Do You Have Enough VITAMIN C?

Vitamin C, also well known as ‘Ascorbic Acid’ is a water-soluble vitamin and a highly powerful antioxidant. It protects one’s body from free radicals which play an important role in the aging process. It helps strengthen the blood vessel and muscles. Unlike other animals, humans do not have the ability to synthesize this vitamin internally. Hence, Vitamin C intake depends solely on natural foods and artificial supplements.

Good amounts of Vitamin C can be accessed from certain fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits such as oranges, strawberries, gooseberries and grapes and leafy vegetables like cabbage, cauliflowers, etc. are great sources of this vitamin. Potatoes, red peppers, parsley and Brussels sprouts too contain considerable amounts of it. However, do ensure to cook food briefly at low temperatures to preserve the vitamin in your food.

Vitamin C Benefits

The requirement of Vitamin C content in one’s body modify according to age. For instance, the study showing the amounts of Vitamin C required outlines intake for adults (18 years and above) as 65-75 mg of the vitamin, whereas for infants (up to 12 months) it is 40-50 mg.

Some awesome benefits of including Vitamin C in your diet

•   Synthesizes the regulation of stress hormones

•   Reduce the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

•   Vitamin C increases the effect of cancer-eliminating drugs utilized in chemotherapy

•   Smokers are suggested daily consumption of supplements of the vitamin as it reduces lead         levels and can alleviate lead toxicity

•   Helps in weight loss

•   Effective for arthritis symptoms

•   Beneficial for skin problems

•   Helps maintain healthy gums

•   Prevents hair growth and leads to the production of hair growth.

Vitamin C deficiency

The deficiency of Vitamin C in a body is quite rare and takes months to develop. The lack of this all-important nutrient essentially means that collagen formation in one’s body has significantly decreased or stopped altogether. A deficiency of this essential nutrient leads to an illness known as scurvy. This severely affects the body’s ability to repair itself. The symptoms of this deficiency have fatigue, muscle, and joint pains, easy bruising, poor immunity, swelling of gums, dry and damaged skin, poor healing of wounds, unusual alterations in bones and unexplained weight loss.

A solution for good immunity, to prevent cataract, stroke, cancer and neurological disorders, the benefits of Vitamin C indeed make it one of the most vital vitamins that got to be a part of everyone’s diet!