The Best Foods to Naturally Kill Parasites
1. Black Walnut – the green skin of the black walnut contains tannins, a type of antioxidant with antimicrobial and anticancer properties. (3) A substance called juglone is one of those tannins, which has been found specifically to be antiparasitic. (4) You can eat whole walnuts or make a tincture with the hulls.
2. Cayenne – this spicy ground pepper kills fungus, bacteria, mold, and parasites on contact. (5) Parasites in general don’t like hot spices, so load up! (6) Cayenne is great for topical treatments (click here for a DIY salve recipe) or sprinkle with ginger powder on pumpkin or cucumber seeds to combat internal parasites. (7)
3. Clove – eugenol is a phytochemical in cloves, as well as nutmeg, cinnamon, and basil. Eugenol, found in the plant’s essential oil, gives cloves its strong aromatic flavor. It’s also the active compound with antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties. A 2014 study of clove oil’s effects on a particular fish parasite found that after only one hour, eighty to ninety percent of the microbes had been destroyed. (8)
“The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of clove is higher than many fruits, vegetables and other spices and should deserve special attention.” (9)
Eugenol acts against different classes of microbes and is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anaesthetic. (10, 11)
4. Cucumber Seeds – in addition to its hydrating and nutritional qualities, the seeds of the cucumber have been widely used in tropical countries to treat tapeworm infections. Its amino acid cucurbitine is the active ingredient. (12) You can eat whole cucumbers (with seeds) or dry organic cucumber seeds and grind them into powder to add to salads and smoothies—one teaspoon at a time will do to kill and prevent parasites from taking up residence.
5. Garlic – known to cure many common illnesses and diseases, this bulb herb contains potent antimicrobials, including allicin and ajoene. Allicin has been shown to be antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic. (13) Among the common parasites for which allicin is an antagonist are protozoa, with indications for intestinal infections. (14)
Ajoene is one of the sulfur compounds in garlic that gives it that strong aroma and flavor. These compounds are the plant’s defense mechanism against would-be predators and it works much the same way in humans. (15) Ajoene on its own is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. (16) In addition, ajoene is effective against skin infections when applied topically. (17) In one ajoene study, just one dose was enough to kill malarial parasites and prevent them from proliferating. (18)
To activate allicin, ajoene, and other beneficial phytochemicals in garlic, the clove must be crushed or minced and the bulb’s enzymes allowed to interact for several minutes before consuming. Start with one crushed clove; you may gradually increase how many cloves you eat in a day to combat parasites.