Orange Juice Is 10x10x10 More Assimilable Than Supplements.
Research has shown that 100 mg. of vitamin C from freshly squeezed orange juice is more easily assimilated and 10 times more effective than 1000 mg. of vitamin C in supplemental form. Bioflavonoids are required for vitamin C absorption. The pulp and membranes of an orange contain bioflavonoids. Supplements may contain bioflavonoids, as an extra additive, but are not as active as a natural source. Supplements aren’t foods. Fresh oranges, fresh squeezed orange juice, lemons and limes are. Supplements, when the availability is factored in on a 10x10x10 scale, are expensive, oranges, lemons and limes, can be bought on sale and can save you money where it really counts: your health.
Lemons and limes are one of our most versatile fruits. We can squeeze them in drinks from ice water to margaritas, put them in baked goods and use them to tenderize tough cuts of meat.
Lemons and limes are rich in vitamin C. In the 1600’s the British Navy discovered that lemons and limes would prevent scurvy, a condition caused by vitamin C deficiency, and added them to their sailor’s diets. That’s how British sailors got the nickname “limeys.” If increasing your intake of vitamin C is a high priority, you’ll want to choose lemons instead of limes, since lemons contain twice the vitamin C per ounce.
Citrus fruits originated in Asia but are now grown and enjoyed all over the world. Lemons and limes are part of the Rutaceae family as are oranges, grapefruits, pummelos, kumquats and tangerines. The white inner lining and, to a lesser degree, the segment divider membranes of citrus fruits, contains the bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids are necessary for assimilation of vitamin C.
In order to extract the most juice, keep the fruit(s) at room temperature and then roll them around on a flat surface to break down the protective sack that surrounds the fruit segments, releasing the juice. If a lime gets a hard skin before you use it, place it in hot water for a few minutes to soften the skin. Or, if you’re in a hurry, pop it into boiling water for 30 seconds or so. The harder the skin, the longer the soak.
Lemons and limes contain flavonoid compounds called flavonol glycosides. Flavonol glycosides have antioxidant and anticancer properties. Besides being high in vitamin C, one lemon provides 8% of the RDA for vitamin B6, 9% of the RDA for thiamin and 10% of the RDA for iron. The tangy acidic part of lemons and limes also helps release nutrients, like iron, from other foods.
Vitamin C has been shown to directly benefit the immune system and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. The antioxidants in vitamin C help neutralize free radical damage at the cellular level. Free radicals scavenge oxygen molecules from the nucleus of healthy cells, damaging the membranes and organelles, which leads to cell mutations. Free radicals also cause inflammation and swelling throughout the body.
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