At the pandemic’s start, many people shared posts about natural remedies on social media that could cure the novel coronavirus.
Among these, are raw onion, garlic and ginger. These — have immune-boosting properties, as well as anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. But how effective are these at fighting Covid19?
Onion
According to the National Onion Association, Onions are high in prebiotics, which aid in the growth of good bacteria in the stomach and the development of viral immunity.
Red onions especially contain more antioxidants than yellow and white onions. They have powerful antioxidants and pigments called anthocyanins, which give them their purple/reddish colour.
With that said, there have been no studies specific to raw onions and coronavirus since the COVID-19 strain is so new. Eating onions as part of a healthy diet will aid in overall wellbeing, but it is not a cure. If you want to incorporate onions in your diet, try these onion recipes with the red onions that go for 0.69p from lidl special buys.
Garlic
Garlic is known for its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It also purifies the blood and protects the cells in your body from damage. When you fall ill, your body might begin to overproduce cytokines in order to fight the virus. Cytokines help your body fight infections and kill them, but too many of them may overwhelm the body and cause a “cytokine storm.” A cytokine storm is an unregulated immune system response that causes low oxygen levels in the blood, fluid build-up in the lungs, trouble breathing, and many other symptoms seen with COVID-19 illness. Research shows that garlic components can decrease the production of proinflammatory cytokines.
The most effective way is to make garlic oil which can be ingested in food. Garlic oil is made by blending wild garlic, garlic, salt and olive oil. To preserve garlic’s immunity-enhancing abilities, it is best not to heat it for a long time.
As much as garlic helps with immunity and inflammation, it is not a cure. There is not enough medical research to show it’s effectiveness and it should be used with medically approved methods as well.
Ginger
Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory effects and it promotes immune system function by combating infections. It is either consumed in teas, cooked in food or chewed. There is research that shows its potential as an alternative therapeutic treatment for covid19 because of the antiviral, immunomodulatory and antioxidative effects.
The true effectiveness of ginger as a preventative and therapeutic is yet to be determined through clinical trials. However, with its potential, it could be used in combination with approved medication to manage the symptoms of covid19.
Conclusion
Natural treatments, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), can have a “good influence on your health,” but they are not a medically approved cure for COVID-19.
Still, what you eat and drink has an impact on your body’s ability to avoid, fight, and recover from illnesses. Even if these foods cannot cure COVID-19 sickness, keeping a healthy diet is critical for immune system maintenance. Having these foods in your diet will have a positive impact on your body.
