Grab a kettle this autumn and protect yourself against flu.

With the autumnal weather patterns bearing down on us and with winter just around the corner you’ll probably soon be hearing the clarion call of someone offering you a flu jab to prepare for the upcoming assault by the nasty little viruses. Well, it’s always good to get the jab just in case, but it might also just be enough for some individuals to simply switch on the kettle and brew up a cuppa.

Really? Yes really, according to new research you might just as well dive into your wine rack or brew up a cup of tea rather than dose yourself up with vitamin C for the runny nose, sore throat and fevers.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine found compound called Flavonoids in a wide variety of common products such as wine and tea that can help you build up a resistance to certain flu bugs.

Flavonoids in these products work in concert with a particular microbe called clostridum oribiscidens to create a metabolite that actually boosts the immune system.

So don’t reach for the Lemsip in the medicine cupboard, this winter reach for the tea bags and the kettle.