Vitamin C may help prevent cancer, according to study of dietary patterns and water quality

A new study from the University of Waterloo uses mathematical modeling to examine how Vitamin C affects chemical reactions in the digestive system that are linked to cancer development. Over the last several decades, North American diets have seen a steady increase in exposure to nitrates and nitrites: compounds found in cured meats as well as fruits and vegetables grown using polluted soil and water. While nitrates and nitrites play important roles in neurological and heart health, in the stomach, they can undergo a chemical reaction known as "nitrosation" and form chemicals that many scientists suspect increase cancer risk.