Now, more than ever, your body needs all the help it can get to remain strong and healthy, especially with the threat of the COVID-19 virus still looming in the air. To function properly and stay in a healthy state, most people need to take vitamins and supplements together with a healthy diet and lifestyle. One of the most important vitamins that are surprisingly not consumed enough in the US is Vitamin C.
In this post, you’ll learn about all the basics that you need to know about Vitamin C, including why you need it and how much of it do you need in your body, as well as some signs that your body is deficient in this vitamin:
Why Do You Need Vitamin C?
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a vital antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and aids in the repair or regeneration of damaged tissues. It may also help reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which are harmful to the body.
This vitamin can also help you absorb more iron from the food that you take. For instance, if you add some lemon juice to your spinach or lentil salad, your body will benefit more from those plant-based iron sources.
Your body cannot produce vitamin C on its own, so you need to get it from the food that you eat or from supplements.
How Much Vitamin C Does Your Body Need?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the amount of vitamin C your body needs. Some of these factors include gender, age, and weight. The recommended dietary allowance states that a 1- to 3-year-old child needs 15mg of vitamin C, a 4- to 8-year-old needs 25mg, a 9- to 13-year-old needs 45mg.
As you grow older, that amount you also need increases, but gender also comes into play. For example, a teenage girl would need 65mg of vitamin C while a boy of the same age would need 75mg. An adult woman needs 75mg while a man needs 90mg. Finally, a pregnant woman needs 85mg while a lactating mother needs 120mg.
These are the RDAs, but according to some research, some people might need vitamin C. For one, if you have a common cold, increasing your intake to at least 200mg can help shorten the duration of your cold.
Ascorbic acid is also essential regularly.
How Can You Tell If You’re Vitamin C-Deficient?
Severe deficiency in vitamin C can lead to scurvy, which is a condition with symptoms like fatigue, depression, bleeding gums, joint pain, and wounds that take too long to heal. However, scurvy is a rare condition, especially in developed countries.
Smokers are at a much higher risk of being vitamin C-deficient because the habit damages cells and increases the number of free radicals in the body. It means antioxidants like vitamin C need to fight the damages they cause. The supply of this vitamin gets depleted faster.
Where Can You Get Vitamin C?
Vitamin C can be found in many fruits and vegetables. The most common ones are citrus fruits but you can also get them from other fruits. For instance, kiwi, broccoli, and red bell pepper are actually great sources of vitamin C.
It is worth noting that vitamin C is heat-sensitive, so it’s best that you consume these fruits and vegetables raw if you want to enjoy their vitamin C benefits.
Of course, you can also get vitamin C in the form of nutritional supplements if you think you’re not getting enough of it from your diet.
Conclusion
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that your body needs to fight off diseases and infections and to keep the immune system strong. It is important that your body gets enough of it to stay healthy. There are lots of fruits and vegetables that are rich in this vitamin, but you can also take vitamin C supplements to ensure that you are getting enough of it.
If you are looking for health supplements like Vitamin C, you can get them from Foods for Life in Toronto. You can place your order and get priority access when you pick your order up. Send us your supplement orders today!