If I say Vitamin C what do you think of? You probably think of oranges. We have been told our entire lives that oranges contain Vitamin C and they do. Did you know that there are other sources of Vitamin C? I will get to that in a bit.
So what is Vitamin C? First, it's real name is Ascorbic Acid. Second, it's a water soluble vitamin. That means that it is found in the watery compartments of the fruits and vegetables that contain Vitamin C. It also means that when you cook those fruits and vegetables in water, you will lose some Vitamin C into the water.
Why do we need Vitamin C? It is an essential nutrient for our bodies and is responsible for the following functions in our bodies: it is an antioxidant, assists with collagen formation, helps with iron absorption (especially the non-heme form), helps with tissue repair, and is involved with protein metabolism.
What if we don't get enough Vitamin C? The main deficiency disease associated with Vitamin C is scurvy. Scurvy is characterized by bleeding gums, poor wound healing, joint pain, and fatigue. This was a very common disease among poorly nourished sailors.
How much Vitamin C do we need?
Women: 75mg/day
Men: 90mg/day
Older teens: 65mg/day
Pregnant women: 120mg/day
Where can we get Vitamin C?
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Potatoes
Strawberries
Broccoli
And so much more!
Interesting fact: You can only absorb a max of 200mg of Vitamin C at any one time! That means anything over that will go down the drain literally!
Anything over 2000mg of Vitamin C daily will lead to toxicity issues like kidney stones, vomiting, diarrhea, and other GI issues.
We do not synthesize Vitamin C in our own bodies and therefore we need to get it in our diet (food). Food is always a better option over supplements. Hopefully this helps you to C just how important this vitamin is! :)
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