Crazy about Vitamin C!
Written by Kathryn Savage
The benefits that come from you morning glass of orange juice may be profound. Vitamin C may protect against heart disease, cancer, memory loss and wrinkles. Vitamin C, long championed for its cold fighting attributes (and ability to protect sailors and pirates from scurvy), has a wealth of other positives.
Here is a page from vitamin C’s resume, as well as a few suggestions how you can up your dose, without overdoing the citrus aisle.
Wrinkles beware!
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and antioxidants – according to a October 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – might fight fine lines, dry skin and wrinkles, the visual effects of aging skin. According to the study, people who ate a vitamin-C-rich diet had less wrinkles and dry skin than people who skipped the citrus. Vitamin C may help form collagen, which smoothes skin, and it may fight free radicals that are thought to break down collagen.
C you in the tropics
Vitamin C may protect against skin damage by blocking ultraviolet rays from the sun. It may be a natural sunscreen.
Heart health-C
Finnish researchers, in a controlled study, found that 700 milligrams of vitamin C supplements daily reduced the risk of heart disease by 25 percent. Studies suggest that by increasing the function of the endothelial cells, vitamin C may prevent arteries from clogging and lower blood pressure.
C-C-C-C-Cancer
In a controlled study, Vitamin C was administered intravenously and encouraged the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which kills some cancer cells and leaves healthy cells intact. More research is needed to prove that vitamin C has a direct relationship on cancer fighting when digested, but the moral of the story may be that an orange a day keeps the doctor away.
Keeps you alert!
Vitamin C and vitamin E supplements may decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 64 percent, according to new research. Day-to-day, a simple glass of orange juice does wonders by giving you an energy boost to get through the afternoon slump.
So how can you make time for vitamin C?
1. Add citrus to greens for a lively summery salad!
2. Buy a multi-vitamin that contains vitamin C or a vitamin C supplement. 700 milligrams is a good amount for most adults (although I usually take around 1,000 milligrams).
3. Buy a juicer and make fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. Don’t like juice next to your morning coffee? Try a fun summery cocktail like this Ruby Red Grapefruit Margarita I found from the archives of the Emeril Lagasse show on the Food Network website.
For more reading on the wonders of vitamin C follow this link.
Ruby Red Grapefruit Margarita
Ingredients
1 wedge organic Ruby Red grapefruit
Coarse kosher salt
6 ounces tequila
1/3 cup Ruby Red vodka
1/4 cup simple syrup
1 cup Ruby Red organic grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 freshly squeezed lime juice
4 cups ice cubes
2 crosswise slices organic Ruby Red grapefruit, cut into quarters
Directions
Use the wedge of grapefruit to rub the rims of 6 margarita glasses with grapefruit juice. Dip the rims in the kosher salt to coat. Set aside as you prepare the margaritas.
Place the tequila, vodka, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice and ice in a bar blender and puree until smooth. Divide the margarita between 6 glasses and garnish with the grapefruit quarters.
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