Red ginseng discovered to bolster immunity against flu

Eating red ginseng helps bolster immunity against influenza, according to a professor from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Thursday. The discovery by Lee Sang-joon of UNIST's biological sciences division has added credibility to claims of health benefits from supplements made of red ginseng. Jung Kwan Jang, a nutritional product brand under Korea Ginseng Corp., is the country’s largest retail distributor and researcher of natural extracts from the plant. Jung Kwan Jang said the breakthrough came as the number of flu infections nationwide this year has increased dramatically. The infection rate is 14 times higher than last year, according to the firm. Numerous medical studies support red ginseng’s positive effects on human health, including boosting immunity and limiting virus growth, but this is the first time the root's effects regarding flu have been scientifically proven, according to the company. Lee’s discovery highlighted red ginseng’s role in activating antiviral pathways controlled by Z-DNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1), an intracellular protein