Monday, June 29, 2009

The Health Benefits of Citrus Juice

By Leanne Tyler

A lot of people do not have a citrus juicer at home but are discovering the benefits of citrus juice which is quite significant. Most people are aware of Vitamin C and some of its benefits. What a lot of people are unaware of, however, is that human beings are one of the few species on this planet that does not make its supply of this vitamin.

It has often been suggested that we suffer many of our illnesses such as viruses and cancer due to our lack of Vitamin C. It is responsible for fighting the free radicals that causes damage to the cells in our body. Thousands of years ago, the picture was slightly different as we ate much more fruit than we do today. We have hands that are designed to pick and grasp fruit and so this was an easy food source for us to obtain.

Due to this high level of Vitamin C intake in the past it is believed our body started to produce less and less until today when we produce none. In the modern diet the amount of fruit we eat has decreased substantially. Therefore, our intake of this important chemical has also reduced to a significant and inadequate degree.

Juicing has become a way for us to reverse this and start increasing our intake of vitamins again. It is also an enjoyable, fast and refreshing way to boost our health. It does not require any regular expense of Vitamins or supplements and is all natural.

Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling has been one of the greatest supporters of Vitamin C and the health benefits it has to give. The quantities that he advised to take in though were quite large. It is generally thought we do not need to take in this much on a daily basis. He believed that it would prevent many of the illnesses that we suffer from today.

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, can be found in large amounts in oranges and lemons. Each orange slice contains about 70mg of this nutrient and overall about 50mg per 100 grams of fruit. The recommended daily allowance is only 60mg but this is the minimal amount to prevent scurvy, the classic illness that causes bleeding gums.

Investing in a citrus juicer or fruit juicer is an investment in your health. As you can see from this article, many of the essential nutrients we require can be obtained in this healthy, natural way.

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