. It’s a huge concern.”
Burford-Mason first became interested in the body’s nutrient needs while studying biochemistry at University College in her native Dublin, Ireland. She went on to complete a PhD in immunology in England. Having emigrated to Canada in 1988, she was formerly an assistant professor in the pathology department at the University of Toronto’s faculty of medicine and director of a cancer research laboratory at Toronto General Hospital. The orthomolecular nutrition consultant is now also the author of The Healthy Brain: Optimize Brain Power at Any Age (Patrick Crean Editions, 2017).
With her book, Burford-Mason wanted to distill complex, scientific information into practical steps people can take to improve the state of their grey matter. Also known as biochemical or functional nutrition, orthomolecular nutrition (which takes its name from the Greek word ortho, meaning correct) uses diet, vitamins, minerals, and other supplements to support the body’s health and healing mechanisms.
What is commonly overlooked by doctors and the public alike, she says, is that, for optimal physiological functioning, the body needs all the nutrients all the time; these compounds all interact with and affect each other.
For instance, it’s well established that people living in Canada are likely to be deficient in vitamin D. However, for the sunshine vitamin to be metabolized, the body needs magnesium.
A well-oiled machine
“It’s like the interactivity of all the components of your car,” Burford-Mason says. “It doesn’t matter whether there’s no gas in the tank or no spark plugs or a wheel is missing; with any of those, you’re going nowhere.
“Even if it’s something small, like a wheel nut missing, eventually something will go wrong; the same thing applies to nutrition. All of the nutrients are needed all the time, and the absence of one, no matter how obscure you might think it is, can compromise the way the others work.
“People have talked about exercise and brain games for brain health; all of this is important, but you can’t keep tweaking spark plugs and making sure there’s air in the tires if you’re forgetting the gas,” she says. “Nutrition has been overlooked.”
Food for thought
Broadly speaking, the best thing people can do to enhance brain health via nutrition is to load up on vegetables, legumes (beans and lentils), and fruit. These foods are abundant in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytochemicals, which are plant-based chemicals that help reduce the risk of infections and many conditions, including cancer and heart disease. “Phytochemicals can build up in the brain and protect it from damage,” she says.
You can’t have too many vegetables, legumes, and fruit, though Burford-Mason encourages variety and cautions that people who are diabetic or trying to lose weight will want to limit their intake of fruit and starchy vegetables.
Avoid sugar. “If there is one thing that is damaging to the brain and should be left out of a diet, that is sugar,” she says. “Sugar is the new smoking. We have absolutely everything to be gained from cutting back on sugar or cutting it out. The sugar we get should come from vegetables and fruit.”
Rules for brain-healthy eating
Choose unprocessed foods.
Eat nutrient-dense foods such as eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Lighten the glycemic load. Limit yourself to one serving of starchy food per day, such as bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta.
Eat good fats, such as avocado, seafood, nuts (especially walnuts and almonds), and olive and coconut oils.
Have protein at each meal. Sources include chicken, turkey, tuna, shrimp, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, lentils, and tofu.
Tips for picking a multivitamin
If you take nothing else on a daily basis, a multivitamin should be your first choice. “They’re the core of the nutrient regimen, because it’s a little bit of everything,” says Aileen Burford-Mason. “You’re plugging gaps. They’re a jumping-off point, not a total solution.”
Choose a type tailored to your gender and age group.
Look for the widest spectrum of trace minerals; molybdenum is a good indicator of completeness.
Select a multi with at least 25 mg of most of the B vitamins and 400 mcg of folic acid. An imbalance of these two (too much folic acid, not enough Bs) has been linked with memory problems in the elderly.
You may need to supplement magnesium and vitamin C, as their levels will likely be low in a multi.
Must-have supplements
vitamins C, D, E, and K
omega-3 fats (fish oil)
magnesium
vitamin B12
The brain’s need for B vitamins likely exceeds the recommended daily intakes, especially if you exercise vigorously or work your brain hard. Although multis contain ample folic acid, it’s rare to find one that has sufficient B12. Low levels of B12 are linked to age-related cognitive decline, and prolonged B12 deficiency has similar symptoms as vascular dementia.
Additional supplements to consider
L-tyrosine, for stress, anxiety, and memory improvement (recommended for adults only)
L-theanine, for stress, anxiety, “busy brain syndrome,” insomnia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
melatonin, for insomnia
WRITTEN BY Gail Johnson @YVRFitFoodie
Gail Johnson is an award-winning digital, print, and broadcast journalist based in Vancouver.
These vitamins could reduce respiratory conditions and COVID-19 infections.
Vitamin A, D, and E could help people ward off respiratory illnesses and viral infections like COVID-19.
The effect of nutrition on improving the immune system due to the human body’s complexity is not wholly clear.
However, we know for sure that some nutrients play a key part in the reduction of different infections and diseases.
Past studies show that vitamin C is effective in treating or preventing pneumonia as well as supporting white blood cells to overcome viral infections such as flu and the common cold.
Data from an eight-year survey on 6,115 UK adult patients has now found that vitamin A, D and E intake were linked to a reduction in respiratory complaints, in particular viral infections.
However, this study didn’t find any effect from vitamin C supplements or food intake on respiratory diseases.
Vitamin A and vitamin E from supplements and food intake, vitamin D supplements (but not from the diet) showed significant reductions in respiratory conditions such as colds and lung diseases including asthma.
Food such as cheese, full-fat milk, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, and carrots are high in vitamin A while wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, and olive oil are sources of vitamin E.
Dr Suzana Almoosawi and Dr Luigi Palla, the authors of this study, wrote:
“It is estimated that around a fifth of the general population in the UK have low vitamin D, and over 30% of older adults aged 65 years and above do not achieve the recommended nutrient intake.
Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that supplementation is critical to ensuring adequate vitamin D status is maintained and potentially indicate that intake of vitamin D from diet alone cannot help maintain adequate vitamin D status.”
Professor Sumantra Ray from NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, said:
“Nationally representative data continue to remind us that micronutrient deficiencies are far from a thing of the past, even in higher income nations like the UK, and this trend is mirrored by comparable global data sources from lesser resourced countries to those with advanced health systems.
Despite this, micronutrient deficiencies are often overlooked as a key contributor to the burden of malnutrition and poor health, presenting an additional layer of challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About the author Mina Dean is a Nutritionist and Food Scientist. She holds a BSc in Human Nutrition and an MSc in Food Science.
The study was published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health (Almoosawi & Palla., 2020).
A sufficient level of this vitamin could halve the risk of catching coronavirus and protect COVID-19 patients from the worst of the disease.
Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection and the severity of the disease, if it is caught, research finds.
Professor Michael Holick, study co-author, said:
“Because vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is so widespread in children and adults in the United States and worldwide, especially in the winter months, it is prudent for everyone to take a vitamin D supplement to reduce risk of being infected and having complications from COVID-19.”
A blood level of 30 nanogram per millilitre of vitamin D has been shown to protect patients with COVID-19 against complications and death, as well as reducing the risk of getting ill by a large amount.
According to a new study, COVID-19 patients with adequate levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are less likely to have severe clinical problems from the illness.
These outcomes include hypoxia — poor oxygen supply to the body — being unconscious, and death.
25-hydroxyvitamin D is produced in the liver and it is a major form of vitamin D3 and vitamin D2.
Also, patients with a sufficient amount of vitamin D have higher levels of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell which fights infection, and their blood shows a lower level of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory indicator.
Professor Holick said:
“This study provides direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce the complications, including the cytokine storm (release of too many proteins into the blood too quickly) and ultimately death from COVID-19.”
The study examined 235 hospitalized coronavirus patients to see if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels can change the severe clinical outcomes from the disease.
Vitamin D status, numbers of lymphocytes, and C-reactive protein were analysed from patient’s blood samples.
The patients were also checked for severity of the infection, breathing difficulties, unconsciousness and hypoxia.
The analysis showed that patients with a blood level of at least 30 ng/mL of 25-hydroxyvitamin D had a 52 percent higher chance of surviving the infection than those with lower levels of vitamin D.
Professor Holick, in a recent study, revealed that an adequate amount of vitamin D can lower the odds of becoming infected with COVID-19 by 54 percent.
Vitamin D sufficiency helps to overcome the coronavirus disease and other types of upper respiratory infections such as influenza.
Professor Holick pointed out:
“There is great concern that the combination of an influenza infection and a coronal viral infection could substantially increase hospitalizations and death due to complications from these viral infections.”
Vitamin D is a cheap but effective way to boost people’s immune system against the virus and can decrease health-related issues such as needing ventilatory support and immune system overactivity resulting in cytokine storm.
“The sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D from October to May, especially for those living north of Atlanta,” Althea Zanecosky, RD
15 Foods That Are High in Vitamin D
Eating plenty of vitamin D foods strengthens your bones, regulates your immune system, and more—but chances are, you’re not getting enough.
Vitamin D may be known as the sunshine vitamin, but too few of us think to look for it in the fridge—and that’s a big mistake. “The sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D from October to May, especially for those living north of Atlanta,” says Althea Zanecosky, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That’s probably why nearly half of people tested at winter’s end had a vitamin D deficiency, according to a University of Maine study. Compounding the problem is our vigilant use of sunscreen; SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, the type our bodies use to make D. Skin also has a harder time producing vitamin D with age.
Back up: What is vitamin D, and why is it so important?
Your body creates vitamin D on its own after being exposed to sunlight. It helps the body absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks of bones. If you’re low on D, then you’re at increased risk for bone diseases like osteoporosis.
Evidence continues to mount that vitamin D also helps to regulate the immune system, lower blood pressure, protect against depression, and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and several kinds of cancer. A 2014 study from the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine also found that people with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to die prematurely.
So, are you getting enough vitamin D?
Probably not. The Institute of Medicine has set the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D at 600 international units (IU) for everyone under the age of 70. (It’s 800 IU for adults 70+.) But many experts believe that’s too low. “There is talk that the RDA may be increased,” says Zanecosky. “Many physicians are now advising 2,000 milligrams daily for those with low blood levels.”
The Top Vitamin D Foods
In a recent nutrient survey, many respondents were rightfully concerned they weren’t getting enough D, with 22% actively looking for it in foods. But just 9% knew that salmon is a good natural source of the vitamin, and only 5% recognized fortified tofu as one, too. Here are some other ways to get more foods with vitamin D in your diet:
Wild-caught fish (425 IU in 3 oz salmon, 547 IU in 3 oz mackerel)
Beef or calf liver (42 IU in 3 oz)
Egg yolks (41 IU per egg)
Canned fish (154 IU in 3 oz tuna, 270 IU in 3.5 oz sardines)
Shiitake mushrooms (40 IU in 1 cup)
Milk: whole, nonfat or reduced fat (100 IU in 8 oz)
Our Better Health 