Functional foods with antiviral activity

Viruses are known to cause a variety of diseases, ranging from mild respiratory diseases, such as the common cold, to fatal illnesses. Although the development of vaccines and targeted drugs have significantly improved the mortality rate and disease severity against a number of viral infections, there are still many viruses without proper treatment/prevention options and newly emerging viruses can pose serious health threats. For instance, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is producing significant healthcare and socio-economic burden worldwide, which may jeopardize the lives and livelihoods for years to come. Studies have identified functional foods with antiviral activity. Certain foods may target the viral life cycle or modulate the host immune system to enhance defense against viral infections. In this review, we will discuss some of the food products reported to display protective effects against viruses including the influenza virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.