If you mean intestinal worms/parasites, the claim that particular foods can “kill worms” is misleading. Foods may be nutritious, but they generally aren’t a reliable treatment for an intestinal worm infection.
Seven foods often promoted for this purpose are:
- Garlic
- Pumpkin seeds
- Papaya or papaya seeds
- Carrots
- Pineapple
- Coconut
- Turmeric
Some of these have shown antiparasitic effects in laboratory or preliminary studies, but that doesn’t establish that eating them will eliminate worms in people.
What actually works
Treatment depends on the parasite. Clinicians may use medicines such as albendazole, mebendazole, praziquantel, or other antiparasitic drugs, depending on the infection. Diagnosis may involve stool testing or other tests.
If someone has persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, anemia, or sees worms in their stool, they should seek medical advice rather than relying on a “parasite cleanse.”
