Vitamin C and Vitamin E Sources ~ Amkchicago

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that must be consumed in diet. Good sources include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C is needed for body development and functions. It plays important role in immune functions. Most experts recommend getting vitamin C from diet rather than supplements. Vitamin C is used to treat scurvy. Today, most people use vitamin C for preventing and treating common cold. Vitamin C benefits include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease and even skin wrinkles. Vitamin C has received a good attention with good reason. Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan says, “Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health.”

Benefits of Vitamin C:

It helps make collagen
It acts as an anti-ager
It boosts bone mineralization
It could help manage blood pressure
It is neuro-protective
It may improve iron absorption
It could reduce risk of chronic diseases

Daily Recommended Intake:

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recommended daily vitamin C level is;

Age	Male	Female	Pregnant	Lactating
0-6 months	40mg	40mg
7-12 months	50mg	50mg
1-3 years	15mg	15mg
4-8 years	25mg	25mg
9-13 years	45mg	45mg
14-18 years	75mg	65mg	80mg	115mg
19+ years	90mg	75mg	85mg	120mg

Smoker Individual who smokes require 35mg/day more vitamin C than nonsmoker. Smoker need 35mg extra vitamin C, because smoking depletes vitamin C.

Food Sources of Vitamin C:

Foods that contain high amount of vitamin C, citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes are the major vitamin C source in American diet. Other food sources are kiwifruit, green peppers, broccoli, strawberries, brussels sprout, and cantaloup. Although vitamin C also present in grains, it is added in fortified cereals.

Fruits with highest source of vitamin C include:

Lemon
Orange
Grapes
Grapefruit
Citrus fruits
Cantaloup
Kiwi fruit
Papaya
Mango
Pineapple
Strawberries
Blueberries
Cranberries
Raspberries
Watermelon

Vegetables with highest source of vitamin C include:

Broccoli
Brussel sprout
Cauliflower
Green and red peppers
Spinach
Cabbage
Turnips
Sweet and white potatoes
Tomato and tomato juice
Winter squash
Other green leafy vegetables

The best food sources of vitamin C are uncooked and raw vegetables and fruits. Cooking and storing food for longer period of time may reduce the vitamin C content. Microwaving and cooking more than needed also reduce vitamin C content.

Vitamin C content in following foods:

Foods	Mg per serving
Red pepper, ½ cup	95mg
Orange juice, ¾ cup	93mg
Orange, 1 medium	70mg
Grapefruit juice, ¾ cup	70mg
Kiwifruit, 1 medium	64mg
Green pepper, ½ cup	60mg
Lemon 1	53mg
Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup	51mg
Strawberries, fresh, ½ cup	49mg
Brussels sprout, cooked, ½ cup	48mg
Grapefruit, medium	39mg
Broccoli, raw, ½ cup	39mg
Tomato juice, ¾ cup	33mg
Cantaloup, ½ cup	29mg
Cabbage, cooked, ½ cup	28mg
Cauliflower, raw, ½ cup	26mg
Potato, baked, 1 medium	17mg
Tomato, raw, 1 medium	17mg
Spinach, cooked, ½ cup	9mg
Green peas, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	8mg

Vitamin E:

A nutrient that the body needs in small amount to stay healthy and for working of our body. Vitamin E is important for brain, eyes, skin, reproduction and for healthy blood. Vitamin E was discovered by Evans and Bishops in 1922. In 1930s it revealed the structure and biological function of Alpha-tocopherol. In 1940s Filler and other demonstrate that Vitamin E protect tissue from oxidation. Vitamin E is fat soluble, which means it absorb and move through the body to fat. It is stored in liver and fatty tissues and is used when needed. Vitamin E is a nutrient that perform as an anti-oxidant in body. It exists naturally in certain foods. It exists in 8 chemical forms, but Alpha-tocopherol is the best to meet dietary requirements of human. Anti-oxidants protect body from free radicals. Free radicals cause heart disease, cancer and some other diseases. Vitamin E deficiency cause nerve pain (neuropathy). It also enhances Immune functions. Eating vitamin E in foods is not risky, but high doses of vitamin E by supplements (alpha-tocopherol supplements) might increases the risk of bleeding in brain (hemorrhagic stroke).

Health Benefits of Vitamin E:

May slow aging process
Boost immune system
May improve memory
Protect eyes
Improve blood vessels health
Reduce PMS (premenstrual symptoms)
Prevent skin from UV damage and sunburn
Give shine to hairs
Prevent from cardiovascular diseases
Reduce risk of certain cancers

Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin E:

Age	Male	Female	Pregnant	Lactating
0-6 months	4mg	4mg
7-12 months	5mg	5mg
1-3 years	6mg	6mg
4-8 years	7mg	7mg
9-13 years	11mg	11mg
14-18 years	15mg	15mg
19+ years	15mg	15mg	15mg	19mg

Food sources:

Wheat germ oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Soybean oil
Sunflower seeds
Almonds
Peanuts, peanut butter
Beet greens, Collard green, Spinach
Pumpkin
Red bell pepper
Asparagus
Mango
Avocado
Atlantic salmon
Hazelnuts
Pine nuts
Kiwifruit
Turnip green
Mustard green

Vitamin E content in following foods;

Foods	mg per serving
Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon	20mg
Sunflower seeds, 1 ounce	10mg
Almonds, 1 ounce	7.3mg
Hazelnut oil, 1 tablespoon	6.4mg
Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon	5.6mg
Almond oil, 1 tablespoon	5.3mg
Hazelnuts, 1 ounce	4.3mg
Pine nuts, 1 ounce	2.7mg
Peanuts, 1 ounce	2.4mg
Atlantic salmon, half a fillet	2mg
Red pepper, 1	1.9mg
Brazil nuts, 1 ounce	1.6mg
Mango, half	1.5mg
Turnip greens, 1 cup	1.6mg
Kiwifruit, 1	1mg
Pistachios, 1 ounce	0.8mg
Beet greens, ½ cup	1.3mg
Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup	1.1mg
Butternut squash, cooked, ½ cup	1.3mg
Mustard green, cooked, ½ cup	1.3mg
Cotton seed oil, 1 tablespoon	4.8mg
Rice bran oil, 1 tablespoon	4.4mg
Grapeseed oil, 1 tablespoon	3.9mg
Canola oil, 1 tablespoon	2.4mg
Palm oil, 1 tablespoon	2.2mg
Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon	4.6mg

Vitamin C and Vitamin E Sources