Better Immunity with Vitamin C
National Strawberry Shortcake Day is June 14 (who knew?)
Besides making me crave strawberries, it made me think about how foods like strawberries that are rich in Vitamin C, are an important part of a healthy CF diet.
Let’s talk about why you need Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is also a powerful antioxidant. This means that, unlike the fat-soluble category of vitamins like A, D, E and K, Vitamin C cannot be made or stored in the body. Your body takes what it needs and the rest is eliminated through your urine within hours.
That means that we need to take in Vitamin C-rich foods every day to get all of the benefits it provides us.
So, what are the benefits of Vitamin C for CF health?
Vitamin C plays a role in several parts of the immune system. It encourages the production of white blood cells to protect your body from infection. Its antioxidant power helps those cells function efficiently by protecting them from oxidative damage, and even strengthens the skin’s natural barrier against infection,
Most importantly, low levels of Vitamin C are associated with poor health outcomes. One study showed people with pneumonia tend to have lower levels of Vitamin C.
Another reason to include more C in a CF diet is that it helps prevent iron deficiency. We know that iron is important for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen around the body. Vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron from your diet.
Since Vitamin C can boost the level of antioxidants in your blood by up to 30% according to one study, consuming more by diet or supplement can also assist your body in fighting inflammation.
The average person only needs about 75-90 mg of Vitamin C per day, which is easy to get from your diet by including foods like strawberries. A cup of strawberries provides about 100 mg of Vitamin C. They also contain about 4 grams of fiber as well as the all important antioxidants known as polyphenols that protect your body from oxidative damage.
Since strawberries are on the EWG Dirty Dozen list, try to choose organic if possible to avoid excess exposure to pesticides. You’ll need some good recipes, so in honor of the strawberry, here are a couple of my favorites for Chocolate and Strawberry Yogurt Bark and Strawberry Brownie Cake that I love for summer
Try to include some strawberries, oranges, kiwi or other Vitamin C rich foods in your diet every day.
Stay Well!
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