Federal officials urge consumers who learn about a potentially tainted product to check their cabinets and refrigerators and throw out any found. Most food stores will offer a full refund for recalled food. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C should be doubled or even tripled, say government researchers, because of increasing evidence over the last two decades of the vitamin's cancer-fighting ability when consumed in fruits and vegetables. The National Institutes of Health says the allowance should be 100 to 200 milligrams instead of the current 60 milligrams established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1980. But researchers are not sure if benefits come from the vitamins themselves or from the vitamins plus other components of the food containing the vitamins.
Larger amounts can increase the risk of kidney stones.
My husband has Type II diabetes and we're curious about these alternatives. Chromium picolinate decreased these diabetics' blood cholesterol levels and made the chromium more effective. The average diet contains less than 50 micrograms of chromium a day. Ask your doctor if starting chromium would be right for you. The Diabetic Newsletter is published by The Diabetic Gourmet Magazine and emailed every other Friday.