Vitamin C has been widely regarded as essential to everyone’s nutrition for years now, especially sailors who were the victims of scurvy and a host of other diseases linked to the lack of fruit and vegetables that were available to them.
Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is one of the most important water soluble vitamins. It is essential for collagen, carnitine and neurotransmitters biosynthesis. Most plants and animals synthesize ascorbic acid for their own requirement. However, apes and humans cannot synthesize ascorbic acid due to lack of an enzyme named gulonolactone oxidase.
For this reason, we need to ensure that our diets are packed with vitamin C and, luckily, many fruits and vegetables contain adequate amounts of vitamin C so getting it is easy. The recommended RDA of vitamin C is 75-90mg, however, recent studies suggest that in order to get the best health benefits from vitamin C you would need to consume 500mg daily, which makes a case for vitamin C supplementation.
Best sources of vitamin C
- Sweet potatoes
- Cantaloupes
- Citrus fruits
- Cooked broccoli
- Red cabbage
- Green peppers
- Red peppers
- Kiwi fruit
- Tomato juice
- Spinach
- Asparagus
The Five main health benefits of vitamin C
Vitamin C lowers your blood pressure
As vitamin C is water soluble, it also acts as a diuretic causing the kidneys to remove more sodium and water from the body, which helps to relax the blood vessel walls, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Lower blood pressure also means that you have less chance of having a stroke and increased cardiovascular health, which is so important today as many people suffer from cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin C boosts your immune system
We’ve already heard of how vitamin C prevents curable diseases such as scurvy and how it combats a variety of diseases. As a result, it boosts your immunity and has been found to stave off illnesses such as colds and flu.
Studies show that vitamin C is essential to stimulate the immune system by increasing the strength and protection of the organism. Due to its role in reducing inflammation, it is essentially for immunity and general health.
Finally, vitamin C protects the immune system, reduces the severity of allergic reactions and helps to fight off infections. If you want to stay fit and healthy then adding more vitamin C to your diet should be a priority.
Vitamin C helps maintain healthy skin and hair
If you want clearer skin and stronger hair then vitamin C plays a major role in making sure this becomes a reality. Vitamin C helps build the protein collagen and coupled with the aforementioned absorption of iron you’ll not only have healthier skin and hair but you’ll maintain it.
Today, collagen is a bit of a buzzword but rather avoid supplementation and consume collagen-rich foods such as berries and foods high in omega-3 such as avocados and salmon. Alongside your vitamin C diet you’ll ensure your natural beauty forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment