Nutrients play vital roles in the human body. It enables the body to perform its functions by nourishing the cells and keeping it alive. Many may mistake nutrients only for physical wellness but more evidence nowadays shows nutrients play significant roles in mental wellbeing too. There are many important nutrients necessary for the body, either macronutrients of carbohydrate, protein and fat or micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, both of these types of nutrients are vital for humans. In this article, we will be focusing on vitamin C and what food that is high in vitamin C.
Vitamin C is certainly not new to society. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid belongs to the water-soluble vitamins. This means that this type of vitamins is easily eliminated by the body through the urine. Since it is easily eliminated and the body is unable to store vitamin C for a long time, a person needs to take this vitamin on a regular daily basis in order to maintain the optimum level of vitamin C in the blood system. In general, a healthy adult needs 40 mg of vitamin C a day. The recommended vitamin C daily intake is 70 mg but this number may change according to gender, health status and stage of life. Taking vitamin C below 1000 mg should not pose side effects such as stomach pain or diarrhoea.
Abundance of health products in the market has emphasised vitamin C as the active ingredient as it possesses many health benefits. One of the prominent benefits of vitamin C is the effect it has on skin. Vitamin C acts as antioxidants that protect skin cells from free radicals that often cause skin dullness and early skin ageing. Vitamin C also aids in skin regenerating and rejuvenating by enhancing collagen production and maintaining skin barrier. Other health benefits that could be gained are immunity booster, a healthy bone, good oral health and alleviate risk for certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cataract and heart diseases.
By knowing the many benefits of vitamin C, many are tempted to get vitamin C in forms of supplements as it is the easiest and convenient way. However, it is still best to get vitamin C from food or drinks. Getting vitamin C in such ways does not only provide the vitamins but also helps a person to gain other nutrients that come along with it. Furthermore, eating and drinking itself gives a sense of pleasure and sense of fulfilment.
There are a number of foods that contain vitamin C. Foods that are highest with vitamin C mainly have that citrusy taste such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons. Citrus fruits are not only the food that have high concentration of vitamin C. Other fruits such as strawberry, kiwifruits, guava, papaya and blackcurrants also deliver high amount of vitamin C. Beside fruits, certain vegetables such as bell peppers, brussels sprouts, kale, tomato, cauliflower and cabbage also contain vitamin C.
As mentioned before, getting vitamin C or even any other nutrients are best from eating food. Remember to eat such food in the most natural way possible or prepared in the healthiest way and not by getting the highly processed one. Gaining nutrients in the form of supplements should only be decided if you are sure that you are unable to get certain nutrients in the recommended amount solely from food or you have other medical conditions needing supplements. Before buying or taking supplements, it is best to consult with a healthcare provider if you are diagnosed with medical issues or on medications. Remember to take supplements as instructed on the product’s label or as advised by doctors.