Our parents and grandparents have always asked us to have fruits and veggies rich in vitamin C. But like most other things, we have surely not asked them ‘why’. Well, the benefits of vitamin C are probably still helping you maintain your lifestyle, but you don’t know through which food products. Here, we will tell you what makes vitamin C an important part of a diet and what are the best sources.
Best sources of vitamin C
Many people turn to supplements as they are easy to buy, consume, and measure. But it is ideal to skip vitamin C dosage through supplements and have fresh foods that are amazing sources of this element. The best sources of vitamin C in food are:
- Broccoli
- Chili pepper
- Guavas
- Blackcurrants
- Parsley
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Lemons
- Strawberries
- Papaya
- Oranges
Adding these to your diet will help you cover the daily dose of vitamin C and get the best benefits.
Benefits of Vitamin C
Find out the reasons why we must all consume vitamin C food and add them to our daily diet:
1. High in antioxidants
The high antioxidant content in vitamin C reduces the risk of chronic diseases. The vitamin strengthens the natural defense of our body and that’s how our immune system gets stronger.
The molecules of antioxidants boost our immune system and protect our cells from harmful free radicals. When harmful radicals accumulate, they put our body in oxidative stress. This is related to chronic diseases.
According to studies, adding vitamin C to your diet will increase blood antioxidant levels by 30%. It helps the natural defense of our body and helps fight inflammation.
2. Keeps blood pressure in control
Around 1/3rd of American adults have fluctuating blood pressure, which is usually high instead of low or normal. High blood pressure puts us into risk and is one of the leading causes of death.
Studies show the benefits of vitamin C that help lower blood pressure. If you don’t have a high blood pressure problem, it helps you maintain the normal level.
According to an animal study, vitamin C helps relax blood vessels that carry blood from our heart. This reduced high blood pressure in the animal and work similarly for humans.
3. Prevents heart problems
The increasing rate of heart problem worldwide is a major cause of worry. There are several factors that increase the risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure is one of the reasons.
In most people, high levels of LDL or bad cholesterol is more than the level of HDL or good cholesterol. Vitamin C helps you reduce LDL and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
There was a combination of nine studies, done for over 10 years on 2, 93,172 participants. It showed that 700 mg of daily vitamin C dose reduces the risk of heart disease by 25% against people who don’t consume vitamin C.
4. Reduce blood uric acid level
Gout is a type of arthritis that almost 4% of America is likely to face. It is painful and results in inflammation in the joints. People who have gout can face severe attack and swelling.
The symptoms of gout show up when we have too much of uric acid in our blood. It is a waste of element that our body produces. If it happens at a high level, it might crystallize and deposit in the joints.
Many studies show that vitamin C reduces the level of uric acid in our blood and protects us from gout attacks. A study taken on 1,387 men showed that people who consume vitamin C have lower blood levels of uric acid than people who don’t.
One more study involving 13 clinical studies found that consuming vitamin C supplement for one month reduces uric acid level significantly.
5. Prevents iron deficiency
Iron is one of the essential nutrients that our body needs to function properly. It makes red blood cells and transports oxygen all through the body.
Benefits of vitamin C include adding more iron to our body. It assists in converting poorly absorbed iron from plant-based sources and utilizes it in the best way. This is perfect for people who don’t have meat, which is a great source of iron.
Consuming 100 mg of vitamin C helps us absorb around 67% of iron. This also helps you reduce the chances of having anemia, which happens due to iron deficiency.
There was a study done on 65 kids who had a low level of iron in their body. They were given vitamin C supplements and that controlled their anemia.
6. Boosts immunity
Vitamin C makes our immune system stronger. They encourage the production of white blood cells called lymphocytes and phagocytes, which protect our body against infection. It helps white blood cells work effectively and protect them from damage by harmful molecules like free radicals.
To add to these, there are also benefits of vitamin c for skin as they work as a natural defense system. The level of antioxidant strengthens the barrier of our skin and helps wounds heal quickly. It is also a great beauty ingredient that fights aging signs and skin glowing.
7. Protects memory
Dementia is a common problem for elderly men and women. It is as type of memory failure where old people cannot remember anything or put two and two together.
Dementia happens to over 35 million people across the world. Studies show that oxidative stress, inflammation in the spine, nerve, and brain increase risks of dementia.
The antioxidant content of vitamin C helps fight memory failure. There are many studies that show vitamin C uses for improving memory retention. The supplements help older people have better thinking and remembering ability.
Although there have been human-based studies that show benefits of vitamin C, when you include it in an elderly person’s diet, you must consult a doctor.
8. Vitamin C for skin
There are several beauty products loaded with the goodness of vitamin C because it is an effective ingredient to fight aging signs and keep your skin glowing.
You can add it to your diet or you can have supplements. There are many home remedies with vitamin C ingredients that can free you from acne problems, marks, and prevent aging lines.
Final thoughts
All in all, vitamin C is definitely an ingredient we all need for our survival. The best way is to have the right sources of it through food and preferably in the raw form. Try to add more fruits that contain vitamin C in your diet and you’re good to go!
