Vitamin C Foods

By Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC

Strengthen your body with healthy nutritional strategies. Include eating foods containing Vitamin C in your dietary strategies.

Vitamin C, officially named Ascorbic Acid, is a water soluble vitamin well-known for its antioxidant properties. This important vitamin performs other important but lesser known functions.

Vitamin C contributes to the formation of collagen, a protein which gives structure to bones, muscles, blood vessels and cartilage. Vitamin C assists in Iron absorption and aids in maintaining bones, teeth and capillaries. Eating Vitamin C foods is necessary for proper function and strength of the immune system, the musculo-skeletal system and cardiovascular system.

Vitamin C is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables. Fruits high in Vitamin C include guava, papaya, oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, mango and tangerine. Vegetables containing a high quantity of Vitamin C include red bell peppers, green bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, tomato, potato, cabbage and kohlrabi, also known as a German turnip.

Juices made from these foods also contain Vitamin C. Several other juices made from foods that don’t naturally contain Vitamin C are commonly fortified with it. These include apple and grape juice.

Vitamin C levels of foods can diminish during cooking, storage and preparation. Prevent lowered Vitamin C levels with several easy to follow guidelines.

Eat raw fruits and vegetables as your first choice over frozen, dried and cooked. Steam, boil and simmer fruits and vegetables in small amounts of water. Microwave fruits and vegetables for the shortest possible amount of time. Cook potatoes in their skins. Refrigerate prepared juice and store them for no longer than two or three days. Store cut raw fruits and vegetables in an airtight container and refrigerate. Do soak or store raw fruits and vegetables in water.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. The RDA is defined as the average daily dietary intake level of a nutrient sufficient to meet the requirement of nearly all healthy individuals in a specific life stage and gender.

In the United States the RDA for Vitamin C for adult non-smoking males is 90 milligrams (mg) a day. For adult non-smoking females the RDA for Vitamin C is 75 mg daily.  Due to the destructive oxidative nature of smoking the RDA is 35 mg higher for smokers.

The current RDA level for Vitamin C was established in 2000 when it was raised from 60 mg. The established RDA level has been disputed for years due to the fact that it is primarily based on the prevention of deficiency diseases rather than the prevention of chronic illness and the promotion of optimum health.

Scurvy occurs from Vitamin C deficiency. In the late 1700s British naval commanders discovered that eating citrus fruit prevented their crew members from getting scurvy. This deadly disease exists today only in the extremely malnourished.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants are disease fighting substances that render free radicals harmless. Free radicals, or oxidants, are unstable molecules due to the fact that they contain an unpaired electron. These unstable molecules react with and damage nearby molecules. Excessive amounts of free radicals have the potential to damage body cells, tissues and organs.

Antioxidants protect healthy cells by interacting with and stabilizing free radicals. These reactions render the free radical harmless.

In most cases, Vitamin C supplementation is not necessary. Excessive supplementation can lead to temporary symptoms of diarrhea and other gastrointestinal conditions. In order to prevent toxicity a Tolerable Upper Limit Intake (UL) was established for the first time for Vitamin C in the year 2000. The UL was established at the same time the RDA was revised. The UL for Vitamin C was set for adult males and females at 2,000 mg daily.

For best results consume a wide array of foods containing Vitamin C and drink fruit juice containing Vitamin C every day.  Eat fresh guava, papaya, oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, mango and tangerine as snacks for optimum digestion and absorption. These Vitamin C containing fruits provide numerous known and yet-to be discovered vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in their nature balances.

Juice from oranges and grapefruits naturally possess Vitamin C. Healthy juices such as grape and apple are usually fortified with Vitamin C. Drink one or two servings of one of these juices each day to increase your Vitamin C intake.

Vegetables such as red bell peppers, green bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, tomato, potato, cabbage and German turnips possess Vitamin C. Eat one of these healthy vegetables each daily with a meal or by itself to increase your intake of Vitamin C.

Combat disease and improve your health by including foods which contain Vitamin C in your daily nutritional strategies. Eat and drink healthy foods and exercise daily to increase your health, fitness and functionality.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC

Dr. Donald A Ozello DC is the owner and treating doctor at Championship Chiropractic located at 2595 S. Cimarron Rd, Suite #100, Las Vegas, NV 89117.  His web address is www.ChampionshipChiropractic.com and he can be contacted at (702) 286-9040 and  DrO@ChampionshipChiropractic.com .

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC writes a weekly health, fitness, exercise and nutrition column for The Las Vegas Informer. His is also published in OnFitness magazine, LiveStrong.com, SpineUniverse.com, MyHealthZine.com and EHow.com.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC is an award-winning public speaker. He has spoken to various groups on health, fitness, exercise and nutrition topics. His mission is to educate and inspire others to live healthier, fitter, more functional lives.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC loves to exercise. Bike riding and kettlebell training are his current favorite forms of exercises. He credits “The Godfather of Fitness” Mr. Jack LaLanne as an early influence on his life.

Before pursuing his career in Chiropractic, Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Bremerton, SSN 698.