Vitamins or Minerals to Increase Wound Healing

Vitamins or Minerals to Increase Wound Healing
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Consuming a well-balanced diet rich in many vitamins and minerals is important for a healthy body. Wound healing is an important process in your body that requires many vitamins and minerals for proper and efficient completion. Consuming a diet rich in vitamin C, vitamin E and manganese is particularly important for this process.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is required for wound healing. This vitamin aids in the proper growth and repair of cartilage, teeth and bones in your body. It is an antioxidant that protects your body from free radical damage; free radicals are compounds that can cause cellular damage and infection. Many foods contain vitamin C including oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, broccoli and spinach.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E can help promote healing in your body. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that you increase your vitamin E intake in order to support proper healing of wounds, such as burns. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can protect your body from cellular damage and infection. Good food sources include avocados, olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts, nut butters and spinach.

Manganese

Manganese is essential for proper wound healing. Wound healing requires the production of collagen. Manganese is a mineral that activates prolidase, an enzyme that supplies an important amino acid necessary for collagen production in your body. Manganese can be obtained from many dietary sources including almonds, pecans, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, lima beans, spinach, sweet potatoes and pineapple.

References

Article reviewed by Holland Hammond Last updated on: Dec 23, 2010

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