That's gouda news! Cheese and nuts can help protect your lungs from asthma and emphysema, study suggests
Cheese, nuts and leafy vegetables could help ward off lung conditions from asthma and emphysema to the common cold.
A UK study of 6,000 people’s food diaries found those low in vitamins A, E and D had more respiratory issues, even when other factors like weight and smoking were taken into account.
Vitamin A, found in whole milk and cheese, carrots and dark green leafy veg, and vitamin E, found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, are believed to boost the immune system.
Cheese, nuts and leafy vegetables could help ward off lung conditions from asthma and emphysema to the common cold (file image)
But supplements are often needed to boost vitamin D to a healthy level.
Of the 6,000 people, only 33 developed respiratory issues and the research team could not establish why the vitamins had an impact.
They said more work was needed to ‘assess the implications of the current study in the context of the current coronavirus pandemic’.
Lead author Prof. Adrian Martineau of Queen Mary University of London, said some studies suggested ‘people with lower vitamin D levels may be more susceptible to coronavirus.’
Dr Suzana Almoosawi, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, added: ‘We know that good nutrition is at the foundation of good health.
‘In the first instance, our findings emphasize the importance of overall diet and the need to achieve adequate intake of vitamins such as A and E from diet.
‘In the case of vitamin D, however, dietary provision is unable to provide sufficient levels to meet requirements.
Dose of vitamin A: The UK study of 6,000 people’s food diaries found those low in vitamins A, E and D had more respiratory issues
‘Given our knowledge of the extent of vitamin D deficiency in the general population, balanced with the low cost and low risk of adverse events, it seems sensible to provide supplementation of this key vitamin, particularly to those most likely to be deficient or vulnerable to Vitamin D deficiencies.’
The team said further research is needed to ‘assess the implications of the current study in the context of the current coronavirus pandemic’.
Commenting on the study Shane McAuliffe, science communications lead for the NNEdPro Nutrition and Covid-19 Taskforce, which includes experts from the University of Cambridge, said: ‘While acknowledging the limitations of this data, it does add further to a growing body of interest and evidence for the role of vitamin D in respiratory health.
‘Given our knowledge of the extent of vitamin D deficiency in the population, balanced with the low cost and low risk of adverse events, it seems sensible to provide supplementation of this key vitamin, particularly to those most likely to be deficient.’