Health Benefits of Vitamin C – An Overview

Boost Your Health with Vitamin C

Mealtimes always included various kinds of vegetables. Some of the vegetables I liked, and others I did not. I listened constantly to the reminder, “Vegetables are good for you; they contain lots of vitamins; you need to eat them to stay healthy. To be fair to my mother, she always found a way to cook them so that eventually eating vegetables became enjoyable. Moreover, as my understanding about nutrients increased, vegetables and fruits, including those rich in vitamin C have become an important part of my diet.

Individuals who feel irritable without an obvious explanation or who find that their immune system is low, are often unaware that this may be due to a diet with insufficient Vitamin C. Relief, and the speed at which one might recover from a cold, the break out of cold sores or the onset of some allergies may be increased by consuming foods which contain a lot of vitamin C.

Medical Pharmacologist, Dr. Paul Clayton (2004:41) warns that our bodies are under attack every day by free-radicals. Smoking, poor eating habits, pollution, and excessive stress, are examples of free-radicals for which the healing nature of vitamin C is required. Vitamin C is both water soluble and an antioxidant which enables it work both inside and outside the body’s cells. Vitamin C helps to protect the body’s cells from free-radical damage, and to destroy those cells which have already been compromised.

In addition, medical researchers such as Professor Glenn Wadley, from Deakin’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, believe that the antioxidisation effect of vitamin C on the body is equally helpful for those suffering or at risk of diabetes. “Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties can help counteract the high levels of free radicals found in people with diabetes, and it’s encouraging to see this could benefit a number of the disease’s common comorbidities, such as high blood pressure” (Professor Wadley).

Vitamins are micronutrients that are needed for growth, and to prevent ill-health. Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid, and L-ascorbate is no exception, but unlike other living organisms, humans are not able to store vitamin C in our body’s cells. Moreover, the body’s ability to absorb iron from foods is also enhanced by the presence of Vitamin C. This is particularly important for vegetarians and vegans; the iron which is present in plant-based foods is absorbed more efficiently when they are consumed at the same time as those items of food that contain vitamin C. This will include, for example, oranges, bell peppers and brussels sprouts. According to research published by the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C that is required to boost your immune system, and maintain healthy hair or skin, for example, is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.

The Role of Vitamin C in Stress Relief

For many reasons, including the current way in which generally we live our lives, life can become very stressful, and if not addressed, stress can have an increasingly negative impact on an individual’s mental health. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C, and enhanced by purposeful lifestyle changes, may help to address an individual’s mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Although it is believed more studies are required to ascertain the effectiveness of vitamin C, and how much it can help to reduce the problems associated with stress or mental illness, studies such as that by Pullar et al. (2018) seem to suggest that vitamin C has a positive role to play in helping to alleviate stress or mental health issues. They join other medical practitioners, and indeed individuals alike who have noted that vitamin C has helped to provide a supportive, and potentially preventative role in alleviating stress.

Research by Pullar et al. also points to accumulating evidence “that increased consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with enhanced mood and psychological wellbeing.” Ample sources of vitamin C are found, additionally, in cantaloupes, citrus fruits, strawberries, dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, kiwi, broccoli, carrots and potatoes (especially sweet potatoes).

It is important to note that heat destroys vitamin C. It is vital therefore, that rich sources of vitamin C are eaten frequently. If cooked, foods rich in vitamin C should be cooked quickly in a little water or steamed; however, for optimum benefit, foods which contain a substantial amount of vitamin C are best eaten raw.

To conclude, even though the examples given in this article regarding the benefits of vitamin C are by no means exhaustive. Ensuring that adequate amounts of vitamin C is included in one’s diet is a step closer towards leading a healthier lifestyle, and optimum health.

To find out more, Contact Sonia at Leap to Health

Email me at Leap to Health, Inverness, Scotland. [email protected]