A nutritious diet isn’t full and not using a good dose of vitamin C. This important nutrient is a chemical that the human physique can’t synthesise by itself, so we have to eat loads of vitamin C wealthy meals and doubtlessly take a complement to guarantee that our C-levels are as much as scratch.
On this article, we set out the important thing details about vitamin C: What does it do within the physique, how can we get sufficient of it every day, and is there such a factor as an excessive amount of vitamin C?
Vitamin C: A Transient Historical past
Also referred to as ascorbic acid or L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C was solely found within the Nineteen Thirties by a Hungarian-born researcher named Albert Szent-Györgyi. However lengthy earlier than vitamin C was recognized as a particular chemical substance, medical doctors and scientists had realised that citrus fruits (a key supply of the vitamin) had sure well being advantages.
Sailors on lengthy voyages, with restricted meals provisions, would typically endure from scurvy – a painful situation with signs corresponding to swollen joints and bleeding gums. Nevertheless, it was discovered that giving every sailor rations of citrus fruit or juice may forestall scurvy, although it was solely with the later discovery of vitamin C that scientists realised what the “magic ingredient” within the fruit truly was.
What Does Vitamin C Do in Your Physique?
We now know that the explanation these sailors benefitted from their lemon rations was that the vitamin C they acquired helped to maintain their our bodies match and wholesome in quite a few methods. Let’s check out a number of the health-building properties of vitamin C:
Cell Safety: Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means that it protects your cells from injury by dangerous substances referred to as free radicals. The vitamin binds with and neutralises the free radicals, stopping them from damaging the tissues in your physique.
Collagen Manufacturing: Collagen is the physique’s main constructing protein that’s important in your inner organs and connective tissues to perform correctly. Vitamin C helps to make sure that the physique retains producing sufficient collagen to keep up wholesome pores and skin, bones, and blood vessels.
Immune System: Vitamin C works to spice up your immunity and assist your physique struggle off an infection. Though, as is typically thought, it might probably’t forestall you catching a chilly, research counsel that vitamin C can scale back the period of chilly signs.
Wound Therapeutic: When you injure your self then vitamin C performs a job in your restoration and the swift therapeutic of any wounds.
Iron Absorption: Following a vegetarian or vegan weight loss plan? You could have an interest to know that vitamin C helps the physique to soak up non-haem iron – that’s, iron from plant sources, which is often harder for the physique to make use of. This will forestall iron-deficiency anaemia.
How A lot Vitamin C Per Day is Greatest?
In response to NIH, the really useful allowance of vitamin C ranges between 15mg and 75mg for kids, 90mg for grownup males and 75mg for grownup girls. Girls who’re pregnant or lactating ought to devour extra – as much as 120mg per day. People who smoke want an additional 35mg per day.
Picture supply: NIH reality sheet for professionals
Often you may get sufficient vitamin C from a different weight loss plan that features plenty of fruit and veg (see under) however you may as well take a complement. Most multivitamin dietary supplements comprise vitamin C, or alternatively you possibly can take it by itself.
While you take a look at the label on the complement, you might even see the vitamin listed as “ascorbic acid”, “ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids”, or “sodium ascorbate”. A complement that accommodates ascorbic acid is an efficient alternative, as it is a type of vitamin C that’s simpler for the physique to soak up.
Whereas severe vitamin C deficiency (resulting in scurvy) is now uncommon, sure well being circumstances make deficiency extra possible. These embody AIDS, most cancers, and tuberculosis.
Which Meals Are Greatest For Vitamin C?
Most fruit and veggies comprise some vitamin C; nevertheless, sure varieties are notably beneficial sources of the nutrient. These are:
Greens: Peppers, tomatoes, potatoes (notably new potatoes), and inexperienced greens corresponding to broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Fruit: Oranges and orange juice, different citrus fruits, strawberries, and blackcurrants.
It’s vital to remember that processing and/or cooking can scale back or destroy the vitamin C in a meals. Boiling greens is very dangerous. So strive gentle cooking (corresponding to steaming) and consuming a few of your fruit and veg uncooked for optimum vitamin C ranges.
Can You Have Too A lot Vitamin C? – “vitamin c quantity per day”
The explanation we have to prime up our vitamin C frequently is that the nutrient is water soluble: in different phrases, our our bodies can’t retailer it and it will get flushed out whenever you urinate.
Due to this, it’s fairly tough to have an excessive amount of vitamin C in your weight loss plan – even with plenty of fruit and veg and a average complement. Potential issues often solely come up whenever you’re taking very excessive vitamin C dietary supplements of greater than 1,000mg each day. This will trigger abdomen ache, diarrhoea, and flatulence.
You also needs to watch out in the event you endure from haemochromatosis, a situation the place your physique retains an excessive amount of iron in your blood. That’s as a result of (as we noticed above) vitamin C can improve iron absorption.
Key Takeaways…
Getting sufficient vitamin C is essential if you wish to keep match and wholesome. Reaching the really useful quantity per day is simple with a weight loss plan that options loads of fruit and veg, and for an additional increase you possibly can at all times strive a vitamin C complement.
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