Category ArchiveNutrition



Nutrition Susannah Singer on 11 Jul 2008

Cinnamon Chips Origin and Constructive Benefits

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by Susannah Singer

It would be surprising if anyone reading this has not tasted cinnamon sometime in his life. Cinnamon is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, that, when dried, rolls into a tubular form known as a quill. Cinnamon is available in either its whole quill form (cinnamon sticks) or as ground powder.

Real cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) from where 10,000 to 12,000 metric tons are exported annually. Oftentimes, both Ceylon cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon (cassia) are labeled as cinnamon. Most powdered cinnamon sold in the United States is actually cassia. If you want to find the sweeter, more refined tasting Ceylon variety, you may need to shop in a local spice shop.

Cinnamon has a rich history dating back 4800 years to China. The name is derived from the Greek word kinnamomon. It is mentioned in the history of Israel for it was used in the tabernacle in their anointing oil (Exodus 30:23). It was also used because if its fragrance (Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 4:14; Revelation 18:13). Cinnamaldehyde is the compound in cinnamon that gives it the customary scent and flavor.

Ancient Egypt was famous for their skill in embalming, a process which used cinnamon. They also used it in medicines and flavorings for drinks and food. Cinnamon became expensive by the Middle Ages and was a major indication of a person’s social status.

Though most commonly used as a spice, cinnamon has many health benefits. Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. Other studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to stop some types of yeast infections.

Cinnamon can reduce arthritic pain in just one week, according to a study at Copenhagen University. Cinnamon is a natural food preservative. Food containing cinnamon spoils at a slower rate because it inhibits the growth of certain bacteria. Cinnamon also reduces heart problems because of its anti-clotting factor. Lymphoma and leukemia cancer cells stopped spreading in the presence of cinnamon, according to a study in Maryland at the Department of Agriculture.

Use of cinnamon can even help you think and memorize. It also fights E. coli bacteria found in unpasteurized juices. Cinnamon is a great source of calcium, iron, fiber, and manganese. The calcium and fiber combined help remove bile and this prevents damage to the colon and reduces colon cancer. The fiber also relieves irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.

Cinnamon has been used to treat yeast infections of the mouth and vagina, stomach ulcers, and head lice. Components of the essential oils are responsible for these healing qualities. Cinnamon also fights bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Cinnamon has also been valued through history for its warming qualities. This use can be traced back to traditional Chinese medicine. It can provide relief at the onset of a cold or flu by giving the patient tea with cinnamon and fresh ginger.

Some suggestions on using cinnamon: Enjoy cinnamon toast with a healthy twist. Drizzle flax seed oil onto whole wheat toast and then sprinkle with cinnamon and honey. Simmer cinnamon sticks with soy milk and honey for a deliciously warming beverage. Adding ground cinnamon to black beans to be used in burritos or nachos will give them a uniquely delicious taste. Healthy saute lamb with eggplant, raisins and cinnamon sticks to create a Middle Eastern inspired meal. Add ground cinnamon when preparing curries.

A few cautions are in order. Don’t think that because a little cinnamon is good for you, a lot is better. Large amounts can be toxic. Cinnamon should not be used in place of prescription medicines either. If you want to keep cinnamon fresh, store it in a tightly sealed glass container in a dark, cool, and dry place. The smell of it will tell you if it is fresh and sweet.

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Nutrition George Mole on 29 Jun 2008

Whole Fruit Juicers Explained

by Jacqui Freeman

There are many ways that an individual can attempt to live a healthier lifestyle. Some of those methods can be simple in nature and some methods can expensive or inexpensive.

For example an individual may choose to simply walk 30 minutes each night or pay expensive membership fees to a health club. Or an individual may choose to watch what they eat or they may choose to buy an appliance that when used may allow the individual to eat more healthy.

The whole fruit juicer is such an appliance to use. When deliberating this product, it is important to know exactly what it is and what benefits it provides.

A whole fruit juicer is the perfect kitchen appliance for health-conscious individuals who are interested in the proper foods and their health benefits. The entire fruit will fit into this new product and be converted it into an instant drinkable juice.

Obviously, it is impossible to juice some fruits in their whole state. Avocados, mangoes, plums, peaches, etc. are among those included in this group. This is due to the fact that these fruits all contain a large pit, which can easily cause damage to a whole fruit juicer’s blade.

Also, make sure not to juice the entire orange in a whole fruit juicer. Make sure to remove the peel from an orange before you juice it, as the peel will make the juice very bitter.

When using a whole fruit juicer, the main benefit is that the fruit needs no preparation. To make juice, fruit can just be put whole into the juicer, with no cutting or other preparation.

Another benefit to using a whole fruit juicer is the nutrients found in the whole fruit rather than just what is found in the juice. This is extremely important because through the use of a whole fruit juicer the individual receives the nutritional benefits found in the outer skins of many of the fruits. That is because the outer portion of the fruit or the skin is the area that has the most contact with the sunlight.

Those that focus on eating and drinking healthy foods can really take advantage of the whole fruit juicer because they are able to drink the nutrients from the sun that they would normally miss out on, since many of these are held within the numerous pigments of the fruit’s skin. Carotenoids and flavonoids, which are helpful in fighting cancer, are present in this pigmentation.

Also, you can take full advantage of the pulp by using the whole fruit juicer and ingest all the fiber it provides.

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Nutrition Tiffany M Stevens on 17 Jun 2008

Fat Loss For Idiots Program Helps Thousands Lose Fat Fast

by Tiffany M Stevens

If you’re one of the people trying to lose annoying Belly Fat I’m sure you’ve read somewhere that crunches and sit-ups are the way to go for the simple reason that those exercises use the abdominal muscles.

The truth is that performing situps will make your abs a lot stronger and strengthen your abs. They can also make your abs stronger and you could look much slimmer as a result because of your newly improved muscles holding back your fat better. It doesn’t actually reduce your belly fat. Here’s proof.

For a lasting solution to the issue of how to lose belly fat, you’ll need to get clear about how our body works and how it’s possible to lose weight safely. A system that works for many people is Fat Loss for idiots and you can get more information here.

The fact is that if you’re going to lose weight from any part of your body you’ll benefit from regular exercise. The most visible and obvious area of excess fat is your belly and nothing is able to alter that.

If you don’t exercise adequately or if you over eat for a long period of time, an area that naturally shows this excess more than other areas is your belly. In addition, if you begin to exercise and lose weight, it disappears first and quickest from your belly area. So what does this mean? It means that no special “belly exercises” are necessary. Instead just healthy exercise and a scientifically proven regime that works for 9 out of 10 people

Additionally, regular exercise and diet play a key role in gaining or losing weight. You can do lots of exercises and still put on weight if you’re eating bad stuff in large quantities. Therefore, both diet and exercise are required to get the most benefit. Here’s how to get started losing belly fat.

Change your diet. Burn more calories than you take in. Get to the stage where you “burn” the calories stored as fat in your body. Your diet is key to lessening the number of calories you take in and will help, as does lowering the actual quantity of food you eat. Been eating disproportionate amounts of food? Now is the time to get serious and find a program that works for you. Click here for more information.

You can lose your belly fat and be attractive and sexy. The key ingredient though is to get some help for free from people who about how to lose belly fat. Eat less and exercise while using the Fat Loss for Idiots program.

Losing belly fat while following the new Fat Loss for Idiots program will help you uncover more about these and other simple steps you need - That belly fat can be lost and be a thing of the past but you need to take action - You need to start today

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Nutrition Trent Barrett on 13 Jun 2008

Finding The Best Home Water Purifier Systems

by Trent Barrett

Home water purifier systems are becoming increasingly important today, with the growing possibility of compromised drinking water systems and more questions about the safety of our water supply. But it will take more than just a faucet water filter to give you great results. Good home water purifier systems need professional installation and take up a good bit of your under-counter space. This means you must consider cost of the system, cost of installation, and the space it will take up as well as its appropriateness for purifying your water, and compare that with the costs of drinking bottled water or doing nothing. The purification system that works best for your needs is always the best one for you.

When you’re looking for the best home water purification system, there are several questions you should ask. First, how long will it last without needing a filter to be changed? This isn’t just important from the perspective of cost, but also convenience. Depending on where your home water purification system is installed, one that requires frequent changing could be more trouble than it’s worth.

Which contaminants do you need to remove with a home water purifier? Home water purification systems all remove different contaminants and contaminant types, from biological contaminants to heavy metals. You should be absolutely certain that your chosen filter type removes the contaminants that are a problem for your water. The good news: a reverse osmosis system removes almost every type of contaminant, and though it delivers a relatively small quantity of water daily (about 15 gallons) it’s more than enough for your drinking water requirements.

How much does the home water purification system cost? Cheap systems are simple and attach directly to your faucet; they remove contaminants by filtering water through activated carbon, but don’t get much. On the high end, industrial-grade UV systems destroy all biological contaminants, like bacteria and amoeba, far more effectively and safely than chlorine, but can cost over a thousand dollars. Most systems run around $200 or a little more, but installation may cost you more if you need to have a plumber or other professional install it. Offset the cost with an assessment of how much your bottled water is costing you. Also, if you’re examining a shower filter, your filter will save you money in quality shampoos and body soaps; these filters remove drying and damaging chlorine, and will help your expensive bath products work the way they’re supposed to.

There are four basic types of home water purification systems that are available on the general market. Reverse osmosis systems install under the counter, and use a passive filter system (one without pressure) to collect water in a reservoir at a rate of about fifteen gallons a day. UV systems use light technology to kill germs in your water supply, but don’t remove any other contaminants; this makes them great for spring water or other non-municipal supplies that are otherwise fine. Activated carbon filters are commonly used in the faucet filter systems, but are also used in larger systems to provide clean water on a larger scale; they work pretty well, but need frequent filter changes. The KDF-55 filters are generally attached to a showerhead to remove chlorine and soften your water, making your shower water healthier for your skin and enabling your expensive bathing products to work better as well. Know these differences before you buy, and you’ll save yourself money and time.

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Nutrition Trent Barrett on 13 Jun 2008

Choosing A Home Water Purifier System

by Trent Barrett

Home water filters are easy - just attach to your faucet and use. A home water purifier system is significantly more complicated, but in the end the improved water quality is worth it. While you’ll need to include professional installation into the cost and give up some of your under-counter space to it, a good home water purifier system will deliver bottled-quality water to your faucet, giving you quality you’re willing to pay for at a fraction of your normal cost. If you use a lot of bottled water and have the space to include it, you should consider installing a home water purifier system.

When considering home water purifiers, you’ll want to learn about their filter systems. Do you need to change filters frequently? This is an issue for some filter types, and it’s important not just because of cost but because of the convenience factor. If you neglect to change your filter frequently enough, the water you drink just before filter changes could be more contaminated than unfiltered water. If you’re the sort who will put off such tasks, you should probably invest in a system that does not require changes.

Which contaminants do you need to remove with a home water purifier? Home water purification systems all remove different contaminants and contaminant types, from biological contaminants to heavy metals. You should be absolutely certain that your chosen filter type removes the contaminants that are a problem for your water. The good news: a reverse osmosis system removes almost every type of contaminant, and though it delivers a relatively small quantity of water daily (about 15 gallons) it’s more than enough for your drinking water requirements.

You have to consider cost when selecting a home water purifier. Cheap systems attach directly to your faucet and use activated carbon, but the filters they use need frequent changing and don’t filter out as much as you might like. On the other end, UV filters can cost as much as a thousand dollars, but they will kill anything living in your water without chlorine or other chemical additives. In general, though, home water purification systems sit right in the $200-300 price range, with installation extra. This can be a real bargain if you drink a lot of bottled water; once installed, a water filtration system needs very little maintenance and you can make your own filtered water at about a nickel a gallon. Compare that with your regular bottled water costs, and decide for yourself whether it’s a net gain.

You’ll find four basic types of home water purification systems. Reverse osmosis systems are best for most needs, and keep purified water in a tank beneath your sink after contaminants have been filtered out with an osmotic membrane; they often include a UV purifier and an activated carbon filter as well. UV systems eliminate biological contaminants, making them perfect if you depend on “country” water instead of a municipal supply. Activated carbon filters are cheaper, but remove a limited number of contaminants and need fairly frequent changes. Finally, a KDF-55 filter acts in your showerhead to remove those contaminants, soften water, and eliminate chlorine. Understanding the differences between these different filter types will enable you to make an intelligent choice about which is right for you.

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Nutrition James Richardson on 08 Jun 2008

Vegetarian Diet Plans and My Story

by James Richardson

The purpose of a vegetarian resource is to have a educational materials ready to help inspire you with the new lifestyle as a vegetarian. To show you the benefits in your nutrition, environment and ethics. Most of these resource centers are non-profit and dedicated to your education. The idea one would be A to Z reference guide with all the facts.

Resource groups for vegans will be open to new ideas for all topics for new food combos and also how to deal with your family on Thanksgiving. The Vegan how to group will be a great help with all the challenges of your meat eating friends. Use it as your fact center for this new vegetarian lifestyle.

Vegetarian standards are different according to the vegetarian society, such as terms like vegetarian or vegan. The vegan is the higher standard vegetarain but the later is the minimum vegetarian. There is so much confusion over those terms, even in food labels.

Vegetarians that are the minimalist would eat eggs and cheese because it does not cause the death of an animal. Simple meals like tomato sauce and pasta has been an easy one for years. A food that is more of a cuisine is the Middle Eastern foods because they are innovational in taste.

Being a vegetarian is easy; it will not be a pain to do at all. Most of my adult life I was not a vegetarian, I listened to the claim that you need to eat meat for more muscle to grow. Then I hear the statement of cows just eat grass and look at all the meat they supply. Farms growing what we need has kept us hear for thousands of years.

Health care cost are costly everybody to much money from disease. If we eat less meat there is a good change there wound be less heart problems, lower cancer rates and overall less obesity in the world. I am sorry if this sounded like a rant or something.

If you are new to the vegetarian lifestyle, a gradual change would be best for most. Make the move with using many more mushrooms, keep it familiar at first. If you do not do this you will cram youself full of facts you don not need at first. You will be able to live without animal protein.

Your food will not be boring; your diet will be many of the same fruits and vegetables you eat today. Meat industry would have you belief you will just fall over, what a joke. It is advisable to live without meat, it’s healthier. The reason it is heather is you will have a permanent reduction in your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure.

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Nutrition Kim Archer on 06 Jun 2008

Crack Open an Egg for Your Health

by Kim Archer

Reading the headlines these days, you might just be confused about whether or not eggs should be a part of your healthy diet. One day you’ll read that you shouldn’t have more than two eggs every week, the next day another expert is proclaiming that there’s nothing wrong with two eggs a day.

The food guides tell us that eggs are an excellent source of protein. Recent studies have also shown than eggs are a dieter’s best friend. Because protein stays with you longer than carbohydrates, you’re not hungry so soon after eating. According to the Rochester Center for Obesity in Michigan, having a couple of eggs for breakfast can cause you to slash your food intake for the rest of the day by up to 400 calories!

There are some other benefits to eating eggs that most people aren’t aware of. For instance, egg yolks are full of an antioxidant called lutein. Lutein is believed to promote your eyesight health. It forms a shield for the retina by blocking damaging light rays; thus, it works by blocking inflammation of the macular pigment.

Do you want to increase your brain power a little bit? Egg yolks are high in choline (300 mcg in one egg yolk), which is the major component present in acetylcholine. Acetylcholine provides flexibility to neurons within the brain, and aids in keeping the memory sharp. The good news is that you can aid your neurons in accepting, processing and storing information more quickly and efficiently, just by eating a single egg! This makes eggs an excellent memory-boosting tool.

If you’ve been plagued by urinary tract infections (UTIs), then you might also be glad to hear that eggs can help you stave them off in the future. Eggs contain peptides, which are found in the whites of eggs as a protein that binds to the infectious E. coli bacteria and doesn’t let them latch on to the walls of the urinary tract.

Carefully consider the information and its source before deciding that eggs are detrimental to your health. There is no correlation between eating eggs and heart disease, according to a report released by the Harvard School of Public Health. And according to some studies, eggs actually lower your risk of strokes and heart attacks!

Saturated fat is what contributes to a rise in cholesterol, and eggs only contain 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of the ‘right kind’ of fat you want to put in your body. In addition to being healthy, eggs contribute some beauty basics your body needs, like helping your hair and nails by providing sulpher, vitamins, and minerals.

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Nutrition Alison Addy on 05 Jun 2008

Bioavailability of Iron in Our Bodies

by Alison Addy

This article talks about the importance of iron in our body and things that affect the bioavailability of iron in vitamins.

Necessity of Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential to our overall health and growth. They play such a large part in our body. From producing and maintaining necessary enzymes and tissues to helping our organs to function properly, vitamins and minerals are a necessity for a healthy life. There are different ways to acquire the vitamins and minerals we need. Because they are available in animals and plant tissues, we can get many of these by eating vitamin rich foods. However, if you don’t feel you will get what you need just by the foods you eat, there are vitamin supplements you can take in tablet or pill form.

Iron - One of the Important Ones

Iron is a very important mineral for our bodies. From the time we were little we’ve all been told to take our vitamins to put iron in our body so we don’t become anemic. The primary purpose of iron is to help in the production of hemoglobin, myoglobin as well as other enzymes. Hemoglobin is the primary component in our red blood cells while myoglobin is the primary source of protein in our muscles. The iron in our bodies delivers oxygen to our muscles by way of our blood, which is a way to get energy into our cells. Another role of iron is to remove carbon dioxide from our cells. Many people today are deficient in iron, especially woman. In fact, when we go to the doctor with symptoms of feeling listless, run down and tired, the first test they will do is a test to see if you’re anemic.

The way iron is absorbed in our body is different depending on if we got our iron from natural sources in food or by vitamin supplements in pills or tablets. For this reason, the bioavailability of iron in supplements is often at debate. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of iron in our body is 18 milligrams, but some iron supplements exceed this amount, which makes many question the effectiveness of the bioavailability of the iron content in vitamins. The bioavailability of iron in vitamin pills and tablets is affected differently in each person. If we take more than we should, we may get a sour or upset stomach. Actually, because we get iron from the foods we eat regularly, the bioavailability of iron in vitamin tablets should be reduced.

Since it is medical professionals and pharmaceutical firms that are ones that are putting limits on the iron content in vitamins, the question of bioavailability of iron in vitamins should be addressed with them. The fact that we get iron in many of the foods we eat should be taken into consideration, although there are certain circumstances where certain people need more iron such as pregnancy and patients with anemia. Too much iron can cause problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

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Nutrition Julia Hanf on 05 Jun 2008

Sweet Yoga

by Julia Hanf

Can yoga really help diabetics, too? While we know that yoga has gained popularity in recent years, what kind of health benefits does it provide? Recent studies have been conducted to determine if certain yoga poses actually help reduce blood sugar levels in persons with Type II diabetes. What they found was the link not only to lowered blood sugar levels, but the associated benefits of reducing stress for diabetics.

There are two types of stress, good and bad. Good stress is the kind that does not impact an individual’s physical or emotional health as bad stress does. A negative stressor causes the release of cortisol and glucagon. They impact blood sugar levels in the body. They raise blood sugar levels in opposition to insulin. Over time, the biochemical changes can promote the likelihood that insulin will be ineffective to lower and manage blood sugar levels in a diabetics. Exercise that not only works the cardiovascular system, but reduces stress level, therefore, is beneficial to diabetics.

Diabetes affects up to five percent of the world population. It is continually increasing in numbers daily. There are three commonly known types of diabetes, Type I, Type II and Gestational diabetes. Of the three, the most widely publicized is the noninsulin-depended diabetes mellitus, or NIDDM, commonly known as Type II. There are many factors that contribute to the onset of diabetes including lifestyle and genetic factors. While genetic factors predispose an individual to develop the disease, healthy choices are the key in preventing the onset of diabetes. Increasing activity that helps maintain healthy weight and stress levels is a crucial part of any prevention or management plan.

The yoga patients took part in one or two 90-minute sessions a week and were asked to practice at home. The classes included the specific yoga exercises of the spinal twist, the bow and abdominal breathing.

Diabetes affects up to five percent fo the world population. In Western Europe alone there are twelve million diabetics. Of course this includes the three commonly known types of diabetes, Type I, Type II and Gestational Diabetes. Of the three, the most heard about is the noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or NIDDM. It is often referred to as Type II. There are many factors that impact Type II including genetic and lifestyle influences. While we may carry the genetic code for diabetes, lifestyle changes can prevent the onset of Type II.

After twelve weeks, blood sugar levels in the yoga group participants, as recorded throughout the study, dropped significantly. The control group’s blood sugar levels remained the same or slightly increased in comparison to the yoga study group. The yoga participants were successful in managing their diabetes through the use of yoga. Three participants reduced medication dosage, including a male who had been taking the same dose for twenty years.

It is not necessarily the exercise component of the yoga therapy package which is most important, because there is not enough physical exercise to account for the changes, but stress reduction has a lot to do with it. Stress hormones increase sugar levels in the blood. People also benefit from the stabilization of their moods which yoga brings, an increased feeling of well-being and a feeling of being more in control, which may help with their diet control.

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Nutrition Alison Addy on 04 Jun 2008

What Happens With A Vitamin A Deficiency

by Alison Addy

This article is about Vitamin A and its importance in our body and what to do to prevent an Vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamins A is a Necessity

Vitamins are very important for our body and overall health. Our mothers really did know what they were talking about years ago when they told us every day to take our vitamins. Now as adults, and sometimes with children of our own, we realize the importance of these vitamins. Although, they are needed for different functions, they are all needed. Most of these vitamins can be obtained in the foods we consume daily. However, if we’re unable to get these vitamins in foods, there are supplements we can buy from a pharmacy, health store or with help from our doctor. Vitamin A is an important vitamin for our health and overall well-being.

Vitamin A Deficiency Can Be Harmful

Vitamin A is necessary part for our body. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in our body. Unlike water-soluble vitamins that go through our bodies when we urinate, fat-soluble vitamins stay in our body and are stored until they are needed. Very seldom do we see people that suffer from a Vitamin A deficiency, but when they are diagnosed, they usually require immediate supplementation. Pregnant and nursing mothers as well as young children are the most common to develop a Vitamin A deficiency. This can be dangerous and even life threatening for these individuals.

When someone develops a Vitamin A deficiency, the cause is usually from not eating enough foods that contain Vitamin A. There are circumstances, however, where you body cannot store or use the vitamin as it should, which may also cause a Vitamin A deficiency. It’s not that hard to consume an adequate amount of Vitamin A as it is in many foods. Some excellent sources of Vitamin A are liver, milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, lettuce and broccoli are very good sources of Vitamin A as well.

Reactions of Vitamin A Deficiency

There can be very serious consequences resulting from Vitamin A deficiency. Individuals that develop a Vitamin A deficiency that resulted from not having enough Vitamin A in their diet as a child may often develop blindness or visual impairment. Children with a Vitamin A deficiency are also at higher risk for death or serious illness from otherwise routine childhood diseases. One example of these is measles. Although these situations are not common in our country, it’s still very important to not take the risk. Unfortunately, this is a common problem in the third world where their children are born blind or with serious vision problems due to a Vitamin A deficiency. Pregnant and nursing mothers should always make sure they get the correct amount of this very important vitamin.

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