Powerful Anti-oxidants - Vitamin C

Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants: they slow down the aging process and protect the body from cancer, heart disease and pollution.

What it does
Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and fights infections. It makes collagen, keeping bones, skin and joints firm and strong. Its antioxidant properties protect against cancer and heart disease. It also helps make anti-stress hormones, and turns food into energy.

Deficiency signs
Frequent colds, lack of energy, frequent infections, bleeding or tender gums, easy bruising, nose bleeds, slow wound healing, red pimples on skin.

How much?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for children is 25-35 mg, and for adults 40 mg per day.

Toxicity
May cause bowel looseness in excess, but this is not a sign of toxicity and stops rapidly when the dose is reduced.

Helpers
Bioflavanoids in fruit and vegetables increase its effect. Works with B vitamins to produce energy. Works with vitamin E as an antioxidant.

Robbers
Smoking, alcohol, pollution, stress, fried food.

Best food sources
Good marketing has most people believing that oranges are the best source of vitamin C. We extracted some data from Dr. James Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database to compare "oranges with oranges." The numbers in brackets after each food source below indicates how much vitamin C each of them has compared with the same fresh weight of an orange. In other words, 1 tablespoon fresh chillies contains nearly 5 times more vitamin C than 1 tablespoon of orange. Nasturtium contains the same amount and fennel contains about 80% of the vitamin C found in an orange.

Herbs:
Chillies (4,9); watercress (3,4); sorrel (3,1); chives (2,4); parsley (1,9); Coriander (1,6); Borage (1,2); Nasturtium (1); Fennel (0,8).

Fruits:
Guava (3,5); Marula (2); Papaya (1,4); Pineapple (1).

Vegetables:
Cauliflower (2,5); Spinach (1,9); Radish (1,5); Pea (1,5); Eggplant (1,4).

If you are wondering which natural source contains the most vitamin C, according to Dr. Duke it is the rumberry or camu-camu (Myrciania dubia). It contains between 5 and 123 times more vitamin C than an orange.

Just in case you would like to ask me anything about the rumberry. Please don't. I haven't got the foggiest idea what it is.