LEEKS

Health benefits and concerns

Asthma

Vitamin C, present in fruits and vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This anti-inflammatory activity may influence the development of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.

Bruising

Many Americans eat insufficient amounts of foods containing vitamin C; the disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, scurvy, causes easy bruising. While very few people actually have scurvy, even minor deficiencies of vitamin C can increase the incidence of bruising. People who experience easy bruising may want to try eating more fruits and vegetables—common dietary sources of vitamin C.

Capillary fragility

Eating plenty of flavonoid- and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables helps to support the structure of capillaries.

High homocysteine

A controlled trial showed that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables containing folic acid, beta-carotene, and vitamin C effectively lowered homocysteine levels. Healthy people were assigned to either a diet containing a pound of fruits and vegetables per day, or to a diet containing 3 1/2 ounces (99g) of fruits and vegetables per day. After four weeks, those eating the higher amount of fruits and vegetables had an 11 percent lower homocysteine level compared to those eating the lower amount of fruits and vegetables.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

In one survey, researchers gathered information from nearly 400 people (half with MS) over three years. They found that consumption of vegetable protein, fruit juice, and foods rich in vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium correlated with a decreased MS risk.

Health benefits and concerns for vegetables
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other vegetables. Read about health benefits and concerns for vegetables for a full description.