We know what a powerful antioxidant Vitamin C is. Studies now show that it is also useful in maintaining bone mineral density as we age. But did you also know that the risk of vitamin C deficiency increases as we age?

So how much vitamin C do we need in our diet and/or through supplements? Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, MD, points out that most of us fall short of getting the recommended 4 -5 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, and even when we do, we never know how long much of our “fresh fruits and vegetables” have been in transit and on the store shelf. Every day counts as they do lose their nutrients as they age. And as for the answer, there are many “opinions” on what our daily optimal vitamin C intake should be. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) is 90 for men; 75 for women. That’s a far cry from Dr. Low Dog’s recommendation of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables AND supplementing with 200 mg two times a day (dose is more effective if broken into two 200 mg doses vs. one 400 mg dose.) Lara Pizzorno, author of Healthy Bones, Healthy You believes that we need from 1000 to 2000 mg/day total. Everyone seems to agree that the upper limit is 2000 mg/day.

Last week I was looking for a nice, cooling salad to add to a meal featuring some spicy vegan carnitas. Not only did it turn out the ingredients were high in vitamin C, it was also delicious and the guests all returned for seconds.

Cool as a Cucumber Cantaloupe Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 2 t. apple cider vinegar (ACV)
  • Juice of 1-2 limes
  • 1 T. pure maple syrup
  • 3 – 4 cups cubed cantaloupe (one largish melon or a couple of small)
  • Mint sprig, leaves finely chopped

Directions:

  • Place cucumber, tomato and onion in a glass container with a lid. Pour EVOO, ACV over. Add a dash of sea salt and pepper if desired. Cover and give it a shake. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
  • Prepare the “dressing” by adding lime juice and syrup in a small bowl or covered container. Mix well. Stream in the EVOO; whisk or shake to combine.
  • Place cantaloupe in serving bowl. Pour “dressing” over. Strain cucumber/tomato/onion mixture and add to the cantaloupe, leaving the vinegar marinade behind.
  • Sprinkle on fresh chopped mint and toss together.