Does ginger prevent or cure COVID-19?

Based on Science

Consuming ginger will not prevent or cure COVID-19.

Pandemics

Health and Medicine

Last update June 23, 2020

Ginger will not destroy coronavirus in your body.

Consuming ginger—whether by eating ginger root, drinking ginger tea, taking ginger capsules, or sniffing or adding ginger powder to your food—will not prevent or fight a coronavirus infection. Viral infections spread in your body when the virus enters your cells and makes copies of itself and then those copies enter new cells and repeat the process. Ginger will not destroy the virus in your body or stop the copying process.

Combining ginger with other ingredients, such as lemon, garlic, honey, or vinegar, will not destroy the virus. Drinking hot ginger tea, with or without these additional ingredients, will not prevent or cure COVID-19.

There is some evidence that ginger teas or supplements can help with nausea. Some people use ginger to control nausea associated with pregnancy or chemotherapy. However, there is no evidence that ginger or other dietary supplements can “boost” or “supercharge” your immune system to protect you from infections. There are no foods, drinks, or supplements that will protect you from COVID-19.