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Oranges - A source of Vitamin C or will it worsen cough?

by Jes @SnackFirst on Apr 02, 2019

Oranges - A source of Vitamin C or will it worsen cough?

This was a source of debate when my friends came together and one was Western educated while another was very much into TCM. Both have children and they were arguing if oranges should be fed to a coughing child.

One argues that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C while another claims that it is a 'heaty' fruit, it will actually worsen cough and increase the amount of phlegm in the system. Frankly, all of us have heard of both sides before but were not sure which is correct.

Let's investigate further.

Fruits are the top snack consumed around the world. Oranges are a rich source of Vitamin C, an orange has about 100mg of Vitamin C, which is more than sufficient for your daily intake. Vitamin C can also help boost immune system and improve skin complexion and other benefits. 

One the other hand, citrus fruits like oranges, lemon and lime may cause acid reflux that will exacerbate the irritation to your throat, causing you to cough even more. Not just that, the Chinese believes that oranges can also cause phlegm production, thereby making a cough much harder to recover from. The excess phlegm or mucus production can take months to recover, worsening the cough further.

So there you have it, we have our conclusion. Oranges do contribute as a good source of Vitamin C but it should not be fed to a coughing person as it will worsen the cough. The Vitamin C content is for the overall general well-being of the person which will not help specifically with a cough. 

There have also been studies that concluded that Vitamin C cannot help to prevent or treat cough or even the common cold.

For a person who has cough, any juicy fruits except citrus ones can be given to them to help ease their respiratory tract. Try to avoid caffeine as they cause dehydration and are not helpful to your cough. Load up with chicken soup, coconut water or other nutritious food to enhance the nutrients.

You can always take vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers and other leafy greens to boost your Vitamin C, instead of oranges! Some of the highest Vitamin C nuts include pine nuts, hazelnuts, pistachio, walnut, pecans, cashews and pumpkin seeds. You can always try these healthy snacks instead of oranges! 

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