Wednesday Spotlight - Vitamin C

So, most of us think of Vitamin C and we think of citrus and/or colds. Well, you might be surprised to know that Vitamin C is in some foods you may not have guessed. 1 medium zucchini contains about half of your daily recommended dosage. You can hit 100% of your daily needs with:

• leafy greens (2 kale leaves; 6 romaine leaves; half a bunch of chard or spinach)
• pineapples - less than 1 cup diced
• 1 mango 
• 2/3 cup strawberries
• 1 kiwi
• 1 cup cantaloupe
• half a broccoli stalk
• 1 small green bell pepper

Well, now we know how to get our fill of vitamin C, but why do we need it? In addition to the well-known immunity boost, Vitamin C also works like an antioxidant to prevent cellular damage from free radicals and helps us naturally detox. Vitamin C also lowers blood pressure, therefore fighting against a number of diseases like high cholesterol and heart disease. It can also help prevent cataracts by increasing the amount of blood flow to the eyes.

Vitamin C works with and against a handful of other vitamins/minerals. Vitamin C works to help the body in iron absorption and partners with Vitamin E to produce antioxidant benefits to the body. It boosts metabolism and protects the body from Vitamin A toxicity. The body's ability to metabolize copper can be harmed if too much Vitamin C is ingested by means of a supplement.

The amount of recommended Vitamin C depends on age and gender - although everybody's individual Vitamin C needs are different. Adult women are recommended to intake 75mg a day, but at least 120mg if lactating. Men are recommended about 90mg. Children 13 years and under are only recommended to have 15 - 45mg a day. There is a conflict of opinion as to whether high amounts of Vitamin C can lead to toxicity. The National Academy of Sciences recommend not exceeding 2,000mg a day, however alternative cancer treatment has administered patients as much as 10,000mg in a day.

When getting your daily vitamin C is as easy as eating a kiwi or an orange (oh, and by the way, one analysis claims organic oranges have 30% more vitamin C than conventional - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020603071017.htm), it seems that everyone should have no problem covering the Vitamin C requirement. Unfortunately, a 2011 USDA survey shows about a third of Americans are not getting the daily recommended value - a testament to how little raw fruits and vegetables play into SAD (the Standard American Diet). 
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar12/diet0312.htm?pf=1

So grab an orange, or a kiwi, or some pineapple. How about some broccoli? Zucchini? It makes an EXCELLENT base for a variety of sauces and an easy way to get a zucchini or two into a meal. However, if you freeze or cook any of the produce, expect to have a 20-50% vitamin C loss and plan accordingly.

In conclusion, get your vitamin C! It's just as necessary in summer as in winter when cold season comes a knockin'!