America has a lot of wonderful things to offer: Beautiful national parks, top-notch entertainment, charitable citizens, an unmatched interstate system, opportunity to succeed, freedom… OK, that’s probably enough to make the point.
But America also has a little problem with health. For instance, one third of every American adult has high blood pressure. And according to the CDC’s latest research, high blood pressure is the primary or contributing cause of nearly 400,000 deaths per year.
As if these numbers aren’t distressing enough, having high blood pressure also puts Americans at risk for even more dire ailments: heart disease and stroke. Nearly 800,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year alone, leading to more than 140,000 deaths. Shockingly, occurrences of strokes pale in comparison to the problem of heart disease, which is America’s leading cause of death.
On top of all of this, the CDC predicts that the occurrence of these health problems will 
only grow in years to come. As a parent, these stark numbers and predictions can leave a pit in your stomach. But did you know that simple vitamin C can help prevent ALL of these things in your children?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has been widely researched and its benefits are immense. It is essential for immunity, protecting your body from everything from getting infections to fighting the common cold. Vitamin C also helps lower blood pressure and, when consumed as a youth, lessens the chances of a person getting hypertension as well as other serious health complications later in life. Besides lowering blood pressure, it also ensures that your blood vessels are properly dilated, which can help prevent stokes. Vitamin C has also been shown to be a very effective antioxidant, which helps protect the body from the free radicals that cause oxidative stress. This type of stress often leads to severe medical conditions like atherosclerosis, which causes heart disease.
Because people cannot produce vitamin C in their bodies, it must be consumed. And the best source of absorbable vitamins is fresh produce. But here’s the catch, if you’re not teaching your children to make vitamin C a part their daily diets, they’re probably not getting an adequate amount. Make vitamin C a priority. Your children will thank you when you they’re happy, healthy adults.
For an extensive list of all the fruits and veggies that contain the most vitamin C, click here.