Fears over the new coronavirus COVID-19 have pushed up sales of garlic by 20%. That’s because it’s thought to help boost your immunity.
Will garlic give you immunity from coronavirus?
This woman certainly thinks so! She says she heard that eating garlic can kill germs.
In the central county of Yunlin, shoppers are scrambling to buy garlic, with sales growing by at least 20%. .
Business is booming for this garlic vendor. He says it costs NT$130 (US$4.30) for 600 grams. That's because people are eating it to boost their immunity.
There’s a growing demand for garlic essence as well. Orders for garlic essence, made by a farmer’s union, have doubled following the Lunar New Year holiday. A union staff member says the product has been out of stock for three weeks.
But while the compound found in fresh garlic – allicin – can help boost immunity, doctors say eating too much can irritate your stomach and intestines.