A new study has found that antioxidant vitamins can help lower your risk factor of contracting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study, which examined more than 6,000 South Koreans over the course of two years, found that participants who maintained a diet that was heavy in vitamins C and E were less likely to develop COPD and had better lung health overall. COPD is much more prevalent in South Korea than in the rest of Asia because 39% of their male population are smokers. Although the findings of one study should never be taken as definitive, the South Korean study does suggest that those interested increasing their lung health add more antioxidant vitamin-suffused foods into their diets.
Oranges and lemons are well-known for being high in vitamin C, but yellow bell peppers and guavas have three times more ascorbic acid than citrus fruits. Vitamin E is plentiful in leafy greens like spinach, kale and chard, as are nuts like peanuts, almond and hazelnuts. Beta-carotenes are also antioxidant vitamins and can be found in fruit like cantaloupe, apricots and tomatoes as well as vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and collard greens. Check out article to find out more about the link between antioxidant vitamins and lung health.
Read the full article here: Researchers Report that Antioxidant Vitamins Reduce COPD Risk