Eat More Phytochemically Rich “Hyperfoods” to Fight COVID-19

In [1], scientists use a machine learning approach to identify potential bioactive anti-COVID-19 molecules in foods.

Top-Ranked Hyperfoods to Fight COVID-19


Using a network-based machine learning method, scientists have shown that certain plant-based foods such as:

  • Berries
  • Cruciferous vegetables
  • Apples
  • Citrus fruits
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Beans

are most enriched in terms of the diversity and relative abundance of bioactive molecules targeting the SARS-CoV-2-human interactome.

For instance, blackcurrant is the top-ranked food source, which has the below phytochemical profile:

  • alpha-tocopherol
  • arachidonic acid
  • catechol
  • cinnamaldehyde
  • coumarin
  • kaempferol 
  • quercetin 
  • quercetin 3-rutinoside 
  • myricetin 
  • n-butanoate 
  • daidzein 
  • genistein 
  • procyanidin 
  • selenomethionine 
  • trans-resveratrol 
  • trehalose 
Figure 1.  The contained profiles of compounds within specific foods,
with predicted effectiveness in targeting SARS-CoV-2-host interactome networks (source: [1]). 


The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts


Scientists surmises that it's more plausible that consumption of whole foods, with their associated phytochemicals en masse may provide greater health benefits, due to molecular additive or synergistic effects. It therefore follows that the antiviral properties of a given food will be governed by two key factors:

  1. The additive, antagonistic and synergistic actions of their individual components
  2. The way in which these simultaneously modulate different intracellular pathways involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis

Based on these assumptions, they have constructed a food map with the theoretical anti-COVID-19 capacity of each ingredient ranked according to an “enrichment score” derived from the diversity and relative levels of candidate compounds with antiviral properties (Figure 1).

Table 1. Top-ranked phytochemically rich food sources (i.e., Hyperfoods)

Common Name Enrichment Score
Blackcurrant' 28.2
Broccoli|Brussel sprouts|Cabbage|Cauliflower|Common cabbage|Kohlrabi|Savoy cabbage|White cabbage' 25.7
Vaccinium (Blueberry, Cranberry, Huckleberry)' 25.5
Common bean|Green bean|Yellow wax bean' 24.6
Apple' 24.6
Strawberry' 24.2
Rubus (Blackberry, Raspberry)' 23.5
Sweet orange' 22.5
Carob' 22.3
Garden onion' 22.1
Lettuce|Romaine lettuce' 21.0
Garlic|Soft-necked garlic' 20.9
European plum' 20.8
Lemon' 20.7
Parsley' 20.6
Common grape' 20.5
Pear' 20.1
Almond' 19.7
Prunus (Cherry, Plum)' 19.4
Sweet cherry' 19.3
Apricot' 18.8
Carrot|Wild carrot' 18.6
Pistachio' 18.6
Sweet potato' 18.3
Soy bean' 18.1
American cranberry' 18.1
Mango' 17.9
Dock' 17.9
Cherry tomato|Garden tomato|Garden tomato (var.)' 17.8
Broad bean' 17.8
Peach' 17.6
Banana' 17.3
Chinese cabbage|Turnip' 17.3
Green bell pepper|Italian sweet red pepper|Orange bell pepper|Pepper (C. annuum)|Pepper (C. frutescens)|Red bell pepper|Yellow bell pepper' 17.2
Chicory' 17.1
Lentils' 17.0
Black elderberry' 16.9
Dill' 16.9
Wild celery' 16.6
Pitanga' 16.5
Sour cherry' 16.3
Potato' 16.3
Pineapple' 16.3
Capers' 16.2
Spinach' 16.2
Papaya' 16.2
Horseradish tree' 16.2
Common walnut' 16.1
Cucumber' 16.0
Date' 15.8
Sweet bay' 15.6
Rosemary' 15.6
Rape|Swede' 15.5
Mung bean' 15.4
Common beet|Red beetroot' 15.4
New Zealand spinach' 15.2
Wild leek' 15.1
Chinese mustard' 14.9
Chives' 14.9
Common hazelnut' 14.9
Gooseberry' 14.9
Olive' 14.6
Alfalfa' 14.6
Muskmelon' 14.5
Chickpea' 14.5
Pecan nut' 14.3
Globe artichoke' 13.9
Common thyme' 13.9
Taro' 13.7
Asparagus' 13.6
Ginger' 13.5
Black-eyed pea|Cowpea|Yardlong bean' 13.4
Black mulberry' 13.3
Peppermint' 12.8
Garden cress' 12.6
Sacred lotus' 12.6
Rocket salad (ssp.)' 12.5
Allium (Onion)' 12.5
Barley' 12.4
Fig' 12.4
Avocado' 12.3
Garden rhubarb' 12.1
Fennel' 12.1
Kumquat' 12.1
Pomegranate' 12.1
Towel gourd' 12.1
Common pea' 12.0
Malabar spinach' 12.0
Mandarin orange (Clementine, Tangerine)' 12.0
Watermelon' 11.9
Coriander' 11.8
Eggplant' 11.7
Radish' 11.6
Turmeric' 11.5
Purslane' 11.4
Common buckwheat' 11.3
Okra' 11.3
Parsnip' 11.3
Quince' 11.2
Endive' 11.2
Pummelo' 11.2
Saffron' 10.8
Sweet marjoram' 10.8
Cucurbita (Gourd)' 10.4
Lime' 10.1
Sweet basil' 10.0
Colorado pinyon' 9.9
Custard apple' 9.8
Kiwi' 9.0
Common mushroom' 9.0
Brazil nut' 9.0
Yam' 9.0
Soursop' 8.0
Macadamia nut' 8.0
Scarlet bean' 8.0
Lima bean' 8.0


References

  1. Network machine learning maps phytochemically rich “Hyperfoods” to fight COVID-19
  2. Pineapple is good for helping to boost immune system

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