The Benefits of Vitamin C
What can vitamin C do for your health?
(continued)
The Health Benefits of Vitamin C
According to recent research, vitamin C may offer health benefits in these areas:
1. Stress. “A recent meta-analysis showed vitamin C was beneficial to individuals whose immune system was weakened due to stress — a condition which is very common in our society,” says Moyad. And, he adds, “because vitamin C is one of the nutrients sensitive to stress, and [is] the first nutrient to be depleted in alcoholics, smokers, and obese individuals, it makes it an ideal marker for overall health.”
2. Colds. When it comes to the common cold, vitamin C may not be a cure. But some studies show that it may help prevent more serious complications. “There is good evidence taking vitamin C for colds and flu can reduce the risk of developing further complications, such as pneumonia and lung infections,” says Moyad.
3. Stroke. Although research has been conflicting, one study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those with the highest concentrations of vitamin C in their blood were associated with 42% lower stroke risk than those with the lowest concentrations. The reasons for this are not completely clear. But what is clear is that people who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables have higher blood levels of vitamin C.
“People who consume more fruit and vegetables will not only have higher [blood] levels of vitamin C, but higher intake of other nutrients potentially beneficial to health, such as fiber and other vitamins and minerals,” study researcher Phyo K. Myint said in an email interview.
4. Skin Aging. Vitamin C affects cells on the inside and outside of the body. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined links between nutrient intakes and skin aging in 4,025 women aged 40-74. It found that higher vitamin C intakes were associated with a lower likelihood of a wrinkled appearance, dryness of the skin, and a better skin-aging appearance.
Other studies have suggested that vitamin C may also:
- Improve macular degeneration.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues. It’s involved in many body functions, including formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.
Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that can protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants like cigarette smoke. Free radicals can build up and contribute to the development of health conditions such as cancer,heart disease, and arthritis.
Vitamin C is not stored in the body (excess amounts are excreted), so overdose is not a concern. But it’s still important not to exceed the safe upper limit of 2,000 milligrams a day to avoid stomach upset and diarrhea.
Water-soluble vitamins must be continuously supplied in the diet to maintain healthy levels. Eat vitamin-C-rich fruits and vegetables raw, or cook them with minimal water so you don’t lose some of the water-soluble vitamin in the cooking water.
Vitamin C is easily absorbed both in food and in pill form, and it can enhance the absorption of iron when the two are eaten together.
Deficiency of vitamin C is relatively rare, and primarily seen in malnourished adults. In extreme cases, it can lead to scurvy– characterized by weakness, anemia, bruising, bleeding, and loose teeth.
How to Get More Vitamin C in Your Diet
This antioxidant super-nutrient is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Yet, according to dietary intake data and the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, most adults don’t get enough vitamin C in their diets. This is especially true of smokers and non-Hispanic black males, according to research done by Jeff Hampl, PhD, RD, and colleagues at the University of Arizona.
The foods richest in vitamin C are citrus fruits, green peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, white potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Other good sources include dark leafy greens, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, watermelon, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, red peppers, raspberries, blueberries, winter squash, and pineapples.
Here are eight easy ways to work more fruits and veggies into your diet each day:
1. Add pureed or grated fruits and veggies to recipes for muffins, meatloaf, and soups.
2. Keep cut-up fruits and veggies on hand so they are ready for a quick snack.
3. Frozen fruit slices make a cool summer treat.
4. Include dark lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded broccoli slaw on all your sandwiches and wraps.
5. Eat raw veggies with hummus, low-fat dips, and salsas.
6. Add fresh or frozen berries to muffins, pancakes, cereal, and salads.
7. Throw a handful of dried fruit on top of your cereal or in a baggie with nuts for an easy snack.
8. Enjoy a glass of vegetable juice as a filling and low-calorie mid-afternoon snack.
The bottom line? “There is no one silver bullet vitamin, mineral, or nutrient,” says Sandquist. “It is all about the big picture. And eating a varied diet rich in all the nutrients is the best strategy for good health.”
Her advice: Take a daily multivitamin, because most people don’t get enough of several nutrients. And if you want to combat colds and flu, wash your hands more often.
Further Reading:
- Vitamin C and Colds
- Vitamin C for Health
- Lower Vitamin C Means Higher Cancer Risk for Men
- Vitamin C– Health Effects
- Tips for Getting Vitamin C
- Vitamin C not as beneficial to smokers as originally thought.
- Vitamin C Lowers Blood Pressure
- See All Vitamin C Topics
“Taken from: www.webmd.com “
Reduce Sore Throat/With Vitamin C & Garlic
Garlic may be an effective home remedy to kill the germs that cause a sore throat, according to Eleonore Blaurock-Busch, Ph.D., a nutrition counselor in Colorado in “The Doctors Book of Home Remedies.” Garlic is a natural antiseptic and antibiotic that may be effective in helping a sore throat heal more quickly. Take 15 grains of garlic oil capsules six times a day, recommends Dr. Blaurock-Busch. Taking garlic may also help reduce other symptoms of the common cold and prevent these symptoms from occurring in the first place, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Lower Cholesterol
Consuming garlic may help reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein, also known as bad cholesterol, as well as total blood cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com. These lowered levels of cholesterol may be temporary and will last between four and 12 weeks. It is not clear whether garlic has any effect on high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol, or if it will lower cholesterol levels after 12 weeks. MayoClinic.com suggests taking between 4 mg and 12.3 milligrams of garlic oil per day, as recommended by your doctor.
Cancer Benefits
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eating garlic on a regular basis may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer, like colorectal cancer and colon cancer. Garlic may also help strengthen the immune system of individuals who have already been diagnosed with liver, colorectal, liver or pancreatic cancer. Garlic may interact with prescription medications used to treat cancer or other illnesses — consult your doctor before using garlic to treat or prevent cancer.
Oct 7, 2010 | By Megan Smith http://www.livestrong.com
Garlic is a powerful spice, both in taste and in the health benefits it can confer. The nutritional benefits come not only from the traditionally measured vitamins and minerals, but also from a variety of other compounds called phytochemicals that scientists have only recently begun to study. Typically used as an ingredient to flavor other dishes, garlic can also be consumed on its own as a way to improve health or taken as a supplement in pill or liquid extract form.
Basic Nutrition
A single clove of garlic, one serving, weighs approximately 3 g and contains about three calories. There is 1 g of carbohydrate and 3 mg of sodium in a single clove. Garlic contains no fat, no cholesterol and no protein. Garlic contains small amounts of the nutrients calcium, manganese, choline, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and vitamins C, A and K in each clove.
Sulfates
Garlic is one of the few foods containing sulfur compounds which give garlic its characteristic strong scent while also providing beneficial activity within the body. Garlic has three different groups of sulfur-containing compounds: thiosulfinates, sulfoxides and dithiins. Specific compounds within these groups include allicin, alliin, allixin,S-allylcysteine, ajoene, 1,2-vinyldithiin and thiacremonone. Some major activities of these compounds include helping maintain blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer and preventing blood clots.
Phytochemicals
While many of the studies into the nutritional components of garlic have focused on the activity of its sulfur-containing compounds, there are other phytochemicals that confer health benefits as well. Quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol are flavonoids in garlic that provide anti-inflammatory activity and act as antioxidants to scavenge and neutralize free radicals in the body that could contribute to cancer if left unchecked.
Health Benefits
Garlic consumption has an overall cardioprotective effect on the body, according to World’s Healthiest Foods. The spice also may contribute to weight loss by regulating the formation of fat cells in the body. Garlic has strong antibacterial and antiviral activity that can help prevent or shorten the duration of infections. Garlic is also anti-inflammatory, which might confer protection against diseases such as arthritis and asthma.
Considerations
Processed garlic extract loses some of its potency, but whole, cut or crushed garlic retains the compounds that benefit health for up to 2-1/2 days. When garlic is eaten with foods high in iron and zinc, it can help boost the bioavailability of those minerals, explains an article in the July 2010 issue of the “Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry.” This is especially important when eating plant sources of iron and zinc, since the body tends to have more difficulty extracting these minerals from vegetarian sources than from meat products.The beneficial properties of garlic work even better if the garlic is allowed to sit for a few minutes after chopping or crushing it and before cooking or adding it to other ingredients that might change its pH, explains World’s Healthiest Foods.
Sep 28, 2010 | Bridget Coila http://www.livestrong.com
