QUESTION:
Grape juice proven to prevent the stomach flu?
ANSWER:
Experts say although grape juice are great anti-oxidants, which keep our cells healthy, it's not a proven method to prevent or get rid of the stomach flu if you already have it.
SOURCES:
Krista Kiger:Registered Dietitian at Novant Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
PROCESS:
The first flu-related death of the season was reported this week, which brings out the viral health tips like this next one.
A mom's Facebook post with nearly 600,000 shares claims a daily glass of grape juice during flu season will prevent you from catching norovirus, also known as the stomach bug.
So our Verify team is spreading the facts on this one.
So our researchers found where the rumor originated from, a blog called Must Have Moms, it says that grape juice changes your intestinal tract's pH, making it harder for the virus to multiply, and it also contains a wealth of anti-viral chemicals to kill off the virus.
So our research team contacted a registered dietitian, Krista Kiger at Novant Health.
Kiger told Verify researcher, "PH levels in our digestion process are so different, so variable, that if a virus can get in through your system and survive those levels - or those pHes, there's no research that shows grape juice can trump the digestive pHes."
And we also with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who say one of the best proven methods that can prevent you from catching a stomach bug is to always properly washing your hands.
So we verified this viral tip is false, grape juice won't stop stomach bugs if they're already in your system. But, grape juice and plain grapes are great anti-oxidants, which keep our cells healthy.
