Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C are associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease and stroke. Even small increases in levels of vitamin C in the blood reduced the risk of heart disease and death in healthy adults.
For instance, just one extra serving of fruit or vegetable was associated with a 20% lower risk of death from all causes regardless of age, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and use of dietary supplements, findings show.
The risk of death was cut in half for individuals who had the highest levels of vitamin C in their blood compared with those who had the lowest levels.
The report adds to a large body of evidence linking a vitamin C-rich diet with better health and longer life and suggests that small dietary changes could have a profound effect on health.
It is important to know that the antioxidant vitamin C alone is probably not responsible for the lower risk of disease and death observed in the study. Rather, intake of the vitamin is a marker for an overall healthy lifestyle that includes:
The blood levels of vitamin C appear to be a strong and specific indicator of high fruit and vegetable intake, and it may be all the other components of high fruit and vegetable intake that are protective for mortality, not just vitamin C.
As an antioxidant, the vitamin moves through the blood, mopping up DNA-damaging free radicals. These compounds have been linked with chronic disease and aging.
In other findings, high blood levels of vitamin C were associated with a decreased risk for cancer among men but not women.
The study results are based on a single measurement of vitamin C in the blood of nearly 20,000 individuals aged 45 to 79 in England, and medical data over a 4-year period.
The Lancet March 3, 2001;357:657-663
This is quite a powerful study. Some may mistake the findings to justify their use of vitamin C as a substitute for eating non-processed foods. Please remember about 90 percent of the money that Americans now spend on food goes to buy processed food.
Vitamin C will NOT substitute for the real McCoy. One needs fresh non-processed vegetables and some fruits to obtain vitamin C. I advise most adults to eat 20 pounds of vegetables per week. Basically one pound of vegetables at every meal.
I believe vegetable juicing is the key to increasing one's intake of vegetables. I have been juicing for over two years now and usually consume 1-2 pounds of vegetables for breakfast. It is simple and easy to do and really starts one's day off on the right foot.
However, this does NOT mean in any way that I endorse the practiceof a vegetarian diet, as I believe that animal protein is crucial to maintain optimal health.
If you think popping a few grams of vitamin C, drinking some fruit juice, and having a low fat bagel will work, you have a surprise coming in a few years when you get hit with some form of chronic illness.
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