Healthy Foods
The Importance of Vitamin C
by Leanne Ely, C.N.C
A key nutrient that can help prevent – some say cure – many diseases, is vitamin C. Studies show that about 33 percent of the population most likely suffers from a vitamin C deficiency. This kind of deficiency can often contribute to immune problems, chronic fatigue, scurvy, and a handful of other ailments.
So how much vitamin C should you add to your diet? Well, that is often debated in some circles. On one hand, people will tell you that you can never have enough, and on the other, some will advise cautiousness. I suspect that one needs more than the FDA recommended dietary allowance of 75 mg for women and 90 mg for males. However, in the end, these are choices you have to make for yourself.
Incorporating vitamin C into your diet is easy and, like most good foods in life, tasty! Eating foods chock full of antioxidants will increase your immunity and assist with allergies because of it’s a natural antihistamine.
And when it comes to eating C rich foods, you’re not limited to just a small variety of citrus fruits. Actually, the fruit with the highest amount of vitamin C is the Kakadu plum, containing 62 times more vitamin C than an orange! Strawberries, papaya, bell peppers, even broccoli has more vitamin C than the stereotypical orange. There is a whole plethora of fruits and vegetables ripe with vitamin C to explore.
Once again, the important thing is keeping a large variety of fresh fruits and veggies on your menu to ensure that you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals you need for optimal health every day. Your dinner salad is perfect transportation for an assortment of vitamin C sources–give it a try!
0 Responses