Effectiveness of flax seed, an immune booster functional food during COVID-19 pandemic situation

ABSTRACT

During current COVID- 19 pandemic situation where preventive and curative medicines are unavailable, strong immune system is one of the best weapons to deal with it at individual level. Functional foods and dietary modification can decrease any kind of infections (viral as well as other infections) risk including COVID-19 and build up our immunity. Persons with strong immunity are able to recover any infectious disease conditions within short period of time. Main concern of this content is to support the principle that flax seed, a plant-derived omega-3 (ù-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (rich in a-linolenic acid) can activate both adaptive and innate immune functions, altered macrophage function through production and secretion of cytokines and chemokines, improve phagocytosis capacity leads to increase immunity. Two bioactive compounds lignans and fiber are also present in flax seed. Flax seed reduces inflammation oxidative stress, and shows lipid modulating properties also. Omega -3 fatty acids popular for its health benefits against comorbidities in the COVID-19 patients including hypertension, respiratory system disease and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer. Flax seed helps to maintain intestinal environment, function and immunity through modulating the gut microbiota composition, improve intestinal wall integrity, production of short chain fatty acids (due to fermentation of flaxseed fiber by gut microbiota). However it is established that the inclusion of sufficient amount of flax seed as whole, powder, oil, or fortified form in our regular diet helps to boost immunity against infectious disease. © 2021, Narendra Publishing House, Delhi, India.