Vitamin C juiced up!
Have you ever wondered what is your skin made up of?
What helps in the building and regeneration of it every time you've dealt with a scar?
And to answer all of these, you may have to scroll down to understand and love your skin MORE ....
What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is abundant in vegetables and fruits. A water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant, it helps the body form and maintain connective tissue, including bones, blood vessels, and skin.
What are some vitamin C benefits?
Vitamin C helps to:
1. Repair and regenerate tissues
2. Protect against heart disease
3.Aid in the absorption of iron
4. Prevent scurvy
5. Decrease total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides
6. Vitamin C plays a role in many oxidative and reactions-e.g. hydroxylation of proline and lysine residues of protocollagen—essential for formation and stabilization of collagen triple helix.
It directly stimulates collagen synthesis and is very important for maintenance of intercellular connective tissue.
7. Supplemental vitamin C may also lessen the duration and symptoms of a common cold, help delay or prevent cataracts, and support healthy immune function.
How do you get enough vitamin C from foods?
Vitamin C is easy to get through foods, as many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C.
Good sources include:
apples, asparagus, berries, broccoli, cabbage,
melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), cauliflower,
citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges), kiwi,
fortified foods (breads, grains, cereal),
dark leafy greens (kale, spinach),
peppers (especially red bell peppers, which have among the highest per-serving vitamin C content), potatoes, and tomatoes.
Also, Human milk is richer in vitamin C (25–50 mg/L) than cow’s milk. Interesting right!
Some popular sources of vitamin C score high on the glycemic index, but the following eight vitamin-C rich foods are considered low on the glycemic index. Added bonus: they are good alternatives to more well-known vitamin C sources!
Broccoli – 1 cup of chopped broccoli provides 81.2 mg of vitamin C.
Raspberries – 1 cup of raspberries provides 32.2 mg of vitamin C.
Cabbage – 1 cup of chopped cabbage provides 32.6 mg of vitamin C.
Red Bell Pepper – 1 cup of chopped red bell pepper provides 190.3 mg of vitamin C.
Kale – 1 cup of chopped kale provides 81.2 mg of vitamin C.
Cauliflower – 1 cup of chopped cauliflower provides 51.6 mg of vitamin C.
Parsley – 1 cup of chopped parsley provides 79.8 mg of vitamin C.
Tomatoes – 1 cup of sliced tomatoes provides 24.7 mg of vitamin C.
What is the fate of Vitamin C in our body?
How much we wish that our system is easy and knows where to act IMMEDIATELY! but unfortunately it has to go through the same drill..The Stomach->intestine and sooo on..>>>.
It is nearly completely absorbed from Intestinal tract and widely distributed at cellular level. Increasing proportions are excreted in urine with higher intakes.Our fabulous bodies are not able to store more than 200-250 mg
What are the signs of a vitamin C deficiency?
Deficiency symptoms include
1.Fatigue(tiredness of our body),
2.Muscle weakness,
3.Joint and muscle aches,
4.Bleeding gums,
5.Leg rashes.
Prolonged deficiency can cause scurvy, a rare but potentially severe illness, now seen only in malnourished infants, children, elderly, alcoholics and drug addicts.
Careful what you drink guys!!
How much, and what kind, does an adult need?
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults over age 19 is:
Men-90 mg/day
Women-75 mg/day
pregnant women85 mg/day
breastfeeding women, 120 mg/day.
If you bruise easily, take 200 mg of vitamin C daily
Smokers may benefit from a higher intake. A strong recommendation of taking 250 mg/day.
How much does a child need?
NIH recommends Adequate Intakes (AIs):
infants 0-6 months old, 40 mg/day
infants 7-12 months old, 50 mg/day.
The RDAs of vitamin C for teens and children are:
toddlers 1-3 years old, 15 mg/day
children 4-8 years old, 25 mg/day
children 9-13 years old, 45 mg/day
male teens 14-18 years old, 75 mg/day
female teens 14-18 years old, 65 mg/day
OverLoading of Vitamin C
When obtained from food sources and supplements in the recommended dosages, vitamin C is generally regarded as safe. Side effects are rarely reported
1. Diarrhea
2. Nausea
3. Abdominal cramps
For most healthy individuals, the body can only hold and use about 200-250 mg of vitamin C a day, and any excess is lost though urine.
At times of illness, during recovery from injury, or under conditions of increased oxidative stress (including smoking), the body can use greater amounts.
High doses of vitamin C (greater than 2,000 mg/day) may contribute to the formation of kidney stones, as well as cause severe diarrhea, nausea, and gastritis.
Are there any other special considerations?
Adverse affects may occur between vitamin C and anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin, decreasing their action. Nicotine products, oral contraceptives/estrogens, tetracyclines, barbiturates, and aspirin may decrease levels of vitamin C.
Vitamin C may increase absorption of iron. Although some evidence suggests that large doses of supplemental vitamin C may interfere with the absorption and metabolism of vitamin B12 found in food, other studies have shown no such effects.
Disclaimer:Please take a doctor's opinion before starting your dose!
Your Well-wisher,
Dr.Insiya
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