Here's a quiz. Can you tell me how the British got the notorious nickname of "Limey?" Most of us probably don't have a clue, but the story is actually quite fascinating. Many, many years ago when the Royal British Navy sent their sailors on long voyages, they found that their sailors developed poor nutrition. As a result they often developed a disease known as scurvy. Suffering from swelling and bleeding gums, hair and teeth loss, wounds that wouldn't heal, vision difficulties and fatigue and digestive problems, the sailors had a hard time surviving, let alone completing their missions. Fortunately, however, someone astutely observed that if the sailors ate more fresh fruit, the symptoms would not occur. Unfortunately, fruit did not travel well on the high seas.
The British began experimenting to find a fruit that would not spoil when stored in a barrel in the lower hold of the ship for long periods of time. The most beneficial fruit they discovered was, of course, limes! In fact, they found that limes were still good several months into the ocean voyage, allowing the sailors to ward off scurvy and better fight the pirates of the New World who were raiding their cargo ships and throwing their tea into Boston Harbor. Hence, the expression “limey” came to refer to a British sailor.
So, what do Brits, limes and vitamin C have in common? What the British didn't learn until many years later was that the "preventative" agent found in limes is actually vitamin C. Since the first vitamin was isolated 90 years ago, scientists have been studying the link between nutrition and a healthy body. Vitamin pioneers, for example, demonstrated that too little vitamin A brought on a long list of deficiency symp¬toms, including hard lumpy skin, hair loss, liver and muscle problems. And, as more vitamins were discovered, it became clear that other vitamin deficiencies affected the skin as well.
Approximately 100 years after the Brits' "lime discovery," doctors actually isolated the active component in limes, and vitamin C has only continued to draw medical interest since that time. Perhaps one of vitamin C's most famous advocates was the two-time Nobel prize winner, Linus Pauling, who devoted the last decades of his life to researching this vitamin and finding new ways of applying it for treatment of many different disorders, including the common cold, various forms of gum disease, cancer and heart disease.!
Today we know that vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant. But it is also a water soluble vitamin, which means that your body does not store it in any appreciable amount. If vitamin C is not available, the body does without it the best it can. If the vitamin C is available, however, it is used for a long list of biochemical reactions including many that are implicated in wound healing and in the normal functioning of our immune system. It is a very critical co-factor for the normal structure and function of our bodies.
Perhaps better than any other, this vitamin absorbs free radicals from our blood. Free radicals are biologically active compounds that destroy tissue structure, thus accelerating the aging process. In addition, increased levels of free radicals in our blood are associated with an increased risk of cancer, arteriosclerotic heart disease and cataract development. Recent studies have shown that if someone takes 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice a day, it can cut their risk of heart disease significantly. And taking antioxidant vitamins and supplements, including vitamin C, has been shown to decrease the incidence, development and progression of cataracts.
An interesting kitchen experiment can help you visualize the antioxidant effect of vitamin C. Take an apple and cut it in half. Than dissolve a vitamin C pill in some water and coat one half of the apple with it. Leave the other half alone. After putting the two halves next to each other on the kitchen counter and leaving them for a few minutes, you will notice a difference. The half that does not have the vitamin C coating will begin to oxidize and turn brown. As the hours pass it will become soft and "mushy" and will begin to shrivel like a prune. The vitamin C coated half will still look as good as it was when it was part of the intact apple.
Interestingly enough, most animals can synthesize vitamin C. But, owing to a quirk of evolution, man has lost this capacity and has become dependent upon taking it in, either through foods or by way of supplementation. So, what's the moral of the story? Should we all follow the example of British sailors of old and begin consuming limes in order to gain the benefits of vitamin C?
Well, that's one way of doing it. But fortunately, due to advances in modern medicine, we now know that vitamin C can be found in a variety of sources. For instance, it is found plentifully in nature and on our vitamin store shelves. Common sources include; rose hips, lemongrass, corn, hibiscus, Sago Palm, and tapioca, for example. Although these sources of the vitamin are equally beneficial in respect to potency, it is important, to take into consideration any known allergies you may have. For example, if you have an allergy to rose, then you don't want to take vitamin C that is extracted from rose hips. Although vitamin C is also synthesized these days, the synthetic version may be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones. It is therefore better to take vitamin C that has been extracted from natural sources. It is also best to take it in combination with other bioflavonoids such as rutin and hesperdin. Because vitamin C is very acidic, it can, in minor ways, temporarily alter the pH in the digestive tract and create some irritation. For most people, taking six or eight grams of vitamin C can cause diarrhea and sometimes stomach cramping and mucous in the stool. This is not a toxic effect nor is this a dangerous side effect, it is merely a biochemical effect of the concentrated vitamin. Newer preparations of vitamin C, such as Bio En’R-G’y C, are designed as a high dose supplement and prepared so as not to cause stomach upset.
Other than limes, there are many foods that contain appreciable sources of vitamin C. Perhaps the most notorious is orange juice. However, it is important to note that because of how quickly it reacts with oxygen and free radicals, vitamin C has a very short life. For example, if you were to make some fresh squeezed orange juice and leave it on the counter for even a half hour, as much as 75 percent of the vitamin C that was originally in there would be destroyed because of its reaction with oxygen. Other nutritious and delicious sources of the vitamin include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mustard greens, pineapple, spinach, strawberries and turnip greens. Although, cabbage contains a fairly large amount of vitamin C, much of it is often lost because it tends to be overcooked.
So, that's the tale of Brits, limes and vitamin C. And, no, we don't have to become a "limey" to reap this vitamin's gains. But it is interesting to think about the connection… just think of the health benefits we may have missed if the British never gatecrashed our tea party.
The British began experimenting to find a fruit that would not spoil when stored in a barrel in the lower hold of the ship for long periods of time. The most beneficial fruit they discovered was, of course, limes! In fact, they found that limes were still good several months into the ocean voyage, allowing the sailors to ward off scurvy and better fight the pirates of the New World who were raiding their cargo ships and throwing their tea into Boston Harbor. Hence, the expression “limey” came to refer to a British sailor.
So, what do Brits, limes and vitamin C have in common? What the British didn't learn until many years later was that the "preventative" agent found in limes is actually vitamin C. Since the first vitamin was isolated 90 years ago, scientists have been studying the link between nutrition and a healthy body. Vitamin pioneers, for example, demonstrated that too little vitamin A brought on a long list of deficiency symp¬toms, including hard lumpy skin, hair loss, liver and muscle problems. And, as more vitamins were discovered, it became clear that other vitamin deficiencies affected the skin as well.
Approximately 100 years after the Brits' "lime discovery," doctors actually isolated the active component in limes, and vitamin C has only continued to draw medical interest since that time. Perhaps one of vitamin C's most famous advocates was the two-time Nobel prize winner, Linus Pauling, who devoted the last decades of his life to researching this vitamin and finding new ways of applying it for treatment of many different disorders, including the common cold, various forms of gum disease, cancer and heart disease.!
Today we know that vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant. But it is also a water soluble vitamin, which means that your body does not store it in any appreciable amount. If vitamin C is not available, the body does without it the best it can. If the vitamin C is available, however, it is used for a long list of biochemical reactions including many that are implicated in wound healing and in the normal functioning of our immune system. It is a very critical co-factor for the normal structure and function of our bodies.
Perhaps better than any other, this vitamin absorbs free radicals from our blood. Free radicals are biologically active compounds that destroy tissue structure, thus accelerating the aging process. In addition, increased levels of free radicals in our blood are associated with an increased risk of cancer, arteriosclerotic heart disease and cataract development. Recent studies have shown that if someone takes 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice a day, it can cut their risk of heart disease significantly. And taking antioxidant vitamins and supplements, including vitamin C, has been shown to decrease the incidence, development and progression of cataracts.
An interesting kitchen experiment can help you visualize the antioxidant effect of vitamin C. Take an apple and cut it in half. Than dissolve a vitamin C pill in some water and coat one half of the apple with it. Leave the other half alone. After putting the two halves next to each other on the kitchen counter and leaving them for a few minutes, you will notice a difference. The half that does not have the vitamin C coating will begin to oxidize and turn brown. As the hours pass it will become soft and "mushy" and will begin to shrivel like a prune. The vitamin C coated half will still look as good as it was when it was part of the intact apple.
Interestingly enough, most animals can synthesize vitamin C. But, owing to a quirk of evolution, man has lost this capacity and has become dependent upon taking it in, either through foods or by way of supplementation. So, what's the moral of the story? Should we all follow the example of British sailors of old and begin consuming limes in order to gain the benefits of vitamin C?
Well, that's one way of doing it. But fortunately, due to advances in modern medicine, we now know that vitamin C can be found in a variety of sources. For instance, it is found plentifully in nature and on our vitamin store shelves. Common sources include; rose hips, lemongrass, corn, hibiscus, Sago Palm, and tapioca, for example. Although these sources of the vitamin are equally beneficial in respect to potency, it is important, to take into consideration any known allergies you may have. For example, if you have an allergy to rose, then you don't want to take vitamin C that is extracted from rose hips. Although vitamin C is also synthesized these days, the synthetic version may be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones. It is therefore better to take vitamin C that has been extracted from natural sources. It is also best to take it in combination with other bioflavonoids such as rutin and hesperdin. Because vitamin C is very acidic, it can, in minor ways, temporarily alter the pH in the digestive tract and create some irritation. For most people, taking six or eight grams of vitamin C can cause diarrhea and sometimes stomach cramping and mucous in the stool. This is not a toxic effect nor is this a dangerous side effect, it is merely a biochemical effect of the concentrated vitamin. Newer preparations of vitamin C, such as Bio En’R-G’y C, are designed as a high dose supplement and prepared so as not to cause stomach upset.
Other than limes, there are many foods that contain appreciable sources of vitamin C. Perhaps the most notorious is orange juice. However, it is important to note that because of how quickly it reacts with oxygen and free radicals, vitamin C has a very short life. For example, if you were to make some fresh squeezed orange juice and leave it on the counter for even a half hour, as much as 75 percent of the vitamin C that was originally in there would be destroyed because of its reaction with oxygen. Other nutritious and delicious sources of the vitamin include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mustard greens, pineapple, spinach, strawberries and turnip greens. Although, cabbage contains a fairly large amount of vitamin C, much of it is often lost because it tends to be overcooked.
So, that's the tale of Brits, limes and vitamin C. And, no, we don't have to become a "limey" to reap this vitamin's gains. But it is interesting to think about the connection… just think of the health benefits we may have missed if the British never gatecrashed our tea party.
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