Veggie Blog

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for your body. It supports your immune system and prevents deficiency diseases such as scurvy. You can take this vitamin with or without food, as it comes in supplement form and in many different juices. Along with being found in supplements, you can find vitamin C in broccoli, peppers, oranges, lemon juice, mustard greens, cauliflower, papaya and parsley.

How much you need

Research has shown that there are no extra benefits from taking huge amounts of this vitamin: the body gets rid of the excess, and very large doses can cause stomach upset and diarrhea. The upper limit is 2,000 mg a day. On the other hand, you should not be short of the vitamin either. The most common signs of a deficiency in vitamin C include swollen or bleeding gums, an unexplained weakness and nosebleeds. Severe deficiency is rare today, with the most common reasons being a very poor diet, smoking and alcoholism.

Tendons and ligaments throughout your body need vitamin C, which the body uses to make collagen and keep tissue strong. Healthy adults usually get enough from food: the recommended amount is 75 mg a day for women and 90 mg for men (35 mg more for smokers). Vitamin C and vitamin E are both antioxidants, but there is no good evidence that you need to take supplements of both together, so check with your doctor first.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is used in many skin care products, and it takes part in the way your skin repairs itself. Eating enough of it is good for your skin, but it does not replace sunscreen: UV damage is best prevented with sunscreen, clothing and shade. The evidence that vitamin C and vitamin E together can reverse skin damage or heal scars is limited.

Where to find it

You can find vitamin C in many fruits and vegetables. Oranges are a well-known source, but red peppers contain even more, and kiwi fruit, strawberries and broccoli are good sources too. One glass of orange juice gives you roughly 100 mg, which is about the daily recommendation, and an orange eaten whole gives you fiber as well. Juice also contains a lot of sugar, so there is no need to drink several glasses a day.

If you want more vitamin C in your diet, you can take vitamin supplements, but most people do not need them. When you look at the labels in the store, check how much vitamin C is in the supplement and how it works. Time-released supplements of vitamin C have not been shown to work better than ordinary ones, so there is no need to pay extra for them. As long as you eat fruit and vegetables every day, your health and immune system will be in good shape.