Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that mostly affects the lungs, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. Although medicines are important for curing TB, eating the right food in moderate proportions has equal importance. Making a disciplined eating habit or following a balanced diet gives you strength, builds immunity and helps the body to respond better to treatment.
This guide will explain to you what you should eat during tuberculosis and what to avoid, along with a diet chart.
What to Eat in Tuberculosis?
During TB, your body becomes weak and you may experience significant weight loss in a shorter duration. In order to recover faster and stay strong during and after treatment, your body needs extra energy, protein and micronutrients.
In this regard, a healthy balanced diet can help you to boost your immunity, repair damaged tissues and reduce side effects of medication. Here is a quick look at what you should eat during treatment to improve the healing process.
1. Eat Meals High in Protein
Protein is highly important to cure TB because it gives strength to the body for repairing damaged cells, building muscles and recovering faster from illness. In many situations, TB often leads to muscle loss, so eating an adequate amount of healthy diet foods is essential.
Try to include a good source of protein in every meal you take. Some ideal Indian protein-based meals you can have are:
- Boiled or scrambled eggs: It is easy to digest and eggs are also rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Dals like Moong, Toor, and Masoor: All of them are considered a good source of protein and fibre.
- Milk, Curd and Paneer: These dairy products are packed with a high amount of protein and calcium
- Chicken: It is a good source of protein and vitamin B12 for people who consume non-vegetarian foods.
- Fish: Lightly cooked or steamed fish, such as ruhu or pomfret, is considered healthy during TB treatment.
- Tofu or Soy Nuggets: These are great for vegetarians and rich in plant-based protein.
- Sprouted beans like Moong and Kala Chana: You can consume them as salad or make chats with them.
You can also combine dal with rice or roti with paneer to increase the quality of protein your body gets. Such simple combinations make the body process protein more easily.
2. Intake of meals rich in calories
Your body uses more energy to fight TB infections upon contamination with this disease. That is why you need high-calorie foods that are healthy. These foods help you to gain weight, improve your energy levels and speed up recovery from TB. Here are some of the healthy calorie-rich Indian foods are listed:
- Fruits like banana, mango, and jackfruit.
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes, cooked as curry or in tikkis
- Rice or paratha, along with a spoonful of ghee for extra energy
- Full-fat milk and dairy products
- Add ghee and butter in small amounts to meals
- Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, sesame, and flax seeds
You can also try snacks such as:
- Dry fruit laddoos, especially those that are homemade
- Roasted peanuts or peanut butter
- Chikki made from jaggery and nuts
Along with these options, you can also add ghee to khichdi or mix a spoonful of butter into dal to increase calories in a healthy way.
3. Take in micronutrients
Micronutrients are considered as vitamins and minerals that your body needs in small quantities. They have a significant role in building immunity and helping your body recover from infections.
For faster recovery from TB, focus on getting these important nutrients:
- Vitamin A: It is found in spinach, carrots, pumpkin, and papaya
- Vitamin C: It is present in amla, oranges, guava, and lemon juice
- Vitamin D: You can get this micronutrient from getting 15 to 20 minutes of morning sunlight daily, and drinking fortified milk
- Iron: You can get this micronutrient from beetroot, dates, jaggery, and green leafy vegetables
- Zinc: It is found in pumpkin seeds, whole dals, and peanuts
You should eat a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables whenever possible. You can also add some specific fresh vegetables and fruits as salad to your plate, such as palak, carrot, pumpkin, and tomato.
4. Eat meals High in Energy
During TB treatment, you should highly focus on eating energy-rich and easy-to-digest meals. For low appetites, it is recommended to try small portion size meals for five to six times in a day. Some good energy boosting Indian meals are:
- Poha with peanuts: It is a light breakfast that gives carbs, protein, and fats
- Upma with vegetables and ghee: They are easy to eat and rich in nutrients
- Khichdi with ghee or curd: They are packed with nutrition
- Coconut water and soaked almonds: They help with hydration and provide healthy fats
- Milk with jaggery or dry fruit powder: These are tasty drinks full of energy
These high-calorie healthy foods provide strength, are easily digestible and support recovery of TB.
Tuberculosis Diet Chart
Following a regular eating schedule helps to fulfil your nutritional needs and stabilises your energy levels. Eating in a disciplined manner ensures that your body receives a steady supply of nutrients, which is essential for healing from TB.
Here is a simple TB patient diet chart presented to help you choose which foods you should consider throughout the day. The chart includes commonly available indian foods that are easily digestible and provide enough protein, calories and nutrients.
| Time | Meal | What to Eat |
| 6:30 AM | Early Morning | Warm water, along with 5 soaked almonds or 2 soft dates |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast | Moong dal chilla served with curd OR 2 boiled eggs and 2 slices of toast |
| 10:30 AM | Mid-Morning Snack | Coconut water with a banana OR a small bowl of ripe papaya |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch | Cooked rice, dal, ghee roti, spinach sabzi, and a small portion of paneer curry |
| 3:30 PM | Post-Lunch Drink | Buttermilk or a glass of light lassi with some roasted chana |
| 5:00 PM | Evening Snack | Poha with peanuts OR fruit bowl topped with a few mixed nuts |
| 7:30 PM | Dinner | Khichdi mixed with ghee and soup, OR multigrain roti along with curd |
| 9:00 PM | Bedtime | Warm milk with a pinch of turmeric |
This daily food chart provides a stable supply of balanced nutrition to support the healing process. Along with eating these foods, you also need to be hydrated. Sip water regularly and include natural drinks such as nimbu pani, buttermilk or coconut water throughout the day.
What to Avoid in Tuberculosis
While eating the right food helps your body to recover from TB, avoiding certain products from the TB patient diet chart has the same importance. Some foods and substances can slow down your healing process, weaken your immunity or interfere with TB medication.
Avoiding harmful food items will support your body during treatment and improve overall efficiency. Below are some specific things mentioned that TB patients should avoid during treatment.
1. Avoid Using Tobacco Products
If you periodically smoke or chew tobacco, this is the right time to quit. Avoid tobacco completely because it directly affects your lungs. TB has already weakened your lungs, and tobacco makes further damage.
2. Avoid alcohol
You should also avoid alcohol during TB treatment, as it puts stress on your liver and reduces the effectiveness of TB medicines. Drinking alcohol while on medication can increase the risk of liver damage and may cause dangerous side effects.
3. Avoid Caffeinated Drinks like Coffee; Choose Water and Coconut Water for Optimal Hydration
Excessive caffeine can lead to dehydration and negatively affect your appetite. It may also disrupt your sleep cycle, which is highly important for faster recovery from TB. Avoid drinking too much coffee, energy drinks or strong tea. Instead, choose healthier drinks such as:
- Warm water
- Fresh coconut water
- Herbal teas such as tulsi or ginger
These drinks are better alternatives to carbonated beverages if you are looking for liquid refreshments.
4. Reduce your intake of red meat and oily meals
Heavily oily meals can slow down your digestion, and they can make you feel sluggish. Along with that, the disadvantages of red meat include high levels of saturated fats and difficulty in digestion.
During TB, the digestive system becomes sensitive, and these heavy foods are not easily processed.
Foods to Avoid or Limit During Tuberculosis
Certain food items can interfere with digestion, create barriers for recovery or weaken the effect of TB medicines. So, it is important to know what you should avoid or limit during treatment.
In the sections below, some common Indian foods and drinks are listed under the tuberculosis food to avoid recommendations.
1. Cut back on high-fat meats like red meat, sausages, and bacon.
Red meat and processed meat, like sausages and bacon, are hard to digest and increase bad cholesterol in the body. Disadvantages of red meat and processed meats extend to having saturated fats, which are not suitable for heart or liver health.
These items are examples of high-fat foods to avoid. Instead, you can choose healthy protein sources like grilled fish, boiled chicken, or paneer, which are easier to digest.
2. Avoid fried foods that contain unhealthy fats
Indian snacks such as pakoras, bhujia, puris, and samosas are deep-fried in oil, and they are often made using reused or low-quality oils. Fried foods are unhealthy and may increase the risk of acidity, bloating or gas, which can make you feel uncomfortable.
3. Beverages like soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks should be avoided
These drinks are filled with sugar, artificial flavours, preservatives and caffeine. Even carbonated waters or flavoured sodas can interrupt your digestive system. During the treatment of TB, you should also completely avoid sugary sodas or fizzy beverages.
Habits That Help in Recovering from Tuberculosis
Along with eating the right food, building healthier daily habits plays an important role in faster tuberculosis recovery. These habits support your physical health, improve your mood and help your body to respond better to treatment.
However, tuberculosis recovery may also include follow-up appointments with your doctor to monitor progress
Exercise
Doing light physical activity, such as a morning or evening walk, yoga, and stretching, can improve your blood circulation and help to maintain muscle strength. Exercise also supports better lung function and helps to clear mild congestion.
Adequate sleep
Getting adequate sleep is essential during TB treatment. You should aim for 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep every night. This rest allows your body to repair damaged tissues, restore energy, and build immunity.
Stress management
Feeling anxious can slow down your healing process. Simple stress management methods such as deep breathing, meditation, light reading, or communicating with people can help you to keep calm.
Conclusion
TB treatment becomes successful when the recovery process is supported by proper food, rest, and positive habits. To get the most out of this treatment, follow your doctor’s advice, eat nutrient-rich meals, and avoid harmful foods and habits. You should also stay hydrated all day to keep healthy blood circulation throughout your body.
FAQS
1. How much protein does a TB patient need daily?
A TB patient generally requires 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per Kg(Kilogram) of their body weight per day. For example, if your weight is about 60 Kg, then you should consume about 70 to 90 grams of protein every day.
2. Are high-calorie foods essential in a TB diet?
Yes, high-calorie foods are very important in a TB diet because the body burns more energy to fight the infection. However, these foods should be balanced with protein and micronutrients to support overall recovery.
3. Can TB Patients Eat Rice?
Yes, TB patients can eat rice, especially when rice is paired with protein-rich foods like dal, curd, or paneer. Rice is easy to digest and provides quick energy.
4. How long does recovery from TB take?
Recovery from TB usually takes 6 to 9 months, and it depends on the type of TB and how well you follow the treatment. Good nutrition, rest, and follow-up with the doctor and knowing about the foods to avoid speeds up the recovery process.