In early 2020, coronavirus broke loose like a wild horse and raced across China infecting more than 80,000 people in the short six-week period between January 20th and March 1st. China’s neighbors braced themselves as that wild horse then raced across their borders. South Korea’s outbreak began not long after China. In that country, the number of infections soared to nearly 10,000 in just six weeks. And so, when in early February, a cruise ship dropped 600 infected passengers on Japan’s shores, that country braced itself for what was almost certainly going to be a health catastrophe. But what happened next defied science and medicine. A full eight weeks later (the time this article was published) there were still less than 3000 total cases in Japan. A country with over 125 million people, one of the most densely populated in the world, had less cases then the State of Colorado. How in the world is this possible?
Having worked for a Japanese company for five years, I traveling there often and had a chance to learn a little about the culture. There are all kinds of unique foods that are part of the normal diet in Japan, that we don’t consume on a regular basis (if at all) in America. I was introduced to foods like miso soup, fresh ginger and of course the bright green sticky paste with a serious bite called wasabi. These are just a handful of foods common in the Japanese diet that have the incredible ability to help your body defend itself from outside invaders.
What Makes a Food Antiviral?
The best-known virus of all time, influenza, a.k.a “the flu”, is responsible for more deaths worldwide than all wars combined. What many people don’t know is that viruses also play a direct and/or indirect role in many of the most serious diseases that humans face to include HIV, hepatitis, herpes and a number of different forms of cancer. There are foods, herbs, and other natural compounds that have the ability to create an obstacle for viruses by naturally blocking the virus’s ability to spread and reproduce. This antiviral activity is generally linked to powerful natural chemicals in plants such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, or polyphenols.
The Best Antiviral Foods
Wasabi – Wasabi is in a family of flowering plants called brassicaceae. Also referred to as “mustard” plants, they contain compounds known as glycosinolates which are rich in a natural form of sulfur. These natural sulfur compounds interfere with harmful viral antigens by essentially standing in their way as they try to invade the body. One study showed specifically that herbal extracts from wasabia japonica block two different strains of flu virus . While the true wasabia japonica plant is not easily obtained in the US, the good news is that there are five vegetables which are cousins of wasabi in the mustard family which can found in the produce section of most grocery stores. They are cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale.
Ginger – during my time in Japan I probably ate more fresh ginger than I had in my entire life previously. Ginger contains a natural oil appropriately name gingerol. Research shows that fresh (not dried) ginger has the ability to block viruses. In Japan, ginger is a common ingredient in cooking. But the secret is that they use fresh ginger. The same type that you find with sushi - fresh sliced and moist. Beware of the many ginger supplements on the market that don’t use fresh whole food ginger. A research study on ginger supplements, tested ten different nutritional supplements with dried ginger and found that the majority of these supplements only had a fraction of the active potency on the label, and a number of the products contained close to zero. While there’s no way to verify the quality standards of those supplement companies, we do know that the bioactivity of ginger decreases significantly over time. Bottom line, if you want the health benefits of ginger, try to stick with fresh whole food sources.
Coconut Oil MCT – this one is a surprise for many. Coconut has no doubt grown in popularity in recent years. But it’s popularity centers mainly around it being a great replenisher of electrolytes and hydration. But coconut also contains a very unique type of fat called medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. These MCTs are what make it a great weapon in your defense against viral invaders. Specifically, the lauric acid in coconut MCTs is thought to damage the outer membrane of some viruses. It may also interfere with the virus’s ability to communicate chemically - a process called signal transduction.
Fermented Foods – fermented foods have the amazing ability to encourage your body to ramp up production of its own probiotics. That’s right, your body has the ability to produce all the probiotics it needs. What’s more, fermented foods contain high levels of lactic acid which is produced during the fermentation process. This lactic acid creates an unwelcome environment for invading antigens. In fact, a recent fermented foods study showed that the acid-creating bacteria in fermented foods attack viruses, interfering with their ability to multiply and spread. Popular fermented foods include kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso soup, and fermented beets.
Licorice Root (tea) – no, not the sweet sugary kind in the candy aisle of the store. Licorice root is considered a legume like peas and beans. It contains hundreds of potentially beneficial phytonutrients. Among them is a compound known as glycyrrhizin that has considerable research supporting its natural antiviral potential. My personal favorite is Egyptian licorice tea. It combines licorice root with a number of other amazing herbs and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and clove, which are each a protective powerhouse in their own right. In fact, check out our article on antiviral herbs for more on them.
Amla Fruit – ok, this is a bit of a tease because it’s not like we can go down to the local natural market and find this one. However, there are powdered mixes on the market that may be worth a try. Anyway, if you haven’t heard about this exciting citrus superfruit, you will soon. It’s not often you find so much nutritional power packed into a single edible source. Also known as Indian gooseberry, amla fruit is primarily grown in the southern and eastern parts of Asia where you’ll find it in the local diet. The amla fruit has one of the highest known sources of natural vitamin C. In fact, it has many times the vitamin C that you’ll find in oranges and other citrus fruits. Amla is also one of three key ingredients in a well-known herbal remedy known as Triphala.
Will These Foods Protect Me From Coronavirus, Covid19?
Covid-19 spreads via close contact person-to-person. Your best defense against contact viruses is to keep your distance from others who may be infected and be sure to wash your hands or anything that contacts surfaces that could be contaminated by others. However, antiviral foods can provide an extra line of defense against viruses attempting to enter your body, making it difficult for the virus to take hold and spread. With Coronavirus, Covid19, we see a very wide range of reactions. Some experiencing nothing more than what appears to be a common cold, while others much more serious and even death. It’s certainly worthwhile to try to prepare yourself as much as you can and the handful of simple foods in this article can be worth their weight in gold.
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