Licorice is one of a number of foods that might benefit people with COVID-19, according to research from Iran.
A five-day randomized controlled trial tested the effects of taking licorice root extract versus a placebo on 51 adults who were critically ill with COVID-19 and receiving standard treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU) of Alzhahra Teaching Hospital, Iran.
The group taking licorice left the ICU after an average of 13.1 days while the placebo group stayed for 25 days, suggesting that licorice might be effective against COVID-19.
However, there were not any differences between the groups in terms of how many people died from COVID-19 and how much time patients spent on ventilators.
According to the researchers, this benefit of licorice might be down to its anti-inflammatory properties.
When the body reacts against COVID-19, it releases cytokines: pro-inflammatory proteins that help fight infection.
However, in some patients, the body releases too many cytokines, creating a cytokine storm—resulting in too much inflammation and potentially severe side effects such as lung problems and damage to other organs.
The scientists proposed that anti-inflammatory compounds in licorice, such as flavonoids, might have helped calm the cytokine storm in the study participants, leading to better health outcomes.
A previous study by a different team showed similar results. In that case, researchers tested the effects of a herbal syrup made from licorice on 213 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, as compared to a placebo, for seven days.
Those taking the syrup stayed in hospital for around two days less on average, staying in hospital for just over five days, compared to roughly seven days for the placebo group.
Again, there was no difference in the number of patients who died from COVID-19, but there were improvements in other factors, such as how many were sent to an ICU.
The scientists concluded that their results were "promising," and if they were due to licorice's anti-inflammatory effects, it follows that other anti-inflammatory foods could also support COVID-19 recovery—but the research around this is mixed.
Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, might be effective. A study from 2020 found that an easily absorbable form of the compound seemed to help the body recover more quickly.
However, a 2024 study on ginger found that this anti-inflammation powerhouse had no effect on adults with COVID-19—although those patients were not as severely ill.
Other foods that might (or might not) help include berries, citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, garlic, nuts, oily fish, olive oil and seeds, as these foods contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, omega-3 and selenium, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Chickpeas, egg yolks, lentils, milk and shellfish contain nutrients such as vitamin D and zinc which are believed to support the immune system.
Meanwhile, probiotics might help with immunity through their beneficial effects on gut health—although a 2024 study concluded that such supplements did not help at-risk individuals avoid COVID-19 infection, based on a review of four studies.
The research is still not clear the extent to which anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting foods might help against COVID-19.
Official advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to emphasize the importance of vaccination, good hygiene practices and distance from sick people.
However, eating a healthy diet full of anti-inflammatory foods and immune-healthy nutrients at the same time could help and is unlikely to come with negative side effects.
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References
Alikiaie, B., Shalamzari, S. M. H., Soltani, R., Yegdaneh, A., & Mousavi, S. (2023). Efficacy of Licorice as Adjunctive Therapy in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice, 12(4), 141. https://doi.org/10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_22_24
Soleiman-Meigooni, S., Hoseini Yekta, N., Sheikhan, H. R., Aminianfar, M., Hamidi-Farahani, R., Ahmadi, M., Asgari, A., Kazemi-Galougahi, M. H., Rahimi, R. (2022). Efficacy of a standardized herbal formulation from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. as an adjuvant treatment in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100670
Valizadeh, H., Abdolmohammadi-Vahid, S., Danshina, S., Ziya Gencer, M., Ammari, A., Sadeghi, A., Roshangar, L., Aslani, S., Esmaeilzadeh, A., Ghaebi, M., Valizadeh, S., & Ahmadi, M. (2020). Nano-curcumin therapy, a promising method in modulating inflammatory cytokines in COVID-19 patients. International immunopharmacology, 89(Pt B), 107088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107088
Ameri, A., Farashahinejad, M., Davoodian, P., Safa, O., Hassaniazad, M., Parsaii, M., Heidari, B., Hassanipour, S., Akhlaghi, B., & Fathalipour, M. (2024). The efficacy and safety of ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome extract in outpatients with COVID-19: A randomized double-blind placebo-control clinical trial. Medicine, 103(22), e38289. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000038289
Emadzadeh, M., & Kabiri, M. (2024). Assessment of the Prophylactic Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics Against COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clinical Medicine & Research, 22(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.3121/cmr.2024.1865
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