Vitamin C in the Inuit diet : past and present

• Main Author: Fediuk, Karen.
• Other Authors: Kuhnlein, Harriet (advisor)
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: McGill University 2000
• Subjects: Vitamin C; Inuit > Nunavut > Baffin Island > Nutrition; Inuit > Food > Nunavut > Baffin Island; Diet > Nunavut > Baffin Island; Baffin Island; Nunavut; Baffin; inuit
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=33397

This thesis explored the place of vitamin C in the Inuit diet through analysis of traditional food sources, assessment of contemporary intake among women aged 20--40 years, estimation of a pre contact intake of vitamin C and qualitative interviews to contextualize current food choices that can affect vitamin C intake. This thesis provides the first reports of vitamin C values for several Inuit traditional foods. There are rich sources of vitamin C in the Inuit traditional food although they are infrequently consumed by this group of women. On average half of the women interviewed in each season met the 1990 Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) set at 30 mg/day, however, only 34% of the group met the new Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of 60 mg/day. Historically, ample vitamin C was obtained through the traditional Inuit food system.