by Matt Weik
Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is mainly found in fruits and vegetables. It is most known for positively impacting the immune system and skin health. While some people consume enough vitamin C through their diet, many others don’t, leading to vitamin C supplements.
So, how much vitamin C should you strive to take in daily? The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 65 to 90 mg per day for adults. It’s essential that you make vitamin C a priority, not only because of its effect on the immune system but because your body cannot produce vitamin C on its own, so it is extremely important to add a few vitamin C-rich food items to your diet or look for high-quality vitamin C supplements.
Vitamin C-Rich Foods
If you are someone who prefers to get their micronutrients from food alone, you can add these foods to your diet to help fulfill the daily intake requirement.
Now, it should be said that depending on your overall intake, you may not hit the recommended 65-90 mg of vitamin C per day. In that case (you can track your micronutrients by using an app like MyFitnessPal), utilizing vitamin C supplements can be increasingly important to ensure you hit your recommended daily intake.
1. Kiwi Fruit
Kiwi helps to improve immunity, reduce oxidative stress, and lower cholesterol levels. One medium-sized kiwi fruit contains approximately 71 mg of vitamin C. Studies have found that eating two kiwis daily for four weeks can increase the blood activity of white blood cells by around 20%.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli is a fantastic vegetable that contains 89 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. Studies show that eating broccoli can help improve immunity and decreases the risk of heart diseases.
3. Lemon
When thinking about vitamin C, lemon should be one of the first things that come to mind. Lemon contains 77 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. It also contains powerful antioxidant properties.
4. Strawberries
Strawberries are a nutrient-packed fruit that is good for heart and brain health. A cup of strawberries (152 grams) contains 89 mg of vitamin C.
5. Oranges
Citrus fruits are the best way to meet your vitamin C needs. Most people, when they hear vitamin C mentioned, they almost immediately think of an orange. A medium-sized orange contains 70 mg of vitamin C.
The Health Benefits of Vitamin C and Vitamin C Supplements
Are you still unsure why you would want to include vitamin C in your diet? Check out these amazing health benefits.
1. Boost Immunity
One of the most important health benefits of vitamin C is that it helps in boosting immunity by helping white blood cells. As per studies, vitamin C helps in the production of white blood cells that ultimately help in protecting the body against foreign pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and infections.
2. Speed Up the Healing of Wounds
Researchers have found that vitamin C can help your body more quickly recover from wounds and getting banged up and bruised. Whether it is a minor cut or a broken bone, vitamin C can speed up the recovery process. This happens because vitamin C helps produce collagen, a protein present in connective tissues.
3. Reduce the Risk of Heart Diseases
Heart diseases are one of the most common reasons for death across the globe. Various factors like cholesterol level, blood pressure, and more lead to heart diseases. Vitamin C helps reduce the risk factors associated with heart diseases, which can ultimately help lower the risk.
4. Prevent Iron Deficiency
Iron is one of the most important nutrients required to produce red blood cells and transport oxygen. Studies show that vitamin C can help in improving the absorption of iron, which, in turn, can reduce the risk of iron deficiency.
5. Keep Skin Healthy
When it comes to improving skin texture or maintaining healthy skin, vitamin C works like magic. It helps to reduce wrinkles, improve skin elasticity, and hydrate the skin.
6. Improve Your Memory and Thinking Skills
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and is linked to improving memory and the ability to think, as the research has shown. Many people with low vitamin C levels suffer from dementia. So, adding vitamin C to your diet or using vitamin C supplements can help reduce the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, nerves, and spine, which can reduce the risk of dementia.
How Do You Know If You’re Vitamin C Deficient?
Several factors can lead to a vitamin C deficiency — poor diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, dialysis, and more. Though the signs of vitamin C won’t show up immediately, here are a few signs that you should pay attention to that could expose a vitamin C deficiency:
- Dry and damaged skin
- Slow healing process
- Pain in joints
- Swelling or bleeding in gums
Side Effects of Taking Too Much Vitamin C
In case you consume more than 2000 mg of vitamin C on a given day, you may experience the following side effects:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Bleeding
Start Focusing on Vitamin C and Vitamin C Supplements
With so many incredible health benefits, vitamin C has become one of the most powerful nutrients that are needed in your everyday diet or supplement regimen.
In case you struggle to add vitamin C-rich foods to your diet, you can opt for vitamin C supplements, which are available over the counter. You can purchase a strict vitamin C supplement as a standalone or find a quality multivitamin with a good amount of vitamin C in the formula.
Be sure to consult your doctor before you start using vitamin C supplements (or any supplement) to ensure they will not interact with any medication or other supplements you may be using. By investing in your health today, you will thank yourself tomorrow.
