Do Kinnow and Oranges Cause Cold and Cough (Nazla) in Winter? (Video)

Transcript

Winter Citrus & Coughs

Ever wonder if that bright orange fruit is making your winter sniffles worse? Let’s sort fact from folklore and see what a bite of citrus really does when it’s chilly outside.

Myth busted

First things first, a cold isn’t caught from a piece of fruit. It’s a virus that spreads through coughs, sneezes, and shared hands. The sour juice of a kinnow or orange won’t give you a cold, though it can feel a bit sharp if your throat is already irritated.

At a glance

Here’s a quick snapshot. Some people think sour fruit is "thanda" and brings nazla and khansi. The truth is that cold viruses are the culprits, not the fruit. The real snag is that acidic juice can sting a sore throat for a moment. Kinnow season runs roughly from December to March, overlapping the cold season.

Myth: citrus causes cold

Every winter a crate of Sargodha kinnows shows up, a child sneezes, and the fruit gets locked away until spring. The idea is that sour, juicy fruit is cold in nature and settles on the chest when eaten in chilly weather. But a cold is an infection of the nose and throat, usually by rhinoviruses that travel from someone else’s cough or hands to your face.

Why the belief sticks

The belief sticks for a few reasons. First, the harvest of kinnow lines up with the cold season, so anything eaten a lot in winter gets blamed. Second, citrus is acidic, and on an already sore throat it can burn and trigger a brief cough. Third, chilled juice or fruit straight from a cold verandah feels harsh on a scratchy throat. Finally, traditional Unani and Ayurvedic ideas label sour fruits as cooling and say they add phlegm.

A cold spreads from a sneeze in a closed room. The kinnow on the plate is an innocent bystander.

Winter citrus rules

Here are the practical rules to keep in mind. One kinnow supplies a good share of your daily vitamin C, some fibre and plenty of fluid, and it’s easy to eat when you don’t feel like having a full meal. Eat it whole rather than juiced so you keep the fibre. Sweet lime, or musammi, is less sour, so it’s gentler on a sore throat. The key is to avoid chilled juice or fruit when you’re ill; room-temperature fruit is kinder to a raw throat.

Verdicts

The verdicts are simple. There’s no link between eating kinnow in winter and catching a cold, so you can skip it if you prefer. Citrus at night isn’t a problem for most people, though those with reflux might want to avoid it. If the sour juice stings a sore throat, it’s better to switch to something milder. And chilled juice or cold fruit while you’re ill is best left alone; room temperature is kinder.

Practical winter tips

Keep the fruit bowl out at room temperature, not on a cold balcony, when someone has a sore throat. Offer one kinnow or one musammi a day as a snack; two is fine for adults who enjoy them. If the sour juice stings, switch to banana, papaya or guava for a few days. For young children, peel and separate the segments, remove the seeds, and break them into small pieces for under-twos.

Warm kinnow sip

Here’s a gentle warm drink for a scratchy evening. Squeeze two kinnows into a cup, about 150 millilitres. Add 100 millilitres of warm water, not boiling, and stir in a teaspoon of honey for anyone over one year old. Sip slowly. If it still stings, skip the fruit and just have warm honey water.

Kids and kinnow

Children can enjoy kinnow all winter. From about six months a baby can suck on or eat soft, seedless pieces after the tough membrane is removed, always under adult supervision. Don’t add sugar or honey for babies under one year. Toddlers can have peeled segments broken into small pieces. A child’s cold is usually a virus that passes in about a week, and gentle nutrition helps them feel better.

Citrus trivia

A quick bite of trivia: kinnow is a cross of two mandarin types, King and Willowleaf, bred in California back in 1915 and now a winter staple in Punjab. Musammi, or sweet lime, is a different citrus with so little acid it tastes almost bland next to kinnow. The white pith under the peel is edible and adds a little fibre.

When to see a doctor

A normal cold settles in seven to ten days. See a doctor if you have a fever of 39 °C or higher, a fever lasting more than three days, any fever in a baby under three months, fast or hard breathing, chest sinking in, a cough that lasts more than three weeks, or ear pain. Children under six should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, and honey is off-limits for infants under one year. If you’re on heart, blood pressure or cholesterol medication, ask your pharmacist about possible citrus interactions, especially with grapefruit.

Thanks for watching

If you’d like more detail, read the full post on thecareonline.com. Remember, this is practical advice, not medical diagnosis.