How does vitamin C help you?

Contributed by – Healthians team

Vitamin C is a highly important nutrient that has multiple benefits for the body. It is also an essential nutrient, meaning that our body is not able to produce it on its own. The importance of vitamin C comes from the fact that it impacts many functions of the body including the immune system. There are a variety of Vitamin C rich sources that can be incorporated into our diet. While many people tend to look towards supplements, adding vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables in your diet is the easiest way for you to ensure its regular consumption. In this article, we will look at some common vitamin C sources, but before that, let us see how vitamin C helps you.

Important benefits of vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant 

Vitamin C is one of the important antioxidants which has the ability to block the damage caused by free radicals. Wondering what are free radicals? Free radicals are made in your body when the food breaks down or when you are exposed to smoke or radiation. The buildup of these free radicals is largely responsible for the aging process. Antioxidants, like Vitamin C, can limit the damage by stabilizing and mopping up free radicals.

Vitamin C may lower your blood pressure

If you regularly deal with high blood pressure, then you should add more vitamin C rich food in your diet because these foods can help bring your blood pressure under control. As vitamin C is water-soluble, it helps remove more sodium and water from the body, which relaxes the blood vessel walls, thereby reducing blood pressure.

Vitamin C can benefit your immunity

Vitamin C has long been touted as a cure for cold and flu. While this hasn’t been proven, studies have shown that vitamin C can definitely decrease the severity of the infection. It lessens the nauseating effect of common cold, including inflammation and runny nose. Not only cold and flu, but vitamin C also shows a similar effect on other allergies. This is because vitamin C plays a significant role in the body’s immunity, adding a variety of foods high in vitamin C can boost the immune system.

Vitamin C makes your skin and hair healthy

If you want healthy-looking skin and hair, vitamin C is your answer. Vitamin C plays an integral role in collagen production, a substance that is an important component of healthy skin. However, the production diminishes as you grow older. With a good intake of vitamin C, you can slow down the signs of aging and maintain healthy skin and hair. 

Vitamin C may help you reduce stress

Thanks to our rushed lives, we deal with stress almost all the time. But vitamin C could be your saviour. It has the ability to decrease the level of stress hormone and may help in dealing with typical indicators of physical and emotional stress.

Vitamin C may reduce your risk of heart diseases and cancer

This is particularly because of the fact that vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help decrease high blood pressure. Both these points are linked with the risk of heart diseases and cancer as antioxidants can reduce the risk of cancer and healthy blood pressure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Common vitamin C foods and sources

Vitamin C rich fruits

• Citrus fruits, like orange and grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Vitamin C rich vegetables

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Green and red pepper
• Spinach
• Cabbage
• Turnip greens
• Sweet potatoes
• White potatoes
• Tomato

These are a few best sources of vitamin C which you can include in your diet easily. Consciously and consistently adding vitamin C rich food in your diet can help in addressing a host of health problems.