Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or ascorbate is a water soluble vitamin and it is an important nutrient for human growth and development. This is a vitamin that can neither be made nor stored in the body but can easily be eliminated from the body and hence these have to be supplied continuously by taking proper food or diet.
Vitamin C reduces the risk of some cancers, protects immune system, cardiovascular system, bones and teeth, healthy connective tissue, reduces the problems related to cancer, heart, eyes and skin, maintains good blood levels, reduces the risk of common cold and mild problems, helps heal wounds quickly.
Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, therefore can prevent the damage caused from free radicals of the body. It plays a vital role in converting fat into energy.
Vitamin C can be obtained from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables like oranges, strawberries, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, red and green pepper, tomato juice, lemon, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, banana, carrot etc.
Over cooking and storage of vitamin C foods reduces the content of vitamin C. Raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources to obtain vitamin C.
Deficiency of vitamin C leads to disease scurvy which leads to problems with skin, bleeding gums and mucous membranes, and also causes problems like anemia, dry skin and hair, joint pains, decreases the rate of healing the wound.
It is good to obtain higher amounts of vitamin C for smokers and also pregnant and feeding mothers.
