Eight ounces of calcium fortified orange juice helps maintain blood vessel and bone integrity. Tissues most sensitive to Vitamin C status are those which contain large amounts of collagen such as blood vessels, and bone.
Vitamin C dependent reactions cover a broad range of functions that include phagocytic activity, neurotransmitter synthesis, and hepatic production of bile from cholesterol.
Vitamin C extends vitamin E activity by reducing oxidized tocopherol so that it may again function as an antioxidant. It also improves bioavailability of inorganic dietary iron by maintaining the reduced form which is more soluble and readily absorbed.
Vitamin C is found only in foods of plant origin. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources. An eight ounce serving of calcium fortified orange juice contains 450 mg of potassium, 120 percent of the daily requirements for Vitamin C, 35 percent of the daily requirements for calcium and 25 percent of the daily requirements for vitamin D. Calcium fortified orange contributes to healthy blood vessels and strong bones.
Unsweetened orange juice is a Low Glycemic Index Food (GI 54 or less), it generates a slow rise in blood-sugar. Blood sugar spikes contribute LDL cholesterol becoming oxidized. When LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized (rancid) it causes a cascade of inflammatory reactions that contribute to atherosclerosis: coronary artery disease.
Comments