Are Oranges Good for a Cough and Phlegm?

Are Oranges Good for Fighting a Cough?

Are Oranges Good for Fighting a Cough?
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Ever gotten a cold or cough and been told that vitamin C can help? You’re not alone — we’ve all been there. So, you might be wondering if reaching for some vitamin C foods, like oranges, can help get rid of your symptoms. Oranges are citrus fruits that contain a host of beneficial nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. But are oranges a good enough remedy to make your cough go away? Here’s what you need to know before you stock up on them.

How Oranges Affect Coughing

Oranges are well-known for containing nutrients like vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants. And one of those antioxidants is citric acid, which is naturally found in a host of citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.

 Citric acid also comes in powdered form in nonfood items such as cleaning products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

However, one study shows that citric acid can actually induce coughing. It’s important to note that this study did not look at the effects of citric acid from eating oranges. Rather, it asked participants to inhale a concentrated citric acid solution to assess whether the pH levels of the solution could induce coughing. That said, because oranges contain citric acid, they may not be the best fruit to help get rid of a cough. Keep in mind: This doesn’t mean that eating oranges will make you sick or cause coughing, but it might not help either.

But Can Oranges Help With Colds?

While the citric acid in oranges can worsen your coughing, the vitamin C content in an orange may be able to help remedy other cold symptoms if you take it before getting sick. Some research suggests that while vitamin C cannot prevent you from getting a cold, it can help shorten the duration of a cold and cause milder symptoms.

However, there are some things to consider. According to current guidelines, experts recommend that men get 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day, while women should get about 75 milligrams of vitamin C daily. However, the maximum amount of vitamin C you can take in a day is up to 2,000 milligrams. For reference, an orange has about 83 milligrams of vitamin C.

So, in order for oranges to actually help your cold, you’d need to eat a significant amount of oranges. Instead, some people turn to vitamin C supplements. However, you’d also need to take a high dosage of these supplements for them to improve your symptoms. But experts don’t recommend over-supplementation, especially because too much vitamin C from supplements can cause side effects like an upset stomach, diarrhea, heartburn, and headaches.

How to Treat a Cough and Cold

While oranges are a great source of vitamin C and a good fruit to include in a well-balanced diet, they likely won’t help with getting rid of a cough or cold. Instead, consider trying other cough treatments, such as:

  • Staying hydrated with water
  • Sucking on cough drops
  • Drinking hot teas or soups
  • Eating a spoonful of honey
  • Doing a saltwater gargle
  • Using a humidifier to moisten the air in your home

And if these home remedies don’t help, reach out to your healthcare provider about your symptoms to get individualized medical advice that can help you feel better soon.

The Takeaway

  • Many people believe that the vitamin C in oranges can help get rid of a cough.
  • While oranges are a good source of vitamin C, they also contain citric acid, which can actually induce more coughing.
  • Taking vitamin C regularly, however, can help shorten the length of your cold.
  • For other ways to treat your cough, consider staying hydrated or using cough drops.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Oranges, raw, navels. U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central. December 16, 2019.
  2. Singh SK et al. Chapter 4.5 - Citric Acid, Antioxidant Effects in Health. Antioxidants Effects in Health. 2022.
  3. Citric Acid. American Chemical Society. April 4, 2022.
  4. Rai ZL et al. The Effect of pH on Citric Acid Cough Challenge: A Randomised Control Trial in Chronic Cough and Healthy Volunteers. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology. November 2018.
  5. Common Colds: Research Summaries – Does Vitamin C Prevent Colds? InformedHealth.org. December 11, 2023.
  6. Is It Possible to Take Too Much Vitamin C? Mayo Clinic. February 20, 2025.
  7. Vitamin C and Colds. MedlinePlus. February 8, 2024.
  8. Cough. Cleveland Clinic. March 19, 2025.
  9. Slama T. 7 Ways to Combat Coughs, Colds. Mayo Clinic. April 12, 2022.
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

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Siddhi Camila Lama, MS, PhD, CNC, CPT

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Siddhi Camila Lama is an independent science, travel, and gastronomy writer. She is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach with a Master of Science in Organ, Tissue, and Cellular Transplantation and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering. Her writing has been featured in publications like Gastro Obscura, BrainFacts, and Medium's One Zero.

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