In 2021, after nearly 18 years of translating the Arabic media, Mideastwire.com’s core editorial team - Nicholas Noe, Mirella Dagher, Zeina Rouheib, Mohamed-Dhia Hammami and Ibrahim Jouhari, launched our Value Checking effort. Mideastwire.com's original purpose has therefore expanded: To reliably translate key articles appearing in the Arabic media but also to regularly provide objective, fact-based Value Checks in Arabic and English for some of the pieces that we think our subscribers, as well as the public at large, will benefit from in furthering their own understanding of the Middle East and beyond. Indeed, as in most other parts of the global media-scape, the Arabic media also suffers from misinformation, a lack of context and poor transparency, especially when allowing readers to easily understand the sources for various claims.

Our Value Checking Mission

Date: September 10, 2021


Should you avoid certain foods before getting the COVID vaccine?


Lead Fact Checker: Ibrahim Jouhari

Feedback Contact: info@arabmediafactcheck.org

Fact Check Assessment: False

On September 10, 2021, the Shamil News website carried an article entitled “Avoid these foods before taking the COVID vaccine.” The unnamed author asserts that a Russian gastroenterologist doctor, Nikita Kharlov, specifically warned during an interview with Radio Sputnik against “eating any allergy-inducing foods days before taking the vaccine.” The report fails to point out that Nikita Kharlo, according to his own personal website, lists his medical degree and his specialties as Family Medicine, Internal medicine, and sports medicine, i.e. not immunology, virology or an allergy-related specialty.


The article also claims that Dr. Kharlov made his claims about the allegedly dangerous relation between the COVID vaccine and eating “allergy-induing foods” during an interview on Sputnik Radio. No link, however, is provided to the interview, either on the doctor’s page or on Sputnik Radio’s page.


Finally, the article specifically claims that Dr. Kharlov warned of eating any food that could cause allergies before taking the COVID vaccine. He also claims that eating a large quantity of sugar weakens immunity that will exacerbate the side effects of vaccination, adding that citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, could cause allergic reactions after taking the vaccine. However, this information is false. There are no studies or data published by the World Health Organization or other public health authorities indicating the need to avoid certain foods or drinks before or after receiving the vaccine. Additionally, the World Health Organization has affirmatively confirmed that the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine does not depend on the type of food or drink consumed before or after receiving the vaccine.

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