With the drop in temperature and the return of coolness, residents have started consuming the popular drink karak to warm up. People also rely on various food supplements. In any pharmacy in the UAE this week, you can see a winter display featuring Vitamin C, zinc lozenges, ginger capsules, and immunomodulators in different forms and sizes.
However, according to Nada Zuhair Ahmad Al Adib, Secretary General of the UAE Nutrition Society, most of these remedies do not provide the effect people hope for. She emphasizes that true preparation for the season should begin in the kitchen, not at the supplement counter.
According to the UAE National Health Survey, more than 83 percent of men and women in the Emirates consume less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, which is the minimum standard recommended by the World Health Organization. Al Adib believes that this single habit makes people vulnerable during seasonal changes.
The immune system functions through the complex interaction of numerous nutrients. Citrus fruits and guava provide Vitamin C, while leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots provide folate and carotenoids. Protein, necessary for the body to produce immune cells, comes from chicken, fish, eggs, and lentils. None of this requires a visit to the pharmacy, but in Al Adib's opinion, many still do not get enough of these elements.
Al Adib is cautious about what Emiratis often choose first. She notes that honey can indeed soothe a cough, and ginger has genuine anti-inflammatory properties. Nevertheless, there is a difference between beneficial ingredients and a mixture that prevents infection. She warns: 'People perceive these mixtures as a shield, but the evidence does not support this.'
A similar caution applies to karak and sweetened tea. Both drinks are deeply integrated into UAE social life during winter, and neither should disappear from the table. Al Adib points to the habit of consuming several heavily sweetened cups throughout the day, believing it is beneficial for the body. Studies consistently show that Vitamin C does not reduce the frequency of colds. Vitamin D and zinc are important for immune function, but only if blood tests confirm a deficiency, not just because October has arrived.
Another non-obvious mistake, Al Adib adds, is buying several products containing the same nutrients, leading to exceeding the daily allowance without realizing it. She concludes: 'A balanced diet provides the full picture; one vitamin cannot provide it alone.'
Regarding habits that truly matter, she advises: regularly drinking water, as thirst becomes less noticeable in cool weather; getting good sleep; spending time outdoors when the weather permits. Before turning to the supplement shelves, Al Adib suggests asking herself a simpler question: when was the last time you ate enough vegetables?
