Vitamin C, for You and Me!

Here’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… Nutrition HQ’s first blog post! My apologies to everyone who has been expecting these posts over the summer, my lifestyle became really hectic these last few months but now I plan on blogging weekly. If I really have to go ghost and disappear again due to school getting in the way I will definitely give you a heads up, but don’t worry this is my senior year and I plan on doing this for the rest of my life so even when I do go on a hiatus stay tuned because information will never stop flowing from here.

With the 2012-2013 school year right around the corner, I figured I would make it a personal goal to try to boost up my immune system by adding vitamin C to my daily regimen. If this is not your particular goal, that’s okay too. As you continue reading, you will learn a lot more than you ever knew about what exactly Vitamin C is, how beneficial it is to your health, what it is doing inside your body and what diseases it is preventing. You will also find out the best way to consume vitamin C and where to find it. 

Before we go any further, I wanted to give you a little introduction about myself and my stance on nutrition. Now if you know me, and trust me you will get to know me, I am a huge supporter of obtaining the right vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants from natural sources. Now don’t get me wrong, I am a human being and I do like processed foods (who doesn’t?), but I try my best to avoid them at ALL costs. I also believe that nutrition is the best preventative medicine out there. If you eat right you should be able to provide your body with the right vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants from natural sources without having to take any additional supplements. After all, our bodies were created to digest foods that are natural and found in the wild, not found in labs manufactured by people with white coats.

I used to be a “supplement junkie” and I would go to GNC and buy everything just because it is easier to consume. My mentality changed when I finished organic chemistry and I came to the realization that we are not fully aware of the effects chemicals have in our bodies in the long run. Even if we think it is safe now, these chemicals haven’t been around long enough to prove us otherwise. So, when I encourage you to add vitamin C to your diet, I mean it in the way of cutting up a fruit or tossing up a salad. I am not referring to taking a pill, powder or chewable tablet that has been mixed with cellulose, xanthan gum or any other chemical in order to get it in those forms. That’s just my opinion though, if you’d rather go to a vitamin store and buy a bottle of vitamin C because it is more convenient for you, I’m not stopping you. 

Now that you got to know a little bit about myself, I would like to introduce you to ascorbic acid or more commonly known as vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient we consume that aids our bodies in various ways. It is a water soluble vitamin, so if you do happen to overdose it won’t be as toxic as a fat soluble vitamin. Don’t get me wrong though, if you consume more than recommended you could experience symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, flushing, excessive urination and even kidney stones due to the additional break down of uric acid. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90mg for males 19 years and older, 75mg for women 19 years and older, and an additional 35mg if you are a smoker.

Vitamin C has also been known to prevent common colds, inflammation, hair loss, etc. Actually, vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron, strengthens the immune system, helps build and strengthen collagen, aids in the growth/repair of body tissues, and maintains bones healthy and strong. 

Vitamin C protects us from the following diseases:

·         Heart Diseases

·         High blood pressure

·         Common colds

·         Periodontal disease

·         Osteoarthritis

·         Macular degeneration

·         Asthma

·         Pre-eclampsia

·         Eczema

·         Hay fever

·         Heals burns and wounds efficiently

·         Allergies 

Vitamin C also aids in the synthesis of norepinephrine, a very important neurotransmitter in the brain. It also plays an important role synthesizing carnitine, a molecule that transports fat into the mitochondria. Once carnitine reaches the mitochondria, it can convert fat into energy. Most importantly, Vitamin C is an antioxidant which protects our cells from being damaged by free radicals. Free radicals are produced by oxidative reactions within our bodies that damage our DNA and can cause us to age quicker, develop tumors, cancer and other diseases. Free radicals in our bodies are simply not good, and a way to get rid of them is by taking antioxidants (don’t worry we will go in-depth on this in a different article). The best way to neutralize free radicals is by consuming foods with antioxidants.  In recent studies, it has been found that vitamin C has had a role in preventing autoimmune disorders and even slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s! 

As I said before, I no longer believe in going to a supplement store and buying a bottle of vitamin C to get my daily fix. Instead I have compiled a list of foods that are rich in vitamin C. Mainly any fruit or vegetable has vitamin C, but the trick is to consume it raw. When you steam or boil the vegetables then the nutrients start breaking down and are not as potent. The following list has not been written in any specific order but are all high in vitamin C.

·         Guava

·         Raw Red Sweet Pepper

·         Medium sized Kiwi

·         Oranges

·         Raw Green Sweet pepper

·         Natural grape fruit juice

·         Papaya

·         Fresh strawberries

·         Brussel sprouts

·         Cantaloupe

·         Broccoli

·         Lemon Juice

·         Pineapple

·         Kale

·         Parsley

·         Cauliflower

·         Mustard greens

·         Tomatoes

·         Potatoes

So, if your goal of strengthening your immune system was not a priority before, hopefully it is now because who likes getting sick anyways?! 

If any of you would like me to cover a specific topic, have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to message me or leave it in a comment below.

Written by: Isabella Bedoya

Sources:

"Linus Pauling InstituteMicronutrient Research for Optimum Health." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/>.

Nordqvist, Christian. "What Is Vitamin C? What Is L-Ascorbic Acid?" Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219352.php>.

N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient>. 

"Top 10 Sources of Vitamin C (Including 3 Foods With More than Oranges)." The Daily Green. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/top-sources-vitamin-C-44102808>.

"Vitamin C."  Health Professional Fact Sheet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/>.

"Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)” University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-c-000339.htm>.

"Vitamin C: Why It's Important." / Nutrition / Vitamins and Minerals. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-c-why-its-important.html>.

"What Are the Cons of Taking Vitamin C Tablets?" LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/370551-what-are-the-cons-of-taking-vitamin-c-tablets/>.

Picture source: http://healthfoodxdrinks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/vitamin-C-for-Skin.jpg