Medicinal Herbs & Fruit That Are Useful To Prevent Virus
Also Boosts The Immune System

Feeding your body certain foods may help keep your immune system strong. If you’re looking for ways to prevent winter colds, coronavirus attacks, and the flu, your first step should be a visit to your local grocery store. Plan your meals to include these powerful immune system boosters.

1. Citrus fruits

Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold. That’s because it helps build up your immune system. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells. These are key to fighting infections.

Popular citrus fruits include:

• grapefruit
• oranges
• tangerines
• lemons
• limes
• clementines

Because your body doesn’t produce or store it, you need daily vitamin C for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it’s easy to add a squeeze of this vitamin to any meal.

2. Red bell peppers

If you think citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable, think again. Ounce for ounce, red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus. They’re also a rich source of beta carotene. Besides boosting your immune system, vitamin C may help maintain healthy skin. Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is supercharged with vitamins and minerals. Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your table. The key to keeping its power intact is to cook it as little as possible — or better yet, not at all.

4. Garlic

Garlic is found in almost every cuisine in the world. It adds a little zing to food and it’s a must-have for your health. Early civilizations recognized its value in fighting infections. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative, garlic may also help lower blood pressure and slow down the hardening of the arteries. Garlic’s immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

5. Ginger

Ginger is another ingredient many turns to after getting sick. Ginger may help decrease inflammation, which can help reduce a sore throat and other inflammatory illnesses. Ginger may also help decrease nausea.

While it’s used in many sweet desserts, ginger packs some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsaicin. Ginger may help decrease chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties, according to recent animal research.

6. Spinach

Spinach made our list not just because it’s rich in vitamin C. It’s also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems. Similar to broccoli, spinach is healthiest when it’s cooked as little as possible so that it retains its nutrients. However, light cooking enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid.

7. Yogurt

Look for yogurts that have “live and active cultures” printed on the label, like Greek yogurt. These cultures may stimulate your immune system to help fight diseases. Try to get plain yogurts rather than the kinds that are preflavored and loaded with sugar. You can sweeten plain yogurt yourself with healthy fruits and a drizzle of honey instead.

Yogurt can also be a great source of vitamin D, so try to select brands fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and is thought to boost our body’s natural defenses against diseases.

8. Almonds

When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to vitamin C. However, vitamin E is key to a healthy immune system. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts, such as almonds, are packed with the vitamin and also have healthy fats. A half-cup serving, which is about 46 whole, shelled almonds, provides nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E.

9. Turmeric

You may know turmeric as a key ingredient in many curries. But this bright yellow, bitter spice has also been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, research shows that high concentrations of curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinctive color, can help decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

10. Green tea

Both green and black teas are packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Where green tea really excels is in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to enhance immune function. The fermentation process black tea goes through destroys a lot of the EGCG. Green tea, on the other hand, is steamed and not fermented, so the EGCG is preserved.

Green tea is also a good source of the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

11. Papaya

Papaya is another fruit loaded with vitamin C. You can find 224 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C in a single papaya. Papayas also have a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects.

Papayas have decent amounts of potassium, B vitamins, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.

12. Kiwi

Like papayas, kiwis are naturally full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection, while kiwi’s other nutrients keep the rest of your body functioning properly.

13. Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are full of nutrients, including phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They’re also incredibly high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamin E is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Other foods with high amounts of vitamin E include avocados and dark leafy greens.

14. Oregano

Oregano is a popular herb in the mint family that’s known for its impressive medicinal qualities. Its plant compounds, which include carvacrol, offer antiviral properties.

In a test-tube study, both oregano oil and isolated carvacrol reduced the activity of murine norovirus (MNV) within 15 minutes of exposure.

MNV is highly contagious and the primary cause of stomach flu in humans. It is very similar to human norovirus and used in scientific studies because human norovirus is notoriously difficult to grow in laboratory settings

Oregano oil and carvacrol have also been shown to exhibit antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1); rotavirus, a common cause of diarrhea in infants and children; and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes respiratory infections.

15. Echinacea

Echinacea is one of the most popularly used ingredients in herbal medicine due to its impressive health-promoting properties. Many parts of the plant, including its flowers, leaves, and roots, are used for natural remedies.

In fact, Echinacea purpurea, a variety that produces cone-shaped flowers, was used by Native Americans to treat a wide array of conditions, including viral infections.

Several test-tube studies suggest that certain varieties of echinacea, including E. pallida, E. Angustifolia, and E. purpurea, are particularly effective at fighting viral infections like herpes and influenza.

Notably, E. purpurea is thought to have immune-boosting effects as well, making it particularly useful for treating viral infections.

16. Ginseng

Ginseng, which can be found in Korean and American varieties, is the root of plants in the Panax family. Long used in traditional Chinese medicine, it has been shown to be particularly effective at fighting viruses.

In animal and test-tube studies, Korean red ginseng extract has exhibited significant effects against RSV, herpes viruses, and hepatitis A.

Plus, compounds in ginseng called ginsenosides have antiviral effects against hepatitis B, norovirus, and coxsackieviruses, which are associated with several serious diseases — including an infection of the brain called meningoencephalitis.

17. Peppermint

Peppermint is known to have powerful antiviral qualities and commonly added to teas, extracts, and tinctures meant to naturally treat viral infections.

Its leaves and essential oils contain active components, including menthol and rosmarinic acid, which have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity.

In a test-tube study, the peppermint-leaf extract exhibited potent antiviral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and significantly decreased levels of inflammatory compounds.

18. Sambucus

Sambucus is a family of plants also called elder. Elderberries are made into a variety of products, such as elixirs and pills, that are used to naturally treat viral infections like the flu and common cold.

A study in mice determined that concentrated elderberry juice suppressed influenza virus replication and stimulated immune system response.

What’s more, in a review of 4 studies in 180 people, elderberry supplements were found to substantially reduce upper respiratory symptoms caused by viral infections.

19. Licorice

Licorice has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and other natural practices for centuries.

Glycyrrhizin, liquiritigenin, and glabridin are just some of the active substances in licorice that have powerful antiviral properties.

Test-tube studies demonstrate that licorice root extract is effective against HIV, RSV, herpes viruses, and severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which causes a serious type of pneumonia.

20. Astragalus

Astragalus is a flowering herb popular in traditional Chinese medicine. It boasts Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), which has significant immune-enhancing and antiviral qualities.

Test-tube and animal studies show that astragalus combats herpes viruses, hepatitis C, and avian influenza H9 virus.

Plus, test-tube studies suggest that APS may protect human astrocyte cells, the most abundant type of cell in the central nervous system, from infection with herpes.

21. Dandelion

Dandelions are widely regarded as weeds but have been studied for multiple medicinal properties, including potential antiviral effects.

Test-tube research indicates that dandelion may combat hepatitis B, HIV, and influenza.

Moreover, one test-tube study noted that dandelion extract inhibited the replication of dengue, a mosquito-borne virus that causes dengue fever. This disease, which can be fatal, triggers symptoms like high fever, vomiting, and muscle pain,

22. Sage

Also a member of the mint family, sage is an aromatic herb that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat viral infections.

The antiviral properties of sage are mostly attributed to compounds called safficinolide and sage one, which are found in the leaves and stem of the plant.

Test-tube research indicates that this herb may fight human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), which can lead to AIDS. In one study, sage extract significantly inhibited HIV activity by preventing the virus from entering target cells.

Sage has also been shown to combat HSV-1 and Indiana vesiculovirus, which infects farm animals like horses, cows, and pigs.

23. Basil

Many types of basil, including the sweet and holy varieties, may fight certain viral infections.

For example, one test-tube study found that sweet basil extracts, including compounds like apigenin and ursolic acid, exhibited potent effects against herpes viruses, hepatitis B, and enterovirus.

Holy basil, also known as tulsi, has been shown to increase immunity, which may help fight viral infections.

In a 4-week study in 24 healthy adults, supplementing with 300 mg of holy basil extract significantly increased levels of helper T cells and natural killer cells, both of which are immune cells that help protect and defend your body from viral infections.

24. Fennel

Fennel is a licorice-flavored plant that may fight certain viruses.

A test-tube study showed that fennel extract exhibited strong antiviral effects against herpes viruses and parainfluenza type-3 (PI-3), which causes respiratory infections in cattle.

What’s more, trans-anethole, the main component of fennel essential oil, has demonstrated powerful antiviral effects against herpes viruses.

According to animal research, fennel may also boost your immune system and decrease inflammation, which may likewise help combat viral infections.

25. Watermelon

Watermelon juices are best if you have flu or a cold, but it also does the perfect job of boosting your immune system. Since watermelon helps relieve muscle soreness which is a common symptom found in older adults. Moreover, it contains Vitamins A and C along with magnesium and zinc which are extremely useful for the body.

26. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great food to eat when you’re sick due to their high concentration of vitamin C. Just one medium tomato contains more than 16 milligrams of vitamin C, which is a proven fuel to your body’s immune system. In a German study published by Medizinische Monatsschrift fur Pharmazeuten, vitamin C was shown to be a vital part of the strength of the body’s phagocytes and t-cells, two major components of the immune system. The researchers also noted that a deficiency in this nutrient can lead to a weaker immune system and lower resistance to certain pathogens that can lead to illness.

27. Rosemary

Rosemary isn’t just a tasty herb to add to baked goods — it’s also an amazing anti-inflammatory and is a rich source of antioxidants. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition noted that most herbs, such as rosemary, contain antioxidants that serve as anti-inflammatory properties in the body. This anti-inflammatory effect allows for better digestive and gut health, leading to a boost in your immune system to keep you healthy.

28. Raw Honey

All-natural, raw honey not only tastes delicious but can also help soothe some symptoms of a cold. Honey is helpful in relieving sore and itchy throats, according to a study published in the Iran Journal of Basic Medical Science. The study also states that honey acts as an antibacterial, killing any germs in the body that can cause you to get sick.

29. Nuts

Most nuts contain vitamin E, another vitamin that’s crucial to fighting off sickness. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that taking 50 milligrams of vitamin E daily helped cigarette-smoking men who were 65 years and older living in cities reduce their risk of catching a cold by 28 percent. However, the researchers noted that more studies need to be conducted in order to fully validate vitamin E’s potential in preventing colds.

30. Manggo

In some parts of the world, mango (Mangifera indica) is called the “king of fruits.” It’s a drupe, or stone fruit, which means that it has a large seed in the middle.

Mango is native to India and Southeast Asia and has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. There are hundreds of types of mango, each with a unique taste, shape, size, and color

This fruit is not only delicious but also boasts an impressive nutritional profile.

In fact, studies link mango and its nutrients to health benefits, such as improved immunity, digestive health, and eyesight, as well as a lower risk of certain cancers.