Vitamin C

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of our body. It is used to:

• Form an important protein used to make skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels
• Heal wounds and form scar tissue
• Repair and maintain cartilage, bones, and teeth. Vitamin C is needed for the synthesis of collagen in humans.
• Block the damage caused by free radicals which play a role in cancers, heart disease, arthritis and aging – Vitamin C as an antioxidant

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Any leftover amount of it will leave the body through the urine. And our body cannot store nor make it (lacking an enzyme (L-gulonolactone oxidase) necessary for the synthesis). This means we need a continuous supply of vitamin C in our diet. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg/day and 75 mg/day for the average adult men and women respectively.

All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C.

Fruits with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Cantaloupe
• Citrus fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit
• Kiwi fruit
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries
• Watermelon

Vegetables with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
• Green and red peppers
• Spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and other leafy greens
• Sweet and white potatoes
• Tomatoes and tomato juice
• Winter squash

Cooking vitamin C-rich foods or storing them for a long period of time can reduce the vitamin C content. Microwaving and steaming vitamin C-rich foods may reduce cooking losses. The best food sources of vitamin C are uncooked or raw fruits and vegetables.

Too little vitamin C can lead to signs and symptoms of deficiency, including:

• Anemia
• Bleeding gums
• Decreased ability to fight infection
• Decreased wound-healing rate
• Dry and splitting hair
• Easy bruising
• Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
• Nosebleeds
• Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism
• Rough, dry, scaly skin
• Swollen and painful joints
• Weakened tooth enamel

A severe form of vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy (sometimes referred to as Barlow's disease, Moeller's disease or Cheadle's disease). Scurvy often presents itself initially as symptoms of malaise and lethargy, followed by formation of spots on the skin, spongy gums and bleeding from the mucous membranes. Spots are most abundant on the thighs and legs, and a person with the ailment looks pale, feels depressed, and is partially immobilized. As scurvy advances, there can be open, suppurating wounds, loss of teeth, jaundice, fever, neuropathy and even death.

Scurvy does not occur in other animals because they can synthesize their own vitamin C. But humans cannot. And so you need to eat more of these: