U.S. Census Bureau highlights vitamin C

U.S. Census BureauApr 5 2010

Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

Profile America — Sunday, April 4th.  Today, we should raise a toast of orange juice to Dr. C.C. King of the University of Pittsburgh.  It was on this day in 1932 that he isolated vitamin C. Before then, people knew that eating citrus fruit and fresh greens warded off certain diseases, such as scurvy, but didn't know why.  Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is one of the substances required to sustain life.  Studies have shown that people with high concentrations of vitamin C in their blood have greatly reduced rates of heart disease.  Usually associated with fruit, vitamin C is also found in potatoes — which is good, because while Americans on average consume 18 pounds of fresh citrus fruit a year, they eat 39 pounds of potatoes.  Profile America is presented by the U.S. Census Bureau, now conducting the 2010 Census.