Want to boost your vitamin C?

Q. What fruits besides oranges are high in vitamin C?

A. Some of the fruits most concentrated in vitamin C per serving (along with oranges) include cantaloupe, grapefruit, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, mangoes, papayas, raspberries, starfruit (also called carambola), strawberries and tangerines. Each serving supplies at least 25-30 percent of recommended amounts of vitamin C for a whole day.

Lots of other fruits supply smaller amounts, and don't forget that many vegetables also provide vitamin C. It's a good idea to eat at least one fruit or vegetable each day that is a good source of vitamin C. But reaching a healthy level of vitamin C is usually not a problem if you eat a variety of the seven to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for most adults.

Q. What's the difference between "multi-grain" and "whole grain"?

A. Multi-grain simply indicates that a product is made from more than one kind of grain. For example, a multi-grain bread or cereal could be made from a combination of wheat, oats and barley. The term does not give any information about whether the grains included are whole or refined grains.

Whole grain means the product includes the grain's bran and germ, which contain fiber, magnesium, vitamin B-6 and vitamin E.

No matter how many grains are used in the multi-grain, if the bran and germ of the grain are removed the amount of cancer preventive nutrients and phytochemicals decreases. Check the ingredient list to see if the grains are listed as whole grains. If not, enjoy multi-grain products but be sure to include several whole grain foods each day.

Q. Is exercise or diet the answer to get rid of flab around the waist?

A. "Flab" that is due to sagging, untoned muscles means you need exercise to strengthen the muscles in that area. Various kinds of crunches (the improved version of sit-ups) strengthen the abdominal muscles.

On the other hand, you cannot get rid of excess body fat around the waist or anywhere else through "spot reducing" toning exercises. Extra body fat means that you've been eating more calories than you burn.

Look for two or three places in your daily habits that you can switch a high-calorie drink to water or a high-calorie food to a smaller portion, for example. You can also boost the amount you exercise.

Many people find that waistline "flab" calls for both losing extra body fat and toning muscles that have gotten out of shape.

Q. Does snacking tend to make weight control easier or harder?

A. It can do both. When you get hungry between meals and don't snack, it can hurt in the long run because when you finally get to eat, you may be so hungry that you quickly eat more than you need.

On the other hand, we sometimes forget how the calories in a series of small snacks through the day can add up. We often select snacks that we can get quickly, whether from a vending machine or cabinet. This can make snack choices likely to be high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Ideally, snacks offer an opportunity to eat more of the nutrients and/or foods we might be lacking, such as: fruit or raw vegetables if you have trouble meeting the 5-10 recommended daily servings; a handful of whole-grain cereal or some whole grain crackers if your meals more often include refined grains; or yogurt or non-fat cappuccino if you are low on calcium sources.

The more important decision is not whether to snack, but if you choose to snack you should plan how you can select nutritious snacks, control portions and avoid snacking purely out of boredom.

Karen Collins, registereddietitian, writes this columnfor the American Institute forCancer Research.Collins has amaster of science in humannutrition. To submit a question,please write to Ask theNutritionist, c/o the Daily Herald,1759 R St.,N.W.,Washington,D.C. 20009.Questions willnot be responded to personally.