Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which has many roles to play in the body. The Vitamin can be accessed from foods like oranges, lemon, strawberry, kiwi, bell peppers, kale, spinach and broccoli. According to National Institutes of Health, recommended daily intake of this vitamin is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Signs of vitamin c deficiency can lead to dry and damaged skin, easy bruising, slow healing of wounds, painful and swollen joints, weak bones and bleeding gums to name a few.
Reasons why you need Vitamin C
1. Reduces risk of chronic diseases
This Vitamin acts as a powerful antioxidant which can strengthen the body’s natural defences. It helps in reducing damage caused by free radicals. Accumulation of free radicals can increase oxidative stress, which increases risk of chronic diseases. Studies have found that increasing your Vitamin C intake can up your antioxidant levels and improve body’s natural defences to fight inflammation.
2. Heart disease
Vitamin C has beneficial effects on cholesterol and blood pressure management, which may together help in reducing risk of heart disease.
3. Iron deficiency
Those suffering from iron deficiency need Vitamin C as well. Presence of Vitamin C facilitates iron absorption in the body. To beat iron-deficiency, you need to consume both iron rich foods and Vitamin C rich foods, and supplements if required. Studies say that consuming 100 mg of Vitamin C can improve iron absorption by 67%.
4. Fatigue and low mood
If you are constantly tired and have a poor mood, it could be because of deficiency of Vitamin C. These symptoms can appear even before one is entirely deficient of this Vitamin. In order to keep these symptoms away, adequate Vitamin C is required.
5. Immunity
Immunity boosting properties of Vitamin C are an important reason why you need this vitamin. Not only does the vitamin help in encouraging production of white blood cells, it also enables them to work more efficiently while protecting them from damage done by free radicals.
6. Memory and thinking
Oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine and nerves can affect cognitive function, affect memory, thinking and increase risk of dementia. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Low levels can cause inflammation and lead to the aforementioned side effects.
- Vitamin C food sources
- Oranges
- Lemon
- Guava
- Bell peppers
- Strawberry
- Papaya
- Broccoli
- Pineapple
- Potato
- Kiwi
- Cauliflower
- MangoInclude a variety of vegetables in your diet and your vitamin C intake can be taken care of. Supplements can be helpful in case you have been diagnosed with a deficiency. Make sure you consult your expert before taking supplements.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
