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It might taste good, but it’s not going to cure your cold.

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“This unique formula of immune-boosting superfoods is GUARANTEED to stop viruses in their tracks!”

Seen something like that before and wondered if there’s good science behind it?
Look no further. Swipe through for our quick guide to immune boosting, ft. vitamins A, C, and D, Zinc, Ginger, Echinacea and Turmeric.

The short answer is that no single ingredient will ever be a magic bullet that cures everything. 

The *real* secret to a healthy immune system is no secret at all:
Good sleep, regular exercise, and a varied, balanced diet.

What other health fads do you want us to tackle next? Let us know!

Sources
  1. Covid-19: Can ‘boosting’ your immune system protect you? | BBC | April 2020
  2. How to boost your immune system | Harvard Health
  3. Vitamin C biosynthesis | Learn Science at Scitable | Scitable by Nature Education | 2010  
  4. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold | Cochrane | January 2013
  5. Link not available anymore
  6. Claims vitamin C can prevent or cure COVID-19 unfounded, experts warn | CTV News | March 2020
  7. Vitamin A | The Nutrition Source 
  8. Mega doses of retinol: A possible immunomodulation in Covid‐19 illness in resource‐limited settings | Reviews in Medical Virology | December 2020
  9. Vitamin A in resistance to and recovery from infection: relevance to SARS-CoV2 | British Journal of Nutrition | January 2021
  10. Vitamin A for measles in children | Cochrane | October 2005
  11. Vitamin D blood levels of Canadians | Government of Canada 
  12.  The vitamin D dilemma: How much should we be taking? | The Globe and Mail | March 2015
  13. Vitamin D supplementation for the treatment of COVID‐19: a living systematic review | Cochrane Library | May 2021 
  14. COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 | NCBI Bookshelf | May 2025
  15. Vitamin D: The truth about an alleged Covid ‘cover-up’ | BBC News | April 2021
  16. Vitamin D | Government of Canada 
  17. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Zinc – Canada.ca
  18. Do vitamin D, zinc, and other supplements help prevent COVID-19 or hasten healing? | Harvard Health | April 2021
  19. Link not available anymore
  20. Zinc and Your Health | The nutrition Source 
  21. Zinc for the common cold? Not for me | Harvard Health | February 2011
  22. Does ginger prevent or cure COVID-19? | National Academies | June 2020
  23. Ginger: Usefulness and Safety | NCCIH 
  24. Link not available anymore
  25. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold | Cochrane | February 2014
  26. Echinacea | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | January 2003
  27. 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin | Healthline | July 2025
  28. What Happens to Your Immunity When You Take Turmeric and Vitamin D Together | January 2026
  29. The Impact of Curcumin on Immune Response: An Immunomodulatory Strategy to Treat Sepsis | International Journal of Molecular Sciences | 2022
  30. Treatment of the common cold with herbs used in Ayurveda and Jamu: monograph review and the science of ginger, liquorice, turmeric and peppermint | Drugs in Context | 2023
  31. Effects of Highly Bioavailable Curcumin Supplementation on Common Cold Symptoms and Immune and Inflammatory Functions in Healthy Japanese Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Study | Journal of Dietary Supplements | March 2023
  32. A Triple-blind randomized controlled trial on the effects of turmeric versus ginger on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with COVID-19 | Scientific Reports | August 2025
  33. Turmeric Benefits | Johns Hopkins Medicine | April 2026
  34. The Essential Medicinal Chemistry of Curcumin: Miniperspective | Journal of Medicinal Chemistry | January 2-17
  35. A Unifying Perspective in Blunting the Limited Oral Bioavailability of Curcumin: A Succinct Look | Bentham Science | October 2022
  36. Curcumin, an active component of turmeric: biological activities, nutritional aspects, immunological, bioavailability, and human health benefits – a comprehensive review | Frontiers in Immunology | August 2025

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