Why is Vitamin C so important for YOUR health?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a natural antioxidant that your body needs for several important functions. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t store it, so you can easily develop a vitamin C deficiency. One study showed that of the about 92% of Americans who have some sort of vitamin deficiency, more than 7% are vitamin C deficient.
The Covid19 pandemic turned the spotlight on the importance of vitamin C for your body as it can help boost your immune system. While vitamin C cannot prevent or treat Covid-19, it may help you recover faster. This also applies to common colds.
Here are some of vitamin C’s most important roles in your body:
- It boosts collagen production, which is necessary to make tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and skin.
- It helps wound healing.
- It’s vital for maintaining bone health.
- It can reduce the damage caused by free radicals and thus can lower the risk of conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Luckily, we can easily get the daily amount of vitamin C our body needs from different foods or supplements. The recommended daily dose for vitamin C is 75 mg for adult women, 90 mg for adult men, and between 15 and 75 mg for children. Keep in mind that those represent the minimum amount of intake of vitamin C necessary for your body to function properly.
I’m sure you’ve heard so many times that orange juice is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. I’m not gonna say it’s a myth, but surely it’s a bit of overrated healthy advice. Broccoli and strawberries, for instance, both have about 80 mg of vitamin C per cup, while one medium kiwi has about 70 mg.
Now, I’m sure you’ve asked yourself Am I getting enough vitamin C? If you’re worried that you might not be, then keep reading to find out several symptoms and subtle signs that show you have a vitamin C deficiency.
