~Health, Beauty & Fitness~

Generally, Vitamin C is so important in making collagen which is an essential nutrient for healthy bones, tendons and ligaments. It could help to lower our susceptibility to colds, viruses, flu, infections, etc. Besides that, Vitamin C could prevent:
1. Strokes
2. Diabetes
3. Blood clots
4. Heart disease
5. Atherosclerosis
6. Hair and tooth loss
7. High blood pressure
8. Joint pain and swelling
9. Various forms of cancer
10. Bad cholesterol
11. Development of cataracts


Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency:
1. Bleeding gums
2. Nosebleeds
3. Anemia
4. Tendency to bruising
5. Low resistance to infections
6. Slow healing of wounds


Sources of Vitamin C:
1. Great source will be the citrus fruit
2. Other fruits - lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, kiwifruit, papayas, cantaloupe, raspberries, watermelon, tomatoes, pineapples and straberries.
3. Vegetables - spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, pepers, celery, peas, romaine lettuce, carrots, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, onions, corn, yams, sweet potatoes, chard, cabbage, parsley and asparagus.
4. Some meats also contain small amounts of vitamin C - oysters, liver, heart and tongue.


Things to be aware of:
1. Broiling, grilling, frying, boiling and lengthy storage can easily destroy the vitamin C in food.
2. Lightly steaming minimizes the loss of vitamin C.
3. Chilled and frozen fruits and vegetables retain the vitamin.
Best to keep them refrigerated or frozen (meats only, not the vegetables and fruits) until you're ready to eat it.