Social media including Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, is buzzing with posts on the need to drink onion tea. Touted as the immunity-boosting medicine, onion tea is being shared as the best recipe to try out right now when the entire world is waiting for the COVID-19 treatment. Here is the truth about the claim.
After repeated posts about hoaxes and myths regarding home remedies to treat coronavirus infections, now the onion tea is being promoted as an immunity building medicine that can help COVID-19 under check. Though onion is considered as a good tool to improve immunity, it cannot help in keeping coronavirus away.
Hoax busted
A study published in the Journal of European Clinical Nutrition states that quercetin flavonoids can boost antioxidants in the blood, which are plenty in onion. The study also said that onion is good for controlling hypertension and stress. So, drinking onion tea is healthy, but do not be under the impression that it can save you from COVID-19.
The messages making rounds also state how to prepare the onion tea. Accordingly, what one needs is one onion, three cloves of garlic, three cloves, one bay leaf, two tablespoons of honey, two cups of water. Add chopped and crushed garlic cloves and sliced onion to the boiling water. After a minute, add bay leaf and cloves and let it boil till the colour of the water changes to dark brown. Strain the tea and add honey before sipping it.
WHO has warned people against using self-medication
As a lack of immunity and respiratory problems are considered as main factors contributing to contracting coronavirus, many ingredients (available at home) that are considered in bettering immunity and smoothening respirations are being promoted as medicine to battle coronavirus.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned people against using self-medication in case of any symptoms of coronavirus. It has clarified time and again that no country has developed an approved vaccine for coronavirus yet, and also stated that WHO has not recommended any home-made self-medication as a treatment for coronavirus.
In fact, it has tried to bust myths with a section called myth busters regarding coronavirus treatment where it has explained that messages claiming to gargle with garlic, garlic tea, hot steam etc are not solutions for COVID-19.
