257 Article Info Article history Received 5 May 2021 Revised 21 June 2021 Accepted 22 June 2021 Published Online 30 June 2021 Keywords COVID-19 Leafy vegetables Nutritional factors Vitamins Minerals Antioxidants Healthcare management through mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic with leafy vegetables A.K. Abdussalam  , P.K. Prajith*, P.V. Jyothi*, K.P. Prasanth***, A.P. Anu****, K. Azeez ***** and M.K. Ratheesh Narayanan****** Department of Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba-670142, Kannur, Kerala, India * Department of Botany, Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad-671314, Kasaragod, Kerala, India ** Department of Botany, M.E.S.Ponnani College, Ponnani-679586, Malappuram, Kerala, India *** Department of Botany, S.N. College, Thottada-670007, Kannur, Kerala, India **** Department of Sanskrit, Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad-671314, Kasaragod, Kerala, India ***** PSMO College, Malappuram, Tirurangadi-676306, Kerala, India ******Department of Botany, Payyanur College, Edat-670 327, Kannur, Kerala, India Abstract COVID-19 pandemic becomes one of the leading challenges across the world. To fight against the virus, compulsory maintenance of nutritional status is very important. Age, sex, health status, medications and lifestyles are the important factors affecting individuals regarding their nutritional status. Due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, the nutritional status of individuals is destabilized. To survive the current situation, a sustain- able nutritional dietary should be maintained for strengthening the immune system. One of the most important ways to maintain the immune system is to supplement enough vitamin C. A spectrum of viruses that belongs to the coronavirus in humans usually causes the common cold, which is recently severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) . SARS considered a major threat to public health, which is an emerging infectious disease. According to WHO, COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus, in which most people probably have low immunity. Eighty-five per cent of the immune system has been made by plant-based food supplements, which increase beneficial intestinal bacteria. Minerals like zinc, magnesium, micronutrients, herbal foods and vitamins C, D and E and plenty of water promote health, which is highly helpful to overcome the infection. Many studies revealed that COVID-19 infection prevented by the powerful antioxi- dant glutathione and bioflavonoid quercetin; to control COVID-19, plant-based foods playing a very impor- tant role to increase the immunity of people. Leafy greens and vegetables play a very important role in food and nutritional safety. Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, phenolic compounds and minerals. Calcium and iron are rich in leafy vegetables than that of staple food grains. Folic acid is also present in leafy vegetables. Different leafy greens, especially Moringa oleifera leaves, contain a high amount of folic acid compared to other leafy and non-leafy vegetable plants. This review paper aims to explore the nutritional and antinutritional factors of some important leafy vegetables. The content of nutritional and antinutritional factors varies among the genera and species of most of the edible leafy vegetables. Antinutritional factors are considered the important compound in the plant, in which they determine the absorption capacity of nutrients in human beings. Important dietary factors such as phytates, oxalates, nitrates, glycosides and cyanogenic are fruitful in many health-related problems. This article mainly explores the significance of nutrition and the use of leafy vegetables to boost up the immunity system in human beings and provide reliable dietary strategies about food safety and nutrition to survive COVID-19 pandemic around the world, especially in India. Copyright © 2021 Ukaaz Publications. All rights reserved. Email: ukaaz@yahoo.com; Website: www.ukaazpublications.com Annals of Phytomedicine, Volume10, Special Issue1 (COVID-19): S257-S266, 2021 Annals of Phytomedicine: An International Journal http://www.ukaazpublications.com/publications/index.php Print ISSN : 2278-9839 Online ISSN : 2393-9885 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21276/ap.covid19.2021.10.1.24 Corresponding author: Dr. A.K. Abdussalam Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur-670142, Kerala, India E-mail: salamkoduvally@gmail.com Tel.: +91-9847654285 1. Introduction The COVID-19 disease attacked the people with a low immune system, in which people were coming under overages. Due to the inadequate responses of the immune system, it will be an open invitation for different diseases, mainly heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. To increase the body’s immune system, plant-based food support and help intestinal beneficial bacteria and the gut microbiome (Casanova, 2006; Chen et al., 2020). Corona patients need plenty of water which will help to keep their mucous membrane moist, which help to lower the chances of affecting flue and cold. Natural preparations like coconut water, homemade fruit juice, green tea are helpful to sense thirst and smell. The morphological and chemical composition of the COVID-19 virus is similar to human surrogate coronaviruses (Liang, 2020; Chen et al., 2020). Data are available to both sustainability in the environment and effective coagulation methods regarding the COVID-19 pandemic (Baudoin and Fresco, 2002; Aguilar et al., 2017; Ahern et al., 2020; WHO, 2020). World Health Organisation (WHO) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) states that elderly people having health probles, especially diabetes, lung disease and heart disease are more succeptable to COVID-19 disease. Such people are very difficult to fight against this deasese. Precautions must be taken youth and healthy individuals since this disease is easy to spread. Important symptoms of COVID-19 disease are cough, breath and brevity. Proper nutrition and hydration are vitally important in this Special Issue1 (COVID-19) Review Article : Open Access