Your Medicinal Pantry
Whether you’re in the southern hemisphere and flu season is upon you or you’re just after an immune system boost, these foods will give your meal the antiviral punch you’re looking for! And the best news? You probably already have them in your pantry!
“We all overthink health when the average pantry is filled with powerful healing foods.”
Ginger
Ginger is one of my favourite flavours as its so easy to throw into a stir fry, soup stock or sweet treat. Beyond its sweet and pungent flavour, the warming nature of the spice helps to break down toxins and cleanse the lymphatic system. Ginger is also fantastic for stomach upset and digestion. Just drink a cup of fresh tea after dinner.
It’s no wonder why both the Chinese and Ayurvedic communities have relied on ginger for thousands of years.
Meal ideas: Great for Asian recipes such as noodles or stir fry, delicious in sweet chocolate treats or just grated into your tea pot. Enjoy a spicy afternoon hug in a cup.
Suitable for: SIBO friendly / Low fodmap, Lectin friendly (peeled), Vegan
Garlic
You either love it or you hate it *she says as she swallows a raw bulb whole*. I had an upset stomach after we ate out last night so as usual, I ate some raw garlic. Now, you really don’t need to be that extreme, just add some through your pan of roast veg or as a delicious condiment. It will give any dish a superb immune boost due to a few active compounds known as “organosulfur” compounds, which work together to prevent viruses from attaching to their host (host = you), and on top of that they stop the viral replication process.
Now that is a damn super food!
Allicin and quercetin are the main compounds I’m talking about, they’ve also been acknowledged as both anticancer and antimicrobial, as well as being used as a natural antibiotic.
Meal ideas: healthy garlic bread (recipe coming soon), garlic mushrooms, garlic butter chicken... The list goes on, add it to everything.
Suitable for: Lectin friendly, Vegan, *Not suitable for SIBO, garlic is prebiotic, infuse your own garlic oil instead!
Fennel
Another ‘love or hate’ relationship.
Recently I have found myself enjoying this root vegetable a lot more than at previous times.
I tend to throw it on my BBQ in a little coco oil and salt, or toss it in with my sweet potatoes, zucchini and squash when I’m making a roast. Its liquorice-like flavour can be a little overpowering, but I find roasting or caramelising it enhances it’s natural sweetness. It also tastes really delicious with an olive tapenade if you are feeling fancy!
Fennel has recently been in the news for its antiviral action (given our current situation) and has been studied to show effectiveness against both flu and various retained herpes viruses. She’s also powerfully anti-inflammatory.
Meal ideas: Roasted veg, vege soup, topping on an Anchovy pizza, caramelised with an olive tapenade as a share plate!
Suitable for: SIBO friendly (in small amounts, ½ cup), lectin friendly, Vegan
Liquorice
Seeing as we’re on the same taste wave, let’s cover Liquorice.
Liquorice also known as “Gan Cao” in Chinese herbal medicine is used in almost every herbal formula - the only herb used in this way. This is because of it’s ability to modulate the toxicity of other herbs and guide the formula into all channels within the body.
In western terms liquorice is anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer containing over 300 flavonoids - plant compounds that help fight free radicals as well as acting as potent antioxidants.
Meal ideas: Only really used as liquorice root powder which can be added to stocks, meat rubs or into cakes, if you like the taste! Raw liquorice root tea is lovely and can be beneficial for female reproductive hormones. Please note, it does raise blood pressure.
Suitable for: Low fodmap in reasonable amounts, Vegan
Coconut Oil
My go-to, forever, best food friend.
Coconut oil isn’t just part of the health food hype, it packs full spectrum, anti-microbial defence, as well as antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral goodness!
The medium chain fatty acids that make up coconut oil have been hailed potent anti-virals. Coconut is made up of antimicrobial fatty acids such as caprylic and lauric acid which are often used as an alternative to antibiotics as they kill off bad bugs without killing off the good stuff. In fact, a supplement I used to take is directly sourced from coconut itself, monolaurin, which is made from the lauric acid in coconuts. It's so potent that I’ve used it to kick viruses in the butt and kill off bad UTI s in the past. But as always, ask a health professional before implementing anything new into your regime.
Meal Ideas: sweet treats, cooking oil, dressings, substitute for MCT and balance saturated and unsaturated fats in your diet.
Suitable for: everyone unless you have a coconut allergy.
Onions
Similarly to garlic, onions contain organosulfur compounds and are rich in prebiotics which nourish the gut and deter the bad guys. Onions of all kinds have the ability to be both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, as well as great cleansers for the Liver and digestive system. Often, they aren’t very well tolerated especially by anyone with SIBO or a GI problem. However I find that just using the green end of scallions gives a dish the flavour you’re after and some benefits without consuming the whole plant.
Meal ideas: Literally everything!
Suitable for: Like garlic not everyone can tolerate too many onions. I always advise to always cook them well, never eat them raw, and enjoy them hot. Not SIBO friendly.
Herbs
I’m talking, Coriander, Cilantro, Basil, Lemon balm, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano and on!
I could make an entire category for each and every amazing herb that is probably in your fridge right now! They’re so underrated and under enjoyed!
I quite literally swear by a handful of Coriander, it’s packed with quercetin and other amazing antioxidants that get my day off to an amazing start. Oregano and lemon balm are regularly praised for their antiviral and antimicrobial abilities, oregano is used in natural medicine and also as a natural antibiotic. Rosemary, thyme and basil are all anti-inflammatory, supporting brain function, calming an upset stomach and soothing aching muscles. My favourite way to enjoy herbs is to skip the salad mix, and instead finely chop a mix of coriander, parsley and basil. Then cover in lemon and EVOO and you’ve got yourself a nutrient dense super lunch which is far easier to digest than that bunch of raw kale sitting on your plate.
Meal ideas: On top of everything as garnish (herbs make all meals look pretty), as my favourite herb salad, pesto, in a tea infusion, added to a smoothie, or in meat garnishes and sauces.
Suitable for: Everyone should be eating more herbs.
With love,
