Can ginger help fight Covid-19?

There is no scientific evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of ginger in the fight against Covid-19 despite its popularity among survivors, says Dr Marlin McKay. 

His view is shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), which says while ginger, black pepper and honey do have properties beneficial to one’s health, there is no evidence these work against the coronavirus.

“There is no scientific evidence that black pepper, honey and ginger protect against Covid-19 infection. In general, however, some spices are considered to have properties that may be beneficial for health,” said the WHO.

Prof Cheryl Cohen, head of the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis at SA's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) echoed the sentiment.

“To my knowledge there is no evidence of any specific preventive effect of fresh ginger against Covid-19,” she said.

In the case of ginger, there is some research to show that its medicinal properties that may help to ease the symptoms of a cold or sore throat, reports Medical News Today.