Vitamin C, additionally known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble important vitamin that the human physique is unable to synthesise. Subsequently, it’s essential to consumption vitamin C from dietary sources. Vitamin C performs many very important physiological roles within the physique. It’s a highly effective antioxidant that helps with the prevention of illnesses similar to diabetes, cataracts, atherosclerosis, coronary heart illnesses, and most cancers.
Beneficial Consumption of Vitamin C
In keeping with the Nationwide Institute of Well being (NIH), the present really helpful dietary allowance for vitamin C is as follows:
| Age | Male | Feminine |
| 0-6 months | 40 mg | 40 mg |
| 7-12 months | 50 mg | 50 mg |
| 1-3 years | 15 mg | 15 mg |
| 4-8 years | 25 mg | 25 mg |
| 9-13 years | 45 mg | 45 mg |
| 14-18 years | 75 mg | 75 mg (pregnancy-80 mg, lactation- 115 mg) |
| 19+ years | 90 mg | 75 mg (pregnancy-85 mg, lactation- 120 mg) |
| People who smoke require 35 mg/day extra vitamin C than non-smokers. | ||
Well being Advantages of Vitamin C
Fights In opposition to Free Radicals
It’s no secret that vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help in strengthening the immune system. It helps to guard the cells from free radicals. Too many free radicals trigger oxidative stress that causes numerous persistent illnesses like most cancers, Neurodegenerative illnesses (similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), Arthritis, Power irritation and age-related eye circumstances (like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration). Vitamin C neutralises free radicals and prevents mobile harm. Research declare it has free radical scavenging and pro-oxidative elements.
Regulates Excessive Blood Strain
Vitamin C assists in decreasing hypertension by appearing as a diuretic. It encourages the kidneys to take away extreme sodium and water from the physique and relaxes the blood vessel partitions, reducing blood stress. Scientific research point out that taking vitamin C dietary supplements can result in a lower in each the higher (systolic) and decrease (diastolic) numbers of your blood stress studying. In less complicated phrases, it might assist in reducing each the upper and decrease values if you measure your blood stress.
Fights Coronary heart Illnesses
Vitamin C reduces the guts illness danger by reducing excessive triglycerides or LDL levels of cholesterol. It decreases the dangers of plaque buildup in arteries, thereby stopping stroke and atherosclerosis. A extreme lack of vitamin C resulted in numerous cardiovascular illnesses.
Reduces Blood Uric Acid Ranges
The physique releases uric acid as a waste product. Its excessive concentrations have the potential to crystallise and accumulate within the joints, resulting in gout. It causes horrible ache and irritation within the joints. Research counsel that vitamin C helps in decreasing blood uric acid ranges and stopping gout.
Prevents Iron Deficiency
Iron absorption and iron metabolism depend upon vitamin C. By combining with ferric iron to generate a chelate at an acidic pH that’s soluble on the alkaline pH of the duodenum; vitamin C helps the physique take up iron. Basically, which means that vitamin C stops ferrous iron from oxidising to ferric iron by making the abdomen’s pH greater.
Slows Ageing
Vitamin C’s antioxidant qualities are advantageous for stopping ageing. Vitamin C boosts collagen, which prevents pores and skin sagging. When utilized to the pores and skin, it helps new collagen turnover. It additionally protects pores and skin cell protein from getting broken. Research have proved vitamin C serum helps to delay ageing and visual indicators of organic pores and skin ageing, giving your pores and skin a recent, vibrant, younger look.
Reduces the Danger of Most cancers
Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, helps cut back most cancers danger by neutralising dangerous free radicals that may harm DNA and result in cancerous mutations. Moreover, it helps the immune system, aiding within the elimination of cancerous cells. Whereas it’s not a direct most cancers preventative, a food regimen wealthy in vitamin C can contribute to a lowered most cancers danger by selling mobile well being and immune system performance.
Abstract
Vitamin C gives a mess of well being advantages. It features as a potent antioxidant, combating free radicals and defending in opposition to persistent illnesses. Moreover, it aids in regulating blood stress, reducing levels of cholesterol, and stopping plaque buildup in arteries. Vitamin C additionally lowers uric acid ranges, stopping painful circumstances like gout. It promotes iron absorption, stopping iron deficiency, and contributes to youthful pores and skin by boosting collagen manufacturing. Furthermore, its immune-boosting and DNA-protecting properties make it a precious consider decreasing most cancers danger. General, vitamin C is a flexible nutrient that helps general well being and well-being.
10 Greatest Sources of Vitamin C
Beneath are among the greatest sources of vitamin C.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges (53.2 mg/100 g), kiwis (92.7 mg/100 g), lemons (53 mg/100 g), grapefruits (31.2 mg/100 g), and cherries (7 mg/100 g) have a superb vitamin C content material. The antioxidants in citrus fruits contribute to wholesome pores and skin by combating free radicals.
Learn Extra: Citrus Superpower: Humble fruits filled with goodness
Berries
Berries like strawberries (58.8 mh/100 g), blueberries (9.7 mg/100 grams), gooseberry (27.7 mg/100 g), raspberries (23 mg/100 g), blackberries (21 mg/100 g) are vitamin-c wealthy and likewise appropriate for weight-loss diets.
Pineapple
This candy, juicy tropical fruit with spiky, leathery pores and skin is superb in vitamin C. In keeping with USDA, pineapple consists of 47.8 mg/100 gms of vitamin C. It acts as an amazing addition to numerous desserts or savoury meals objects. Bromelain, present in pineapple, might have anti-inflammatory properties and assist digestion.
Wholesome recipes utilizing pineapple
Bell Peppers
Most individuals are unaware of the truth that bell peppers have a greater vitamin C content material than lemons and oranges. USDA states that 100 g of bell pepper incorporates 128 mg of vitamin C. Subsequently, including it to your food regimen can present your physique with ample vitamin C.
Guava
Guava is a nutrient-dense tropical meals that’s wonderful so as to add to your each day food regimen. Guavas have a superb vitamin C, antioxidants, potassium, and fibre content material. It incorporates 228 mg per 100 grams. Guava is an effective supply of dietary fibre, aiding in higher digestion and selling a sense of fullness, making it excellent for weight administration.
Learn Extra: Guava – Advantages, Dietary Details, & Wholesome Recipes
Papaya
Papaya is wealthy in vitamin C. It incorporates 60.9 mg per 100 grams. There are quite a few different very important vitamins in papaya. Whether or not eaten uncooked or ripe, it has potential well being advantages. You may add it to a number of dishes or desserts. Papaya supplies papain, an enzyme that aids digestion and might soothe digestive points.
Mango
Everybody loves consuming mangoes. Mangoes usually are not solely tasty, however this scrumptious pulpy tropical fruit has a excessive vitamin C content material. USDA states it incorporates 36.4 mg of vitamin C per 100 g serving. Mangoes have an alkalising impact on the physique, which can assist keep a wholesome pH steadiness.
Learn Extra: Mango – Advantages, Diet, Energy and Recipes
Lychees
Candy, small and pulpy lychees have potential antioxidant properties that shield in opposition to diabetes, coronary heart illnesses, cataracts, oxidative stress, sure cancers, and so forth. It’s excessive in vitamin C. There’s 71.5 mg of vitamin C in 100 g of lychees.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are low in energy and excessive in antioxidants. It additionally has important amino acids like valine, lysine, arginine, leucine, and so forth. There’s 17.8 mg of vitamin C in 100 grams of tomatoes. Tomatoes are wealthy in potassium, which lowers blood stress and reduces coronary heart illness danger.
Learn Extra: The Phenomenal Well being Advantages of Tomatoes
Watermelon
Watermelons are extra than simply water and sugar. It has quite a few very important vitamins that supply all kinds of well being advantages. Furthermore, it’s excessive in antioxidants and nutritional vitamins. The vitamin C content material of watermelon is excessive. In keeping with USDA, 100 grams of watermelon consists of 8.1 mg of vitamin C.
Learn Extra: Watermelon – Advantages, Diet and Wholesome Recipes
Abstract
Strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, and blackberries provide a vitamin C increase, making them appropriate for weight-loss diets. Low in energy, tomatoes comprise 17.8 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams and are excessive in antioxidants. Papaya, with 60.9 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, gives numerous well being advantages and flexibility in cooking. A nutrient-dense tropical fruit, guava incorporates a exceptional 228 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. Oranges, kiwis, lemons, grapefruits, and cherries are wealthy in vitamin C, with various content material ranges.
Dangers of Vitamin C Overdose
There are hardly any dangers related to vitamin C-rich meals. Vitamin C overdose can be uncommon as a result of since it’s water soluble, the physique excretes the additional quantities inside just a few hours. Nonetheless, if one takes vitamin C dietary supplements, attainable dangers of overdose might happen. Overdose might result in signs similar to digestive misery and kidney stones. Furthermore, sufferers who’re extra vulnerable to kidney stones should be cautious with their vitamin C consumption.
Abstract
Vitamin C negative effects are uncommon as a result of since it’s water soluble, the physique excretes the additional quantities inside just a few hours. Nonetheless, overdose might happen by taking vitamin C dietary supplements. That will result in digestive misery. Furthermore, sufferers who’re extra vulnerable to kidney stones should be cautious with their vitamin C consumption.
HealthifyMe Suggestion
Warmth can cut back the effectiveness of vitamin C because it’s significantly heat-sensitive. To protect the dietary worth of meals or dietary supplements that comprise these nutritional vitamins, it’s greatest to keep away from high-temperature cooking or storage. As an alternative, think about incorporating it into your food regimen in recent kind.
So, if you’re making lemon tea or poha and wish to add lemon it ought to be added because the final step to get the utmost profit.
The Last Phrase
Vitamin C has quite a few helpful roles within the human physique. It assists in stopping mobile harm, cancers, and pores and skin ageing, prevents free radical harm, enhances wound therapeutic, and boosts the immune system. Well being consultants counsel vitamin C additionally treats colds, flu, allergic reactions, movement illness, and so forth. There are numerous recent vegetables and fruit excessive in vitamin C content material which can be a very good match in your food regimen to fulfill the each day vitamin C necessities. Nonetheless, keep in mind that vitamin C is warmth delicate; due to this fact, cooking will cut back the vitamin C content material.
Disclaimer: The aim of this text is simply to disperse information and lift consciousness. It doesn’t intend to interchange medical recommendation from professionals. For additional data, please contact our licensed nutritionists Right here.
Often Requested Questions
Q. What’s vitamin C, and why is it important for the physique?
A. Vitamin C is also referred to as ascorbic acid. It’s a water-soluble vitamin. It’s a potent antioxidant and has a number of well being advantages. The human physique is unable to synthesise it. Subsequently, it’s essential to consumption vitamin C from dietary sources.
Q. What are the first pure sources of vitamin C?
A. There are numerous pure sources of vitamin C. They’re kiwi, bell peppers, guavas, oranges, tomatoes, lemons, mangoes, papayas, and so forth. Berries are additionally very excessive in vitamin C content material. Some examples embody strawberry, blackberry, gooseberry, and blueberry.
Q. Can vitamin C assist increase the immune system?
A. Actually, vitamin C promotes the exercise of white blood cells (WBC). It’s also a strong antioxidant.
Q. How does vitamin C contribute to pores and skin well being?
A. Vitamin C’s antioxidant qualities are advantageous to pores and skin well being. Furthermore, vitamin C boosts collagen and prevents your pores and skin from sagging. It additionally delays seen indicators of organic pores and skin ageing.
Q. Are there potential advantages of vitamin C for wound therapeutic?
A. Vitamin C has wound-healing properties. It’s concerned in all phases of wound therapeutic because it performs a vital function in neutrophil apoptosis and clearance. Furthermore, it has potential contributions in direction of tissue therapeutic, restore and regeneration.
Q. Can vitamin C act as an antioxidant within the physique?
A. Actually, vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the physique from oxidative stress. It additionally fights in opposition to free radical harm. Research have demonstrated vitamin C to be an efficient antioxidant that takes half in numerous very important features to defend the physique from dangerous microbes.
Q. Does vitamin C assist in the absorption of iron from plant-based sources?
A. Well being consultants, dieticians, and scientists declare that vitamin C boosts iron absorption within the physique from plant sources. For instance, it helps with iron absorption from oranges, kiwis, guavas, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and papaya.
Q. Are there hyperlinks between vitamin C and cardiovascular well being?
A. Completely! Vitamin C reduces excessive triglycerides or LDL levels of cholesterol. It decreases the dangers of plaque buildup in arteries.
Q. What function does vitamin C play in collagen manufacturing?
A. Research declare vitamin C will increase collagen sort 1. Collagen is crucial for good pores and skin well being. When topically utilized to the pores and skin, it helps new collagen manufacturing.
Q. Can vitamin C assist eye well being and forestall age-related imaginative and prescient points?
A. Actually, vitamin C can assist eye well being and forestall age-related imaginative and prescient points, in accordance with research. It helps stop cataracts, protects eyes in opposition to UV mild harm, and avoids age-related macular degeneration.
Q. Are there potential cognitive advantages of vitamin C for mind well being?
A. Research have proven the potential cognitive advantages of vitamin C for mind well being. It promotes psychological alertness, response time, focus, and reminiscence.
Q. Can vitamin C assist cut back the danger of sure persistent illnesses?
A. Completely! Vitamin C prevents and treats numerous illnesses similar to diabetes, coronary heart illness, most cancers, and so forth. Well being consultants counsel vitamin C additionally treats colds, flu, allergic reactions, movement illness, and helps in strengthening the immune system and helps wound therapeutic.
Q. Are there interactions or negative effects of extreme vitamin C consumption?
A. Vitamin C negative effects are uncommon as a result of since it’s water soluble, the physique excretes the additional quantities inside just a few hours. Nonetheless, overdose might happen by taking vitamin C dietary supplements. That will result in digestive misery. Furthermore, sufferers who’re extra vulnerable to kidney stones should be cautious with their vitamin C consumption.
Q. How does vitamin C examine to different nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements for well being?
A. Vitamin C has highly effective antioxidants that stop free radical harm to the cells. Vitamin C dietary supplements are extra lively, much less poisonous, and readily absorbable by the physique.
Q. What’s the really helpful each day consumption of vitamin C for adults and kids?
A. The precise worth depends upon the age and gender of the person. The really helpful vitamin C for 7 to 12 months is 50 mg. For 1 to three years, it’s 15 mg. For 4 to eight years, it’s 25 mg; for 9 to 13 years, it’s 45 mg. For 14 to 18 years, it’s 75 mg (each female and male). For adults above 19 years, 90 mg for males and 75 mg for females.
Analysis Sources
VitaminC-HealthProfessional
Two Faces of Vitamin C—Antioxidative and Professional-Oxidative Agent
Results of vitamin C supplementation on blood stress: a meta-analysis of randomised managed trials
Vitamin C and Coronary heart Well being: A Evaluation Based mostly on Findings from Epidemiologic Research
Vitamin C Consumption and Serum Uric Acid Focus in Males
Therapy efficacy of vitamin C or ascorbate was given as co-intervention with iron for anaemia – A scientific evaluate and meta-analysis of experimental research.
The Roles of Vitamin C in Pores and skin Well being
The Position of Vitamin C in Most cancers Prevention and Remedy: A Literature Evaluation
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on Oranges
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on Kiwi
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on lemon
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on grapefruit
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on strawberries
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on blueberries
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on gooseberries
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on raspberries
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on blackberries
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on pineapples
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on peppers
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on tomato
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on Guava
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on papaya
Knowledge by the US Division of Agriculture on mango
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102668/vitamins
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167765/vitamins
Impact of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-linking by regular human fibroblasts
Vitamin C Standing and Cognitive Operate: A Systematic Evaluation
Vitamin C and the Lens: New Insights into Delaying the Onset of Cataract
Supply hyperlink
