Foods rich in vitamin C

Foods rich in vitamin C include strawberry, orange and lemon and their aim is to strengthen the body’s natural defences as it contains antioxidants that fight free radicals, which when in excess in the body, they favour attack by some diseases.

Vitamin C should be consumed on a regular basis as it an excellent remedy for healing because it facilitates the absorption of iron in the intestines and it is particularly recommended for the treatment of anaemia. Vitamin C also facilitates the healing of the skin and it improves circulation of blood and it is a great way to prevent cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Foods that contain vitamin C

The following table shows the amount of vitamin C present in 100 grams of food:

Other foods that contain vitamin C though in smaller amounts include lettuce, artichoke, pineapple, banana, spinach, avocado, apple, carrot, plums, pumpkin and beetroot. A good amount of vitamin C can be obtained when the food is consumed fresh or in juices.

Recommended daily dose of vitamin C

The recommended daily vitamin C dose varies depending on lifestyle, age and gender:

Children and adolescents:

• 1 to 3 years: 15 mg.
• 4 to 8 years: 25 mg.
• 9 to 13 years: 45 mg.
• 14 to 18 years: 75 mg.

Men from 19 years: 90 mg.

Women:

• From 19 years: 75 mg.
• Pregnancy: 85 mg
• During breastfeeding: 120 mg.

Smokers: about 35 mg of vitamin C per day should be added to the daily recommendation, as smokers have a greater need for vitamin C.

Contamination and other medications can interfere with the absorption of vitamin C. In such cases, for healthy adults, it is advisable to consume 120mg of vitamin C every day, which is the same as taking a glass of orange juice.

Some studies show that vitamin C can help in the prevention of certain diseases and it prevents respiratory and systemic infections . It is thus advisable to consume between 200mg a day for their prevention.

When to take effervescent vitamin C

Effervescent vitamin C should be taken only by people who present symptoms of lack of vitamin C, such as easy bleeding of the skin and gums, which are signs of scurvy. Effervescent vitamin C can also be used for:

Effervescent vitamin C is indicated primarily for people who have symptoms of lack of vitamin C, such as easy bleeding from the skin and gum, which are symptoms of scurvy. Effervescent vitamin C can also be useful for:

• Avoiding and combating purple marks that arise on the skin in small lesions.
• Accelerating muscle recovery after physical activity in athletes as it aids in muscle hypertrophy.
• Strengthening the immune system, preventing flu and colds.
• Strengthening cartilage as it promotes synthesis of collagen by the body preventing the weakening of joints.

However, healthy people do not require supplementation of vitamin C as it can be easily acquired from food.

How to keep vitamin C longer

To maintain the amount of vitamin C in food, it is important not to leave fruits such as strawberry, papaya, kiwi or orange peeled, in contact with air and exposed to light for long periods. These factors can decrease the amount of vitamin C present in the food. For this reason, when making orange or pineapple juice, it is advisable that you place it in the refrigerator in a dark and capped jar so as to avoid contact of the juice with air and light of the refrigerator.

Moreover, vitamin C also dissolves in water when preparing foods such as broccoli, kales or chillies. It is destroyed at high temperatures and therefore to consume the maximum amount of vitamin C it is important that the food is taken naturally without cooking.