Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps in the fight against rapid ageing and diseases. It supports new tissue growth, is essential for healthy connective tissue in the body, and promotes healthy skin. It improves iron absorption.
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin. Which means your body does not produce it, you have to eat it.
Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps prevent iron deficiency by improving iron absorption:
Iron is an important nutrient that has a variety of functions. It is essential for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Vitamin C helps improve the absorption of iron from the diet. It assists in converting iron that is poorly absorbed, such as plant-based sources of iron, into a form that is easier to absorb.
This is especially useful for vegans, as meat is one of our main sources of iron. Vegetables and fruits are also great sources of Vitamin C.
Fights heart disease risk factors; potentially lowering heart disease risk:
Many factors increase the risk of heart disease including high blood pressure and high cholesterol level. Vitamin C may help reduce these factors, which may reduce heart disease risk.
Boost immunity by helping white blood cells function better:
Vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system. It helps encourage the production of white blood cells, known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infections.
Vitamin C also helps these white blood cells function more effectively by protecting them from potentially harmful molecules such as free radicals.
Vitamin C is an essential part of the skin’s defense system:
It is actively transported to the skin where it can act as an antioxidant that helps strengthen the skin’s barriers. Studies have also shown that taking vitamin C may shorten wound healing time.
Common signs of Vitamin C deficiency:
Bleeding gums
Bruising
Dry scaly skin
Muscle weakness
Joint and muscle aches
Extreme cases of vitamin c deficiency may lead to scurvy: a disease that makes you bleed, bruise, feel weak, and even anemic.
That being said, it should be noted that consumption of vitamin c based diets must also be done in moderation. Eating more than 2,000 mg of vitamin c may cause nausea, diarrhea and kidney stones.
The recommended dietary allowance for Vitamin C/ ascorbic acid is:
Recommended for men per day= 90mg
Recommended for women per day= 75mg
With a balanced diet, your body will absorb the vitamin c it needs. Any excess vitamin c will exit your body in your urine. Also remember to eat in moderation as too much vitamin c may interfere with certain medications or conditions.
Ultimately, vitamin C is very important for your health, and majority of us do get enough from a healthy diet.