A little wonder, every day
Vegetables and scurvy
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AI-generated historical-inspired food still life with vegetables and ship provisions; not documentary. Origin: OpenAI image generation, 2026-10-25.
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Scurvy is caused by a prolonged lack of vitamin C. Fresh fruit and vegetables, including citrus, cabbage, and other greens, could help prevent it. In the 18th century, scurvy was especially associated with sailors on long voyages; there is no basis for explaining its spread among nobles by an alleged disdain for “commoners’ vegetables.”