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Vitamin C - The Citrus Antioxidant
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Lack of Vitamin C for long periods can result in scurvy, a condition first witnessed during long sea voyages
in the 1500's. By 1617, John Woodall, a surgeon for the British East India Company, produced a cure for scurvy - lemon juice.
In 1937, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for discovering ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).
Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps to maintain the connective tissue protein collagen, protects against infection,
and helps in iron absorption. The theory that Vitamin C prevents or cures colds is not well supported by scientists.
Your Vitamin C Intake
Your Top Vitamin C Sources
Below are the major contributors of Vitamin C to your diet. This list is based upon the foods you eat the most, not the amount of Vitamin C per serving (which is shown for reference purposes only).
Functions of Vitamin C
Antioxidant: Protects protein and DNA; regenerates Vitamin E and beta-carotene; Aids absorption of iron; inhibits the formation of nitrosamines.
Heart Disease: May lower the risk of Coronary heart disease by as much as 25%.
Cancer: Well known for its role it plays in reducing the risk of contracting a wide variety of cancers.
Cholesterol: Works to change cholesterol into bile in the liver. The bile acids are then eliminated in the gallbladder with the help, once again, of Vitamin C.
Sources of Vitamin C
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| Sweet Red Pepper |
1/2 Cup |
237% |
| Orange Juice |
3/4 Cup |
155% |
| Green Pepper |
1/2 Cup |
112% |
| Broccoli |
1/2 Cup |
80% |
| Brussels Sprouts |
1/2 Cup |
80% |
| Grapefruit |
1/2 fruit |
72% |
| Strawberries |
1/2 Cup |
70% |
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