Raw Vegan Diet in the Context of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract

Most individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the clinical presentation and general course varies widely and depends mainly on the patient's health status before the infection. Certain number of people, particularly those who had a severe COVID-19, experience multiorgan symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even years after infection and some exhibit an immunophenotype that supports chronic inflammation and may trigger autoimmunity and neuroinflammation. An unhealthy lifestyle and associated health conditions, particularly obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, have been associated with the severity of COVID-19, but the data on the role of diet are still lacking. A raw vegan diet limits the intake of unhealthy food components such as saturated and unsaturated fats, sodium, and added sugars while being rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, giving it some serious health benefits. The purpose of this review article is to give an overview of the factors associated with the severity and the outcome of COVID-19, to highlight all the important effects of raw vegan diet on individual health and to discuss them in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection.