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Are there immunity benefits from eating a plant-based diet?

There is growing interest in plant-based diets 鈥 the quadrupled between 2014-2019 鈥 thanks to reported health and environmental benefits. But there is also some healthy plant-based diets may benefit the immune system.

So what are plant-based diets? They are 鈥渕ostly based on foods derived from plants, such as grains, vegetables, fruit, pulses and nuts, but can include a smaller proportion of animal-derived foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and milk鈥, says Sara Stanner, Science Director at the British Nutrition Foundation. They include flexitarian, Mediterranean, vegetarian and vegan diets.

Woman eating vegetable pizza

Immunity benefits of plant-based nutrition

Healthy plant-based diets have been linked to a 鈥渞educed risk of heart disease, strokes and Type 2 diabetes鈥, and to 鈥渓owering blood pressure, reducing blood cholesterol and promoting a healthy body weight鈥, according to the . The reasons for this are unclear. However, we know our cells 鈥 including those in the immune system 鈥 require good nutrition to function optimally.

Plants are packed with vitamins and minerals. But according to Stanner, 鈥渢he key to a healthy plant-based diet is eating a wide variety of plant foods, but not necessarily cutting out animal products altogether鈥. Meat and fish contain many micronutrients and trace nutrients, such as iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin A and copper, which support immune function 鈥 although it is possible to get most of these from a vegan diet.

鈥淓ach micronutrient plays a different role in the immune system 鈥 don鈥檛 make a hero of just one鈥, says Stanner. There is 鈥渘o individual nutrient, food or supplement that will boost immunity, or stop us getting highly infectious viruses鈥, says Stanner. For more information about the nutrition requirements for your age and gender, see the 成人快手 Food Nutrition Calculator.

Fibre and phytochemicals for gut health and immunity

Eating a wide variety of plant foods encourages to thrive in the gut. 鈥淚 recommend 30 different types of plants a week鈥, says Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology and lead on the Covid-19 Zoe symptom study app. 鈥淎 healthy gut microbiome is crucial to a healthy immune system鈥, he continues. Most of the body鈥檚 immune cells are in the lining of the intestine, and microbes in the gut play a crucial role in keeping this system healthy.

Plant-based diets are higher in fibre, a key nutrient needed for a healthy gut microbiome. For example, gut bacteria ferments, or 鈥渇eeds on鈥, fibre and creates , which have been shown to improve immunity against pathogens.

It鈥檚 important to eat the recommended per day, but adults eat an average of 18g. Foods high in fibre include many fruits such as berries, pears and oranges, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn, brown pasta, brown rice, wholegrain bread, beans, lentils, chickpeas and nuts.

Phytochemicals, compounds produced by plants including fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, are also increase some types of beneficial gut bacteria. The colour of a plant is determined by the phytochemicals it contains, and some of these are associated with 鈥減ositive benefits for the immune system鈥, says dietitian Sophie Medlin. The wider the variety of different coloured plants you eat, the more types of phytochemicals you鈥檒l consume. Red, orange, yellow and green plants contain carotenoids, which have been associated with boosting immunity. Although evidence for the benefits of phytochemicals to immunity is not conclusive, there is no health downside to eating five a day.

Eating for a healthy gut is a long-term approach. While modifying your diet can positively impact your gut bacteria and immune parameters within three months, finds the alterations do not 鈥渞eflect the degree of change that occur with a long-term vegetarian diet鈥.

How to boost the plants in your diet

There are benefits to eating whole plant foods rather than processed ones, and a Zoe study highly processed products with 鈥渂ad鈥 gut microbes and poorer health markers. 鈥溾楶lant-based鈥 does not guarantee 鈥榟ealthy鈥欌, says Stanner, so it鈥檚 a good idea to check nutrition labels and opt for foods with less saturated fat, salt and sugar, and to think about the balance of your overall diet.

Making your diet plant-based could be as simple as adding more vegetables or plant protein sources, such as beans and lentils, than meat, to your shop and to individual dishes. Read our guides on healthy ways to go vegan or vegetarian.

Nutrition for vegans

Meat, fish and animal products, such as eggs and dairy, are good sources of immune-supporting nutrients, so if you are cutting out animal foods, make sure you鈥檙e getting enough of these nutrients, including protein, vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and long-chain fatty acids.

Protein- or amino acid- (the building blocks of protein) deficiency can , but protein deficiency is rare. For those following a vegan diet, complete protein sources (ie, contain all nine essential amino acids) include soy, quinoa, hemp, chia seeds, Quorn and buckwheat. You can also create a complete protein by pairing some vegan foods, such as beans on toast or lentils with rice.

This article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice. If you are concerned about your immunity, visit your GP.