Citric Acid Facts
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Natural Citric Acid
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Citric acid is found naturally in many fruits and some vegetables. High levels of citrus are found in lemons, grapefruits, limes, oranges and pineapples. Lower levels are found in strawberries, cranberries, tomatoes, lettuce and cayenne peppers.
Added Citric Acid
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Citric acid can be synthetically produced from sugar. It is added into a plethora of foods and drinks and is used for its tart and sour taste. It also acts as a preservative and is added simply for its preservative quality. Citric acid is added to soft drinks, yogurt, ice creams, cheeses, jams, tomato-based products (such as spaghetti sauce) and canned fruits.
Vitamin C
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Citric acid is not the same thing as vitamin C. Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid with the chemical makeup of C6H8O6. Although almost identical, there is a slight difference; citric acid's chemical makeup is C6H8O7. However, they are both found in many foods naturally, such as lemons and oranges. They are not usually found together when citric acid is an added ingredient.
Intolerance
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Although rare, some people are intolerant of citric acid. When consumed in high amounts, the body has a difficult time digesting and metabolizing it. People with citric acid intolerance should stay away from citric fruits as well as sodas and other foods with high levels of citric acid.
Benefits
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Citric acid has many benefits to the human body. It is an essential component of the digestive system. It helps absorb and break down fats and regulates the body's pH levels. Citric acid prevents bowel disfunciton, including diarrhea. It also can prevent urinary tract infections. For people who suffer from kidney stones, citric acid inhibits the stones from forming, as well as helps break up small stones that are already present in the body.
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