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Scurvey...how?
9 April 2014, 15:59,
#1
Scurvey...how?
Just a quick note on avoiding scurvey.

A few things that have more Vitamin C than oranges....

Strawberries
Kale
Bell Peppers (green ones are best)
Broccoli
Cauliflower

To name just a few.

Also, it's worth bumping the name of the humble Brussel Sprout. A handful of Brussel Sprouts is not far off the same Vitamin C content of an orange.

I hope that allows you to relax about getting scurvey post SHTF.
Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism - Thomas Jefferson
Those who sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin
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9 April 2014, 16:00,
#2
RE: Scurvey...how?
sprouts?

I'd rather have scurvy!!! Tongue
in some cases, those with the least to say, say the most.....
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9 April 2014, 16:08, (This post was last modified: 9 April 2014, 16:14 by CharlesHarris.)
#3
RE: Scurvey...how?
Scurvy – Historical Background and Prevention

http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/658/Mayberry.html

Scurvy killed more sailors than all battles, storms and other diseases combined from the 16th to 18th centuries. This paper has given a medical examination of the necessity of vitamin C, an explanation of the physical progression of scurvy, described the effects of scurvy throughout history, and outlined the pursuit of a cure and eventual elimination of scurvy. Today, scurvy is a rare disease that is entirely preventable. Thanks to the efforts of a number of pioneering researchers, we now better understand the importance of diet and necessity of vital nutrients.

Interesting facts:

…. between the years of 1500 and 1800, scurvy was the leading cause of naval death, killing more sailors than all other diseases, disasters, and battles combined.[173] During the Seven Years’ War for example, Britain records indicate that 184,899 sailors were in service.[174] Of those, 133,708 died from disease (largely from scurvy) and only 1,512 died in combat.[175] These numbers illustrate the enormous toll scurvy took on the navies of Europe, killing orders of magnitude more men than battle.

The American Civil War illustrated….that scurvy was land as well as a sea problem. Prior to the Civil War, scurvy was the most common disease in the U.S. Army.[231] For a country whose borders and army were ever increasing, cost, perishability, and logistics of supplying a proper diet to troops in the wilderness proved almost impossible.[232]

….Scurvy also had secondary health effects….. Since scurvy effects the healing of wounds, the disease led to increased mortality rates for those wounded in combat.[241] In spite of bettering medical techniques and medical supplies, the portion of battlefield wounded who died continually increased throughout the war.[242] This increase in death rates for the wounded almost exactly mirrored the increases in scurvy rates recorded.[243]

….After a scurvy outbreak among Union troops during the Peninsula campaign of 1862, the public became aware of the disease and the general problem of proper nutrition in the armies.[252] Civilian groups began organizing event and food drives to support troops at the front.[253] The primary focus of these efforts was to collect potatoes and onions, both moderate suppliers of vitamin C.[254] At this point, citrus was known to be the best source of vitamin C, but oranges, lemons, and limes spoiled to quickly to be of much use if sent to distant troops.[255] one sign posted in Chicago read “Don’t send your sweetheart a love-letter. Send him an onion.”[258]

Most cases in the United States occur in poor urban populations, alcoholics and the elderly.[108] Individuals who smoke or have illnesses such as cancer or renal failure are also prone to scurvy.[109] Today, elderly poor men develop vitamin C deficiencies more than any other group.[110] In fact, as many as 20% of poor, elderly men may have low amounts of vitamin C in their system, although actual scurvy rates are much lower.[111] Even in elderly, poor men, the rates of vitamin C deficiency are highest among those who are confined to their homes, chronically sick, or institutionalized.[112] Overall, scurvy is extremely rare in developed countries due to improved diets and vitamin supplementation.[113] However, cases still occur and medical personnel must be prepared to diagnose and treat this once deadly disease.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/01...pruce-beer

...."Ancient Scandinavians and their Viking descendants brewed beer from young shoots of Norway spruce, drinking the beer for strength in battle, for fertility and to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages," according to the second edition of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America.

Indeed, the British Navy practically required spruce beer as a scurvy treatment, particularly after 18th century experimental nutritionist James Lind published his observations of sailors' recoveries. Spruce beer became a part of daily life for sailors, as Capt. James Cook's 1784 Voyage to the Pacific Ocean describes:

"Two of our men were employed in brewing spruce beer; while others filled the water-casks, collected grass for the cattle and cut wood. ... Besides fish, we had other refreshments in abundance. Scurvy-grass, celery and portable soup were boiled every day with the wheat and pease; and we had spruce beer for our drink. Such a regimen soon removed all seeds of the scurvy from our people, if any of them had contracted it. But indeed, on our arrival here, we only had two invalids in both ships."

While it's true spruce contains vitamin C, recent scholars have cast doubt on just how much of the nutrient would have remained in the brewed version to counteract the disease. Vitamin C concentrations in foods are now known to be dramatically altered by, for instance, boiling and drying. Specifically, when made by fermentation, spruce beer contains no vitamin C, according to John K. Crellin's book, A Social History of Medicines in the Twentieth Century: To Be Taken Three Times a Day.

Even so, for centuries beer drinking of all kinds was considered a better alternative than water, which tended to be contaminated.

This recipe for spruce beer appeared in the first American cookbook published, American Cookery: Or the Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796:

"For brewing Spruce Beer. Take four ounces of hops, let them boil half an hour, in one gallon of water, strain the hop water, then add 16 gallons of warm water, two gallons of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce, dissolved in one quart of water, put it in a clean cask, then shake it well together, add half a pint of emptins [baker's yeast], then let it stand and work one week, if very warm weather less time will do, when it is drawn off to bottle, add one spoonful of molasses to every bottle."
Spruce tips as food and medicine were also widely known to Native Americans and the American colonists. Before Colgate toothpaste, there was spruce resin to chew for dental hygiene. And Alaskan natives still sell spruce-tip jelly and syrup to travelers looking for something beyond blueberry.

Alas, the beer tradition pretty much died out as commercial breweries rose to prominence.

But as more proof that everything old is new again, a handful of craft breweries are now developing their own versions of spruce beer, blending it with ingredients like molasses to mellow the flavor and create that "Christmas tree in a glass" sensation. You don't even need to gather your own spruce these days if you want to brew at home. Spruce On Tap will mail you some freshly frozen samples from trees native to Colorado.

And there's Rogue Spruce Gin from Oregon, infused with spruce, cucumber, angelica root, orange peel, coriander, lemon peel, ginger and more. Why spruce? Brett Joyce of Rogue Ales & Spirits tells The Atlantic: "It was obvious for us, in the sense that we're surrounded by spruce trees."

That's probably why the Vikings came up with drinking their spruce, too.

73 de KE4SKY
In
"Almost Heaven" West Virginia
USA
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9 April 2014, 17:02,
#4
RE: Scurvey...how?
My choice for my vit c would be the peppers but I guess they will disappear after an event as we can't easily grow them without heated greenhouses.....so i'll have to pick another for the future, good post s13 my multivits will be gone in no time.
Nothing is fool proof for a sufficiently talented fool!!!!
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9 April 2014, 17:12,
#5
RE: Scurvey...how?
During WW2 people were paid to collect Rose Hips from the hedgerows so that Rose Hip Syrup (high in Vit C) could be made
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9 April 2014, 17:19, (This post was last modified: 9 April 2014, 17:20 by NorthernRaider.)
#6
RE: Scurvey...how?
Smiffy beat me to it, Rose Hips are loaded with Vit C

Mrs NR says Rickets is making a come back cos paranoid parents are not letting their little darlings get any sunlight on their skin.

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9 April 2014, 17:27,
#7
RE: Scurvey...how?
Some more info regarding rose hips from Permaculture.co.uk

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/m...-rose-hips

Quote:Key constituents

Vitamins A.B,D,E and C (approximately 20-60 times as much Vit C as oranges, weight for weight); flavonoids; tannins; sugars; acids; pectin; carotenoids (lycopene).

Quote:The discovery of rose hip’s high Vitamin C content occurred during World War II. In this period of citrus fruit shortages, the British government organized the harvesting of as many rose hips as possible in England as a substitute source of Vitamin C. This eventually highlighted the importance of rose hips as a superior source of the vitamin, and began its worldwide popularity.

Rose hips also have mild laxative and diuretic properties, and can help treat urinary infections. The iron content in rose hips makes them an excellent supplement for menstruating women. The seed oil extracted from rose hips is of value in reducing scar tissue and stretch marks caused by pregnancy and birthing, due to its tissue regeneration properties.

Resist the temptation to pick the hips off the numerous, showy, cultivated roses in parks and gardens. They reportedly have substantially less Vitamin C in them, and will potentially have been sprayed with pesticides.
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9 April 2014, 18:01,
#8
RE: Scurvey...how?
The humble Balckcurrant is also full of vitamin C. Both Rosehips and Blackcurrants are easy to dry and store. Syrup takes sugar, which may be in short supply. Nearly forgot, Blackberry leaves are another source and it's easy enough to make a tea.

Sailing away, not close to the wind.Heart
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9 April 2014, 18:06,
#9
RE: Scurvey...how?
How stupid do I feel? Completely forgot, blueberries, goji berries, and hawthorne berries too!
Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism - Thomas Jefferson
Those who sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin
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9 April 2014, 21:04,
#10
RE: Scurvey...how?
don't forget sea buck thorn ,taste bloody nasty ,draws you ass up to your elbow's
just read alas Babylon ,so im going to get more salt!!!!
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