Reasonable vitamin supplementation

At present, the peak of the first wave of infection in many places in the country has passed, and some people have relatively mild symptoms, while others have more severe
symptoms.
The severity of infection symptoms, in addition to being related to the strain, is also related
to the strength of each person's immunity.
People with strong immunity are less likely to have critical illness, and the probability of sequelae after recovery is relatively small, and improving immunity, promoting recovery, and avoiding secondary infection are inseparable from the help
of vitamins.

vitamin A

Vitamin A has the effect of promoting the growth and differentiation of epithelial cells, promoting the proliferation of mucosal cells and maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barrier, and the mucosa is the first line of defense of the immune system, keeping vitamin A sufficient in the body helps to strengthen this line of defense
.

There are two types of food sources of vitamin A: one is plant-based and the other is animal-based
.
Among plant foods, green or yellow fruits and vegetables such as spinach, leeks, pea seedlings, alfalfa, green peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, apricots, and mangoes
.
In animal foods, animal liver, cod liver oil, milk and eggs are high in content, which is a good source of vitamin A, and vitamin A supplementation recommends the following three foods
.

Pork liver Pork liver is very rich
in vitamin A.
It should be noted that there are some risks in cooking animal offal by stir-frying, because the stir-frying process may not be heated enough, and there is not enough high temperature and time to kill parasites in the liver, and the cooking method is relatively safer
.
The cooking time is as long as possible, and the pork liver should be boiled, and a little rotten is also conducive to digestion and absorption
.
If you like stir-frying, avoid "quick stir-frying", let alone "start the pot" for the sake of freshness and tenderness
.
It is necessary to cook and stir-fry thoroughly, so that the pork liver is completely gray-brown, and no blood can be seen to ensure that it is safe
to eat.
In terms of food amount, do not eat too much pork liver, so as not to poison vitamin A, the average adult can eat animal offal 2-3 times a month, 25 grams (raw weight)
each time.
Due to the relatively high cholesterol and purine content of pork liver, patients with chronic diseases who have taboos should eat
with caution.

Spinach Spinach is rich in carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A
in the body.
Before eating spinach, pay attention to blanching water for 1 minute, so that oxalic acid can be blanched 60%-70%.

Regarding the amount of spinach eaten, it is recommended that people do not exceed 3 times a week, and in general, they can eat 200-300 grams (raw weight)
at a time.
Stir-fry a plate of spinach for a meal, and then eat it once or twice a week every day or two, which can be stir-fried, boiled, and cold-mixed
.

Carrots Carrots are a good source
of carotene.
Using oil as a carrier when cooking can make carrots have a higher
nutrient absorption rate.
In general, the maximum amount of oil used to fry a plate of carrots is about 10 ml, which is the amount
of a tablespoon.
If you don't use oil, you can also
have fatty foods such as meat with your meal.

vitamin C

Although there is no confirmatory evidence on whether vitamin C can prevent and treat colds, there is no doubt that for people with insufficient vitamin C intake, vitamin C supplementation does have the effect of improving the
body's immunity.
If there is a long-term lack of vitamin C, the function of phagocytes, an important cell of the immune system, will be affected, and people will be more likely to catch colds, and they are more likely to have burnout and fatigue
.

During the epidemic, people should pay more attention to vitamin C supplementation
.
For the average adult, the daily intake of vitamin C is 100 mg/day and the intake for the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases is 200 mg/day
.
If the dietary intake of vitamin C is insufficient, it can be supplemented by taking vitamin C supplements under the guidance of a doctor, but more vitamin C supplementation is not better
.
Not only does vitamin C in excess not improve absorption, it may also increase the risk of stones, so follow your doctor's advice when taking supplements
.
The best way to supplement vitamin C is to eat fruits and vegetables, the fresher the fruits and vegetables, the better
the vitamin C is retained.
The fruit is convenient to eat, does not need to be heated, vitamin C will not be additionally lost, and three fruits
rich in vitamin C are recommended.

Fresh dates Among common fruits, fresh dates have the highest vitamin C content, up to 243 mg/100 grams
.
When eating fresh dates, pay attention to the fact that you must chew and eat slowly, and chew the outer skin before eating it
.
Since jujube peel is slowly digested in the gastrointestinal tract, it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort
if eaten too quickly.
In terms of food consumption, the average adult can grab a small handful with his hands every day, and eat as much
as he catches.
Fresh dates have a relatively high sugar content, and diabetics should eat
them with caution.

Kiwi kiwi has a vitamin C content of up to 62 mg/100 grams, and eating an average-sized kiwi can meet 1/2
of the daily vitamin C needs.
The average person eats about 400 grams of green leafy vegetables and a kiwi a day, which basically meets the daily intake
of vitamin C.
In addition to being rich in vitamin C, kiwi fruit also contains high dietary fiber and vitamin E, vitamin K, etc.
, which is helpful
for preventing constipation, losing weight and beauty.
Common kiwi fruit has 3 kinds of red heart, yellow heart and green heart, many people do not know which kiwi has higher nutritional value, in fact, they are similar, the nutritional value of 3 kinds of kiwifruit is not much different, choose according to your preferences
.

Strawberries Strawberries are loved by the public, strawberries are not only delicious, but also have a particularly high nutritional value, containing 58.
8 mg of vitamin C
per 100 grams of strawberries.
Strawberries are also rich in β-carotene, β-carotene is an important substance for the synthesis of vitamin A, which has various functions
such as maintaining normal night vision and protecting the skin.
Strawberries are delicate and not easy to wash, it is recommended to rinse under running water for 30 seconds, soak for a few minutes, and then rinse with running water
.

(Professor Yu Kang, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Peking Union Medical College Hospital)

China Food News(2023.
01.
12.
06)

(Responsible editor: Zhu Meiqiao)