photo credit: sonictk
We are going through the label on the daily multivitamin that I take (Just Once, Women’s One Multivitamin by Rainbow Light) and today we are discussing vitamin C. If you are interested in this vitamin or any other brands, check out www.iherb.com. Be sure to put in the promotion code TOL704. You’ll get $5 off your first order.
Previously we discussed Vitamin A, so check out that post!
Vitamin C, aka, acsorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin which means that it does not need fat to be absorbed by your body. However, that also means that it is not stored in your body like fat soluble vitamins. A water soluble vitamin will pass through your body in the form of urine if it was not all absorbed.
Vitamin C is a complex vitamin that covers a lot of ground. Here is just a small tidbit of information on the amazing health benefits of vitamin C.
It is:
- required for the growth and repair of all tissues in your body
- necessary to produce collagen which is a protein that makes skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels
- an “anti-aging” agent
- an antioxidant
- necessary for speedy healing of wounds
- needed to help the body detox
- when paired with vitamin E, can lower risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease
- great for our immune system and is involved in white blood cell production
- a defense against colds and flu
It has been know to help with many forms of cardiovascular disease, cancer, eye disease, liver disease, thyroid and lung disease.
Vitamin C is highly sensitive to air, temperature and water. You lose part of the vitamin C content through freezing and unfreezing fruits or vegetables, canning and reheating, and during cooking processes. When cooking vegetables that contain vitamin C, it is very possible to destroy most of the vitamin. Because most of the vitamin C is found in the watery part of the vegetable, it is easily lost in the cooking water. Your best option is to lightly steam your vegetables to preserve as much of the nutrients as possible. Better yet, just eat them raw.
Vitamin C is usually absorbed withing 2 hours of consumption, and leaves the blood in about 3-4 hours. It is commonly suggested to take vitamin C in 4-hour intervals for this reason so that, essentially, you don’t pee it all out.
I take buffered vitamin C apart from my multivitamin. Buffered means that the vitamin C is accompanied by minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium that help us to absorb the vitamin C and minerals better. They work together to make each other more effective. Also, buffered vitamin C may be preferred by those with sensitive stomachs.
Top Vegetable Sources of Vitamin C:
- Red and green bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Asparagus
- Tomatoes
- Mustard and collard greens
- Kale
- parsley (herb)
Top Fruit Sources of Vitamin C:
- Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes
- Rose hips
- Acerola cherries
- Strawberries (get organic because they are typically heavily sprayed with pesticides)
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Blueberries
Signs of vitamin C deficiency include:
- dry, splitting hair
- gingivitis (inflammation of gums)
- bleeding gums
- dry, scaly skin
- decreased ability to fight infection
- easy bruising
- nose bleeds
- anemia
- swollen and painful joints
- scurvy, a disease caused by severe deficiency of vitamin C (very rare in countries where fresh fruit and vegetables are readily available)
My multivitamin contains 120mg of vitamin C.
Next up vitamin D!
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