I don’t think you will be surprised when I tell you that the most popular of the 13 vitamins we need to stay alive and well is vitamin C. People spend about half a million dollars a year on vitamin C. Because it is a powerful antioxidant, it can help to prevent cancer. However it doesn’t reverse cancer once it is in your body. It is often taken to prevent colds but studies indicate that it doesn’t help unless the person taking it was first deficient in this vitamin.
Vitamin C accelerates tissue healing and cleans up infections. Deficiency in vit C will lead to sore or bleeding gums, easy bruising, restlessness, painful joints, lack of energy and anemia. The first sign of overdose is diarrhea, followed by nausea and vomiting.
Fruits highest in vit C include melons, citrus, kiwis, mangoes, papayas and strawberries. Best vegetable sources are green leafy vegetables, snow peas, bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, potatoes, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, cauliflower, yams and sweet potatoes.
Aspirin, oral contraceptives, antibiotics and other drugs, plus smoking destroy vit C. So does overcooking foods especially boiling them because vit C is water soluble.
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