Given the current situation of the coronavirus (COVID-19), everyone is looking for ways to protect themselves or to facilitate recovery if they are suffering, even looking for natural remedies that can prevent or combat the virus. However, the truth is that until now, as it is a new virus, there is no known remedy or medical treatment that is really effective to prevent and treat the Wuhan coronavirus . In fact, there has been some hoax about it that has become so viral among the world population that the WHO (World Health Organization) [1]has had to deny it, as is the case with garlic, which was said to be able to prevent this infection by eating it raw. The truth is that, although garlic has certain antiviral properties and others that are very good for health, there have been no scientific studies regarding this new virus, there has been no time and, therefore, there is nothing proven about whether it helps in any way. mode or nothing.
Despite this situation, we must bear in mind that we are in the midst of colds and flu and that taking antiviral foods and antiviral plants as a reinforcement for our immune system against these is always a good option to feel better and, in addition, take advantage of many more benefits that these foods and plants provide. If you are interested in knowing 13 natural antivirals , continue reading this interesting AgroCorrn article and discover them, along with one of the best natural antiviral recipes out there.
Index
The best natural antivirals
As a summary, we indicate that the best natural antivirals are the following and that in the next few lines we will talk about each one. In addition, we will also talk about other antiviral plants.
- Honey
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Turmeric
- Aloe vera or aloe vera
Honey to raise the defenses
It is one of the natural foods with the most properties and applications in medicine, both in the East and in the West. Honey is well known for having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and also antiviral properties .
This natural product can both help prevent conditions, improving defense levels, and treat them. In addition, it is very good for alleviating some of the symptoms that can be more annoying, such as coughing and fatigue. In fact, honey has been shown to be effective in assisting in treatments for influenza viruses and herpes , such as type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex [2] .
Ginger, a powerful natural antiviral
Another of the best natural antivirals that in recent years has gained great prominence, precisely due to all its properties, is ginger or Zingiber officinale Roscoe [3] . The active principles of this root are shogaols, gingerols and gingerenones, camphor, essential oil with zingiberin, cineole, geranial and linalool. Among the properties of ginger we find the following:
- Antiviral
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antiseptic
- Circulatory stimulant
- Vasodilator
- Digestive stimulant
- Laxative
- Colagogo
- Antiemetic
- Carminative
- Cough suppressant
- Febrifuge
- Expectorant
- Lipid-lowering
- Hypoglycemic
Therefore, apart from helping to strengthen the defenses against viral or bacterial attacks, it is also very useful to relieve symptoms such as inflammation, fatigue, fever and cough . If you are interested in having it fresh on a regular basis, here we explain how to grow ginger at home .
Garlic as an antiviral
The Garlic or Allium sativum L. is also one of the antiviral food[4] best known and consumed in most of the world. It is a very common plant from which we eat the bulb, also called a head of garlic and composed of several cloves. In each of these pieces, this plant has active principles such as alliin, allicin, essential oil with garlicin, vitamins A, group B and C and various mineral salts. Thanks to its composition, this plant acts as a good natural antiviral, although it is not infallible against all viruses as we have indicated at the beginning of the article. Thus, the properties of garlic are diverse:
- Antiviral
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Vasodilator
- Hypotensive
- Platelet antiplatelet
- Lipid-lowering
- Hypoglycemic
- Vermifuge
So that you can grow them at home and thus enjoy them fresh, we recommend this guide on When and how to plant garlic .
Lemon
The lemon or lemon is citric best known and is also a food anitviral [5] which will help raise possible defenses before viral infections. In addition, it has many more qualities that help us improve our health. Among the active principles that are in the composition of lemon we can find vitamin C, citric acid, malic acid, pectin, mucilages, flavonoids, essential oil with limonene, citral, citronellal and alpha and beta pinene, as well as coumarins, such as limentin and bergamotin. For this composition, these are the main properties of lemon :
- Antiviral
- Powerful vitamin
- Antioxidant
- Antiseptic
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Remineralizing
- Diuretic
- Purifying
- Antianemic
- Local hemostatic
- Febrifuge
- Digestive
- Antiemetic
- Antidiarrheal
- Carminative
- Anthelmintic
- Antirheumatic
- Analgesic
- Demulcent
- Healing
We can see that it is a powerful food to help us prevent a variety of problems and treat the symptoms of various diseases. For example, in the face of colds, flu and other viruses , lemon can help reduce fever , relieve pain, improve the digestive system, raise the defenses and promote the elimination of the infection.
Do you want to have organic and fresh lemons at home? Go ahead and have a lemon tree with this practical guide on How to plant a lemon tree in a pot and its care .
Turmeric, another powerful natural antiviral
We continue with this list of antiviral foods and we stop to know turmeric or Curcuma longa L .. The truth is that it is a well-known spice food, but few people know that among the various properties of turmeric is that it is a powerful natural antiviral [6] . In fact, turmeric is one of the most used medicinal plants in Peru and other Central and South American countries, but it is mostly used in Asia, in places like India, Korea and China.
This root has active principles such as essential oil with turmerone and zingiberene, curcumoids, curcumin, resins and bitter principles. Due to this composition, this plant offers us really good properties and benefits to take care of our health. Among the properties of turmeric for our health we find:
- Antiviral
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Painkiller
- Antioxidant
- Immune system booster
- Hepatoprotective
- Choleretic
- Lipid-lowering
- Antispasmodic
Therefore, in the face of viral infections , turmeric can help us prevent some thanks to the fact that it helps to raise our defenses and is antiviral, but it can also help us to improve some symptoms such as inflammation and pain. In addition, due to its properties it is also widely used to prevent and treat a wide variety of conditions and diseases, for example, to relieve osteoarthritis .
aloe vera
The aloe, aloe vera or Aloe vera L. Webb & Berth is one of the plants most known worldwide and attributed lot of features and benefits, so it is used for many aspects of health and cosmetics. It is true that it is a succulent plant full of good properties for our health, but not many people know about its antiviral capacity against some types of viruses [7] .
The aloe plant, apart from containing a lot of water, has active principles such as aloins, alloerresins, lignin, saponins, tannins, mineral salts, various vitamins, among which are folic acid or vitamin B9, amino acids, mucilage and choline. Thus, this is one of the antiviral plants that we can take advantage of to improve our immune system, but also for many more things. Among the properties of aloe vera or aloe we find:
- Antiviral
- Disinfectant
- Antifungal
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Invigorating
- Emollient
- Moisturizing
- Mild laxative
- Purgative
- Antiallergic
If you like this plant, we recommend having one at home to always have a little on hand. To learn how to take good care of it, you can consult this guide on Aloe Vera Care . In addition, so that you take advantage of it well, here we leave you another guide to learn How to make aloe vera gel at home .
Antiviral medicinal plants
Apart from the natural products already mentioned, antiviral medicinal plants can also be used , such as these, which are widely used in herbal medicine.
- Melissa ( Melissa officinalis )
- Tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia )
- Chinese Astragalus ( Astragalus membranaceus )
- Echinacea (Echinacea)
- Heliotropium filifolium
- Cat’s claw ( Uncaria tomentosa )
In addition, there is a fungus of which the antiviral effect of some of its components has been demonstrated . It is about the Reishi mushroom ( Ganoderma lucidum ).
How to make ginger with lemon and honey – an effective natural antiviral
After having learned about the most effective natural antivirals and which, in addition, have many more beneficial properties that we can take advantage of, at AgroCorrn we recommend taking an infusion of ginger with honey and lemon regularly and, above all, if you are ill with viruses (such as common colds or some flu) to recover faster. Take a note to prepare it:
Ingredients
- 2 cups of water.
- 2 slices of ginger root.
- Lemon to taste.
- Honey to taste
Preparation
- Cut the piece of ginger and wash it with water, especially if it has traces of soil because you have grown it at home, and cut it into small pieces.
- Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan or pot.
- When the water starts to boil, add the ginger and lower the heat to medium power.
- Let it boil for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pot from the stove and leave it covered to rest.
- Let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the root pieces by straining the liquid.
- Pour the ginger infusion or tea into the cup in which you are going to drink it.
- To improve its flavor, since it is quite strong, and to take advantage of more natural antiviral ingredients, you can add a little fresh lemon and a teaspoon of honey.
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