It’s not surprising that in the face of widespread coronavirus panic, there’s quite a bit of misinformation being spread.
Nose around in dedicated coronavirus Facebook groups or explore the #coronavirus tag and you’ll spot influencers and brands claiming that they have the secret remedy to prevent and cure the illness.
And of course, apple cider vinegar, that usual elixir that healthy types love to praise, has popped up over and over again.
Thankfully, a lot of tweets recommending downing apple cider vinegar to beat coronavirus are jokes.
But among the laughs are people genuinely claiming that apple cider vinegar can ‘kill’ coronavirus, whether you do a shot of it or use it to wash your hands.
And using it to wash your hands is a waste of time, too. Just stick to soap.
Dr Grace Farhat, a lecturer in food science and nutrition at Liverpool Hope University, explains that while apple cider vinegar does have some potential antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, it is not going to perform better than washing your hands with an antimicrobial soap or solution… unless you want your hands smell funny.
Dr Farhat, a registered Nutritionist at the UK Association for Nutrition, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘The supposed benefits surrounding apple cider vinegar are something of an ‘old wives’ tale.
‘But old wives tales cannot compete with science – and we have to look at what the scientific research tells us.
“A healthy diet can help boost our immune system . But we can’t expect any food to work miracles and suddenly cure coronavirus or protect us from the virus.
‘Our bodies simply don’t work like that.
‘There are many people on social media who are currently advising washing hands with apple cider vinegar or drinking large quantities of it.
‘It is highly unlikely this will have any benefit whatsoever. In fact, drinking large amounts could cause more harm than good.
‘My advice would be to wash your hands with antibacterial soap. It’s much more efficient – and your hands will smell much nicer!
‘And you can keep adding it to your salad dressings and meals, but don’t drink it in large amounts!’
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