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| - Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Nivedita
Quick Take
A post doing rounds on social media about World Health Organization (WHO) issuing an advisory against consumption of cabbage in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic. We investigated and found the claim to be completely false.
The claim
There has been multiple posts on social media advising people against eating cabbages. While many claim that the vegetable act as an active carrier of Coronavirus, many others claim that WHO has given a specific guideline against cabbage specifically. An archived version of one such post can be seen here. The snapshot of the post is given below:
Fact Check
Is there a WHO guideline against cabbage consumption in fear of Coronavirus?
World Health Organization (WHO) has not given any ruling against cabbage. A WHO India representative told AFP by phone on March 30, 2020, that the agency did not issue the purported advisory. The official WHO website also does not include any warning regarding the consumption of cabbage.
In fact, in a generic post WHO has clearly mentioned that there is “no evidence” against any food material being carrier of Coronavirus. (We have discussed this topic separately here)
The Press Information Bureau of India (PIB) on its twitter handle has also clarified this matter and refuted the claim.
Are cabbage safe to be consumed in current times?
Cabbages are absolutely healthy. Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family and provides a myriad of nutrients, including fiber, folate, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, C and K. Cabbage contains phytonutrients that act as antioxidants to reduce your risk of certain cancers. However, if you have medical conditions like hypothyroidism, then you should avoid cabbage generally”.
Are there any precautions that we should take?
Yes. If you are going out on vegetable shopping, be careful. Apart from the risk of being in a crowded place, the chance of surface contamination also goes up. A lot of people touch those vegetables and the probability of the virus staying on the skin of the vegetable for some time is higher. Click here to read more about this topic: Can Coronavirus be transmitted through fruits and vegetable skins?
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