Vitamin C is a miracle vitamin. It does wonders for the body. Vitamin C is also called L- ascorbic acid. Being a water-soluble vitamin, it dissolves easily in water. Our body poorly stores this vitamin.

Citrus fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C. This vitamin is also available as a supplement.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. People have used citrus to treat various health conditions for a long time, even before modern science and research.

Vitamin C helps the body heal wounds and fight infections. Vitamin C can help reduce the risk of common health conditions, including heart attack.

Vitamin C plays a major role in:

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights against damage caused by free radicals. The accumulation of free radicals can accelerate the aging process and also increase the likelihood of developing heart diseases.

Vitamin C has been used for centuries as a way to treat cold symptoms. This is a natural treatment given to people who have mild cold symptoms. It has been shown that taking vitamin c and zinc can help reduce the severity of a cold. There is little evidence to suggest that anything can cure a cold.

Vitamin C can play a role in reducing the likelihood of developing heart diseases. Some people believe that vitamin C can help regulate blood sugar levels. This is possible because this antioxidant helps to reduce LDL cholesterol.

The LDL cholesterol is also known as bad cholesterol. If too much cholesterol accumulates in the arteries, it can cause heart attacks. Vitamin C helps fight against it. Further research is needed to support the statement.

 

Sources Of Vitamin C

Since the body can’t produce vitamin C, we have to get it from the food we eat or from supplements. Vitamin C is abundantly found in various foods. Some of the foods that are high in vitamin C are:

Lemons

There is often a correlation between vitamin C and citrus fruits. Lemons were used to prevent scurvy amongst sailors ages ago. One raw lemon provides up to 45 mg of vitamin C, which is 50% of the daily requirement.

Red Peppers

Red peppers offer ample vitamin C. One cup of this fruit can provide up to 100 mg of vitamin C. Red peppers contain vitamins A, B, E, and K, in addition to vitamin C. This vegetable is also packed with minerals such as potassium, manganese, phosphorous and magnesium.

Kiwis

Kiwis are a delicacy that is enjoyed by people all over the globe. This fruit is packed with 75mg of vitamin C. The amount of vitamins in the fruit is determined by its size.

Kiwis contain more vitamin C than oranges. The green fruit is loaded with flavonoids and carotenoids. These are antioxidants that help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals.

Oranges

The fruit has a high vitamin C content and is very brightly colored. A large serving of oranges provides enough vitamin C to meet an individual’s daily needs. Oranges are a delicious fruit with a myriad of health benefits.

READ MORE:  10 Health Benefits Of Oranges

Strawberries

The bite-sized fruit is fantasy in the real world. Strawberries are delicious and full of vitamin C and fiber. They are also rich in antioxidants. Since they are low in calories, they make a great snack for the middle of the day.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a good source of fiber and also contains vitamins A, K, and B6. One cup of cooked broccoli contains a significant amount of vitamin C, as well as other important nutrients like fiber, vitamins A, K, and B6. Broccoli is loaded with fiber and antioxidants. They are abundant in various nutrients that fight inflammation.

The best way to eat broccoli is to steam it. Cooking with steam helps to preserve more nutrients than other methods of cooking.

 

 

Tomato

This red, bright, and juicy fruit provides 20 mg of vitamin C. A medium-sized tomato can offer a significant amount of vitamin C if it is consumed raw. Cooking lowers the amount of Vitamin C in fruit.

However, cooking tomatoes will increase the level of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps protect the body cells from damage.

Potato

Medium-sized baked potato contains approximately 15-20mg of vitamin C. Potatoes are also rich in potassium and fiber. Frying potatoes can reduce the nutritional value and also add extra calories. Cooking the potatoes in an oven would be a better option.

Cauliflower

One cup of this vegetable has approximately 30-40 mg of vitamin C. These veggies are not only a good source of fiber, but they also contain folate and vitamin K. Cauliflower can be cooked in many ways, including boiling, steaming, and using it as a rice substitute. It can also be used to make curries.

Papaya

Papaya boasts of offering large quantities of vitamin C. This fruit contains 90-100 mg of vitamin C. This product can provide enough vitamin C for an individual’s daily needs. Papayas offer a lot of carotenes, flavonoids, vitamin B, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts offer 100mg of vitamin C per cup. This sentence states that one cup of cooked brussels sprouts provides a good amount of vitamin K, fiber, and other nutrients.

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrants contain approximately double the amount of vitamin C per 50 grams than what is found in oranges. The antioxidants in these berries give them a strong flavor and dark color. The consumption of these fruits helps to fight against chronic inflammation.

 

You can also get vitamin C from supplements, not just from natural sources. These supplements should be consumed under medical supervision. Overdosing can also cause harm to the body.

 

 

Vitamin C can offer a range of benefits to the body when consumed in the correct quantities.

 

The Benefits of Vitamin C in the Body

Vitamin C is a water-soluble compound is beneficial for your body. Vitamin C plays an integral part in improving overall health. Some of the proven benefits of Vitamin C are:

Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases

Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It can increase the strength of the body.

The antioxidants boost the immune system. The immune system is the body’s natural way of fighting against anything that doesn’t belong in the body. Foreign agents can cause oxidative stress damage, which can be harmful.

Adequate consumption of vitamin C can lead to increased levels of antioxidants in the body, according to various studies. These molecules will help to repair the damage caused by free radicles.

Managing Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. The results of studies done on a group of people showed that vitamin C lowers blood pressure in the body.

Health care providers may recommend that people take vitamin C supplements to help manage blood pressure.

Heart Health

Heart diseases are among the leading causes of death globally. There are various factors that can cause heart problems, such as high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol levels.

Vitamin C can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It helps fight against factors that can lead to heart disease, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are other things that help improve heart health in addition to what is typically known.

Antioxidant Activity

Vitamin C is an antioxidant which means it could potentially help treat, slow, or prevent some health problems. They eliminate free radicals by stabilizing them. These unstable molecules can damage cells and cause disease otherwise.

If you have too many free radicals in your body, it can cause a condition called oxidative stress. Research has linked many chronic diseases to oxidative stress.

Preventing or reducing oxidative stress may help stave off these and other health problems by:

Research into using antioxidants to treat or prevent specific conditions has been inconclusive. Free radicals come in many different forms, some of which are more difficult for antioxidants to neutralize.

The location of antioxidants in your body can impact their effectiveness as different environments (for example, inside a cell or in fluids outside the cell) can promote or inhibit antioxidant activity.

According to researchers, it is important to be aware of the role that oxidative stress plays in diseases. They say that as they learn more about how diseases work and the role of oxidative stress in them, they may find roles for antioxidants like vitamin C.

Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been studied for its role in cancer care and prevention. However, the results have yielded inconsistent results.

Vitamin C supplementation cannot prevent or treat cancer, according to most studies.

When used in supportive care, high-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C has been shown by some studies to improve quality of life and reduce the side effects of standard cancer treatments.

When discussing cancer, it is evident that antioxidants can be both helpful and harmful. Studies have also shown that antioxidants may:

  • Help cancerous or pre-cancerous cells survive
  • Possibly make some cancer treatments less effective

Some healthcare providers say that eating foods that contain antioxidants, like fruits and vegetables, may help lower the risk of getting certain types of cancer. However, it’s important to remember that cancer cannot be prevented by any one food.

Also, taking vitamin C supplements does not seem to help prevent cancer. Eating a diet that includes a variety of foods, including foods that are high in antioxidants, is beneficial for your overall health.

More research needs to be done to see how antioxidants, like vitamin C, can help with cancer. It is best to speak with your oncologist before beginning to take any supplements during cancer treatment.

Gout

Gout is a common and very painful form of arthritis that usually affects the big toes. Uric acid is a waste product that can form crystals in the joints and cause pain. The crystals then cause inflammation, which manifests as painful attacks.

Vitamin C’s ability to lower uric acid levels in the blood has been shown in multiple studies, making it effective in preventing gout. One possible reason for its success is its antioxidant properties. Oxidative stress seems to cause higher uric acid levels.

A 2021 review of studies showed that while results have been promising, more high-quality studies in humans need to be done to conclude that it is a safe and effective treatment or preventive measure.

 

 

Iron-Deficiency Anemia

Anemia is a condition in which your blood doesn’t contain enough red blood cells. This can be a problem because red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to your body’s tissues. Anemia is most commonly caused by a deficiency of iron, which your body needs to make red blood cells.

Vitamin C is known to aid in the absorption of some nutrients. A common practice among healthcare providers is to recommend taking vitamin C supplements along with iron supplements to treat anemia.

A 2019 article found that vitamin C increased iron absorption by 67%. However, a 2020 study suggests that this may not be the case. Anemia was improved just as much by iron supplements alone as it was by iron plus vitamin C.

The results may be related to the type of iron people took. Vitamin C helps your body absorb nonheme iron from plant sources better. Heme iron is generally better absorbed because it is more bioavailable than nonheme iron. More research is needed to sort this out.

 

Side Effects of Vitamin C

Although it is generally considered safe, vitamin C can cause side effects if taken in high doses. These may include:

Taking a higher dose of a medication is more likely to cause side effects than taking a lower dose. Doses that are over 2,000 milligrams a day may cause an increase in the amount of diarrhea experienced as well as kidney stones. If you have a history of kidney stones, taking more than 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day may increase your chances of having more.

Precautions

Vitamin C supplements are not right for everyone. Talk to your healthcare provider first if any of the following apply to you:

  • Vitamin C supplements may interact with some cancer treatments.
  • Use of vitamin C can result in an increase of oxalate production which can in turn lead to kidney failure.
  • Two doses of vitamin C were given to people with a metabolic disorder called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and it caused their red blood cells to break down. However, this is uncommon.
  • Vitamin C can make iron overload worse because it helps the body absorb iron.

 

Vitamin C Dosage

Before taking a supplement, always consult with a healthcare provider to make sure that the supplement and dosage are right for you.

For most people, it is easy to get adequate amounts of vitamin C through food. You can meet your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C each day by eating just one of the following:

  • Kiwi fruit
  • Red bell pepper
  • Cup of tomato juice
  • Orange
  • Cup of strawberries

 

Conclusion

Vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, has been studied for its potential benefits in relation to heart disease, gout, immunity, and more.

Vitamin C is best obtained from food. You may need a supplement if you are not meeting your goals. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking supplements.

Dosage varies depending on factors such as age and health conditions. You should speak to your healthcare provider before taking vitamin C supplements, as they can cause side effects when taken with certain medications.

 

 

 

 

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