by Seema Mir
ISLAMABAD: Seasonal fruits and vegetables carry the hidden treasure of essential vitamins and minerals that can be utilized for prevention and cure of deadly diseases as well as improvement of overall health.
In the Holy Quran, Allah says,” I have not inflicted any disease on the mankind that has no cure.”
One such fruit is orange, which is irresistible. It merits a mention here that Pakistan is reportedly the sixth largest producer of oranges in the world and hence, oranges are accessible to the common man, becoming the fruit of community and not of nobility.
A medical practitioner Dr Shazia Durrani said that it was better to take vitamins and minerals in a natural way, ideally through fruits and vegetables instead of taking supplements.
When asked about the nutritional benefits of oranges she said that oranges have essential vitamins and minerals and one of them is Vitamin C. Vitamin C, she said was not only good for our immune system but also the circulatory system, maintenance of a healthy energy system, skin and eye diseases, as well as, for brain function.
Elaborating further, she said that Vitamin C keeps a guard against fatal diseases like osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and many common cancers. Additionally, taking a tablet of 1000 mg of Vitamin C daily can help boost your immune system.
“If you drink more than one glass of orange juice a day, you will still be nowhere near the amount of vitamin C that will cause problems with your body; but, as with any other nutrient, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking massive amounts of any sort of nutrient or supplement,” she advised.
Researchers have shown that just one orange has about 100 mg of Vitamin C which is 130 percent of the daily recommended intake. It can be recalled that not very long-ago people used to eat oranges while sitting in the sun, being ignorant of its benefits.
About the practice of eating oranges, medical science says that as sunshine is the best source of Vitamin D and this vitamin along with Vitamin C assists in absorbing calcium from the intestines for the onward transmission to our body. Thus, preventing us from ailments.
Dr Shazia concluded by advising: “We should go out in the sun for about 15 minutes a day, at least three times a week in winters.”