Vitamin C
One of the most important vitamins for the body, vitamin C helps boost immune system health, maintain healthy skin and reduce tiredness and fatigue (something we all know with our busy daily schedules). It also helps to keep our metabolisms steady and is necessary for fighting disease and infection. Vitamin C, for years, has been a household remedy to reduce the effects of the common cold.
Our bodies don’t make or store vitamin C, so we have to incorporate the vitamin into our diets every day. The most popular source of vitamin C comes from oranges. While it’s beneficial to drink a glass of orange juice at breakfast or add them to a fruit salad, it’s not ideal for everyone, especially due to their high acidity levels. Vitamin C supplements are a good way to provide the body with more of the vitamin; supplements can come as a powder that can be added to juices or water, as a tablet, as a liquid or as dissolvable tablets to mix with drinks.
The signs of vitamin C deficiency are obvious:
- Rough and dry skin
- Bruising easily
- Slow healing wounds
- Weak bones
- Poor oral health- bleeding gums and tooth loss
- Frequently ill
- Fatigue and low mood
These symptoms are usually restored once vitamin C levels increase.
People also asked
What food is highest in vitamin C?
Fruit and vegetables are healthy ways to add vitamin C into your diet. Fruits such as oranges, strawberries and lemons have high levels of vitamin C. As for vegetables, broccoli, potatoes and peppers are high in the vitamin.
How much vitamin C do I need?
40mg of vitamin C daily is recommended for adults aged 19 – 64. A healthy diet should give you enough of the vitamin.
What happens if I take too much vitamin C?
Taking too much (more than 1,000mg daily) vitamin C is not fatal, but can cause unpleasant symptoms which include, stomach pain, flatulence, diarrhoea and digestive distress. Symptoms should settle once you stop taking vitamin C supplements or reduce the vitamin from your diet.