The thought of licorice may bring to mind the red strings of candy, but it turns out licorice root has been used for thousands of years in ancient medicine systems. It contains many antiviral substances, including but not limited to glycyrrhizin, liquiritigenin, and glabridin. Studies show licorice can help combat severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), HIV, herpes viruses, and RSV.
Licorice is traditionally taken as a tea. Feel free to combine it with other teas or a dash of lemon if you don’t particularly care for the taste. You can also take it as a supplement.
9. Oregano
Oregano does much more than flavor delicious Mediterranean dishes. Studies show that within 15 minutes, both oregano oil and its isolated compound, carvacrol, can decrease the activity of MNV (murine norovirus). It also showed antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type-1 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Liberally add oregano as a spice to dishes (it’s delicious on chicken and seafood dishes) as well as try out oregano oil from your local health food store or online if you feel a cold coming on.
10. Olive Oil
Research claims one of olive oil’s main compounds, oleuropein, has potent antiviral activities. Researchers believe that this is because of its ability to interfere with the virus replicating and infection in the cells. Oleuropein was found to be effective against: hepatitis virus, rotavirus, herpes mononucleosis, canine parvovirus, bovine rhinovirus, and feline leukemia virus.
Olive oil is excellent for roasting veggies and drizzled on salads, as well as for sautéing.
To Sum Things Up
Nature provides a wealth of foods and herbs that help naturally fight viruses, giving our natural immunity a microbe-fighting sidekick that lowers our risk of becoming infected. Add more of these top 10 virus-fighting foods to your daily diet throughout the year to give your body a fighting chance.
