Vitamin C from Fruits and Veggies for a Healthy Heart

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in wound healing, rebuilding tissue, your immune system, and more.

A study out of Denmark, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, has linked vitamin C to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and early death.

Researchers looked at the eating habits and DNA of over 100,000 Danish people. They determined those who ate the most fruits and vegetables reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by fifteen percent and their risk of an early death by twenty percent.

The researchers believe these health benefits come from the vitamin C found in fruits and vegetables, which they saw in the blood of the subjects.

Medical Xpress:

"We know fruit and vegetables are healthy, but now our research is pinpointing more precisely why this is so. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is a natural way of increasing vitamin C blood levels, which in the long term may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death. You can get vitamin C supplements, but it is a good idea to get your vitamin C by eating a healthy diet, which will at the same time help you to develop a healthier lifestyle in the long term, for the general benefit of your health.” - Boerge Nordestgaard, a clinical professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and a consultant at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital

Foods that contain high amounts of vitamin C include peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and melons.

How many fruits and veggies have you eaten today?