Vitamin C is one of the most well-known vitamins, but do you really know what it is and what it does? That’s what this article will show you: everything you’ve ever needed to know about Vitamin C.
Probably the most talked-about vitamin is Vitamin C. Most people associate it with orange juice, assume that it will help you stay healthier, and know little else about this famous and fascinating vitamin.
The truth is that Vitamin C is necessary for all humans. Vital in the production of collagen, it also helps protect other fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids in the oxidation process. It also has been used to treat iron deficiency and can present and cure scurvy.
So what happens if you don’t consume enough Vitamin C? In extreme cases, it can cause the disease Scurvy. Rarely seen today except in alcoholics who don’t consume many other calories, it causes mobile teeth, bleeding gums, purplish-colored wounds, joint pain, muscle deterioration, and a wealth of other problems.
For those who think they may not be getting enough Vitamin C, the good news is that it is readily available in the form of many common foods. If you enjoy fruit, you can snack on lime, grapefruit, orange, or other citrus fruits. If you are in the mood for veggies, a green pepper, potato, or tomato are among those boasting lots of this important vitamin. Although a lot of the nutrients of the vitamin are damaged during chopping or cooking, the good news is that there is enough Vitamin C in these foods so you will still receive more than the daily requirement which is about 60 to 90 milligrams a day.
There are cases when individuals should boost their Vitamin C consumption. Pregnant women might want to opt for that extra glass of orange juice instead of a soda. Smokers should also double up on their Vitamin C since much of it is negated by that damaging little habit.
If you are very picky about what you consume, you may want to take a Vitamin C supplement as a part of your diet. Water-soluble, these can be found at any supermarket or pharmacy. Fairly inexpensive, they are just as effective as the vitamins you would obtain through natural food consumption.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for good health and wellness. Your body is unable to manufacture vitamin C, so you should ensure that you get enough from the foods you eat and nutritional supplements.
Vitamin C has many different functions in the body, including:
Required for creation of collagen
Vitamin C is essential for your body to create collagen, a protein your body uses to create skin, scar tissue, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels.
Antioxidant Activity
Vitamin c is a powerful antioxidant, meaning that it protects your cells from oxidation by free radicals. The damage caused by free radicals has been linked to disease and aging. Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, can help counteract free radicals.
Deficiencies
If your body lacks vitamin C, you can develop conditions such as bleeding and bruising easily, hair and tooth loss, joint pain and swelling, decreased wound-healing rate, anemia; decreased ability to ward off infection, and in severe cases, scurvy.
Scurvy is the most famous of the effects of a lack of vitamin C, due to the effect that scurvy had on the navies of times past. It took centuries before anyone realized that this devastating disease was from the lack of nutritious foods that contained vitamin C.
Sources:
vitamin C is available from many different sources. Especially good sources are citrus fruits, Australian bush plum, strawberries, tomatoes, goji berries, broccoli, and more. There are also some good Vitamin C nutritional supplements that you can use.
Vitamin C is a very important nutritional component. Be sure that your body gets enough of it!