How to Conserve Vitamin C in Foods

Besides being known to ward off the common cold, vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has also been shown to be an effective catalyst of iron and calcium absorption. Plus, vitamin C also promotes healthy teeth and gums. Foods containing vitamin C are known to become less effective if not taken care of properly. Try these tips to conserve as much vitamin c as possible.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. The main thing you can do to conserve vitamin C is to eat the foods that contain the vitamin, completely raw. It should be a snap to eat raw fruits like oranges, tangerines, mangoes, strawberries, lemons and grapefruit. It is also just as easy to eat raw high vitamin c containing vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, broccoli, and spinach.

2. If you do not like the taste of raw vitamin c containing vegetables you should try to steam them as opposed to boiling them. The more the vegetables are cooked, the more the vitamin c is leached out. Steamed Broccoli and cabbage are very delicious.

3. Finally, one of the best ways to conserve vitamin c is to make sure that it is not left out at room temperature for too long, and try not to expose the foods to too much light. Make sure to store potatoes and sweet potatoes in cool, dry, dark places.

[Elizabethknows]

on 6/17/2009 I need C all the time, lol 5*

[jull14]

on 6/15/2009 Wonderful article, thanks for sharing this great article. I love the steps, they are very interesting.

[2besure]

on 6/9/2009 I love broccoli, spinach and cabbage, so I think I am getting enough Vitamin !