Natural Sources of Vitamin C

To boost your immunity, you must increase your intake of Vitamin C. This is due to the antioxidant function of Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, which therefore helps to prevent infections and fight diseases.

Other functions of vitamin C include:

• maintaining healthy skin
• maintaining healthy bones and blood vessels
• helps in the healing of wounds
• helps the body to produce collagen

Lack of Vitamin C

A lack of Vitamin C can lead to scurvy, a deficiency disease that comes about when you don’t eat fresh fruits and vegetables for three months. If you suspect that you might have a Vitamin C deficiency, consult one of our doctors.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), scurvy is a rare disease that is easily treatable. The fact that a normal, day-to-day diet provides you with some Vitamin C waylays the chances of you suffering from scurvy.

Nevertheless, the signs of scurvy include:

• bleeding gums
• wounds that take too long to heal
• fatigue
• pain in the joints
• loss of teeth

If you notice these signs of scurvy, contact our doctors on how you can best treat them.

Dietary Requirements

To make sure that your body receives the right amount of Vitamin C you need to consume foods rich in Vitamin C daily. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) makes the following recommendations:

• Women – 75mg
• Men – 90mg
• Pregnant women – 120mg
• Smokers – 35mg more than the recommended daily dose

However, the NHS says that you can take up to 1,000mg of Vitamin C on a day to day basis with no side effects. Bear in mind that eating too much Vitamin C can result in flatulence, stomach pain and diarrhoea. Reducing the amount of Vitamin C you ingest will reduce these symptoms.

Sources of Vitamin C

Unlike other minerals that are essential for the normal functioning of the body, Vitamin C is not produced in the body nor does store it. It is therefore important to include it in your diet.

Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, can be found in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. This makes it easy to guarantee that it is included in your daily diet.

According to Healthline, the following foods have the highest source of Vitamin C:

1. Guavas
2. Sweet green, red and yellow peppers
3. Herbs such as thyme, parsley
4. Kale
5. Broccoli
6. Lemons
7. Papaya
8. Strawberries
9. Oranges

To reap the maximum benefits from these foods, eat them raw. Cooking, which subjects the foods to heat, can reduce the amount of Vitamin C present. If you must cook them, opt for steaming which does not expose the food to direct heat.

If you are struggling with eating more fruits and vegetables, make smoothies and salads instead.

Summary

To keep your skin, bones and blood vessels healthy, you need to include Vitamin C in your diet. Failure to do so can lead to a deficiency disease. It will also lead to unhealthy skin and lowered immunity.

Including the above foods in your daily diet will ensure that you eat the recommended amount of Vitamin C to keep you healthy.