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5 Amazing Benefits of Vitamin C

Written by Stephanie Masterman

Published January 19, 2024

Vitamin C is one of the most well known nutrients and we all know that it's good for us - but why is it so important, and how can we make sure we are getting enough of this essential vitamin?

What is Vitamin C? 🤔

Vitamin C is one of 13 essential vitamins which our body needs to function best and stay healthy.

Also known as "ascorbic acid", Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins which are easily stored in the body, this means that Vitamin C is not easily stored - as it is washed out frequently. So getting a daily source of Vitamin C is vital to enjoying its benefits.

Vit C is an antioxidant vitamin, which means that it works to protect the body against oxidative stress - the root cause of damage in the body which contributes to poor health.

So Vit C helps to protect cells and keep them healthy, and has many other important functions which we will explore later!

Food Sources of Vitamin C 🍊

As we can't store Vitamin C in the body, we need to make sure we get a daily supply of this nutrient to stay topped up and healthy.

The good news is that there are lots of different foods which are high in Vitamin C - namely fruits and vegetables. And most of the foods naturally high in Vitamin C are just as delicious as they are nutritious - bonus!

Unlike some foods which we know are good for us but wouldn't necessarily enjoy otherwise (leafy greens, we're looking at you!), foods high in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, peppers, tomatoes, melon, kiwi and potatoes - which many of us enjoy as part of a healthy diet anyway.

Many of these are very nutrient-dense, so even one portion will contribute a big chunk towards your daily Vitamin C goal.

Vitamin C Rich Superfoods 🌱

Superfoods are the gold-standard of nutrient-density - providing a spectrum of nutrients in a very small serving.

For example, Vitamin C occurs in naturally high amounts in oranges - but even more so in the superfood baobab.

There's around 70mg Vitamin C in your average orange, but up to 380mg in the equivalent amount of baobab (over 5 times as much!)

This really showcases just how nutrient-dense superfoods like baobab are, and how incorporating them into your daily diet can give you a real boost of essential nutrients like Vitamin C.

Rheal Feel Good Bundle

Health Benefits of Vitamin C 🧡

Getting enough Vitamin C everyday gives your body a ready supply so that it can carry out all of its amazing functions. Here are just some of the health benefits of Vitamin C.

1. Improves immune function

The antioxidant activity of Vitamin C means that it can help to prevent damage in the body at a cellular level.

Studies have also shown that Vitamin C protects the immune system, reduces the severity of allergic reactions, helps to fight off infections and improves wound healing.

2. Enhances iron absorption

Vitamin C is a powerful enhancer of iron absorption, helping us to enjoy the maximum benefits of both nutrients - as well as prevent iron deficiency.

This effect is particularly potent in enhancing the absorption of non-heme iron, the kind we get from plants which is more difficult for the body to utilise compared with heme iron (found in animal products).

Enjoying a source of Vitamin C (e.g. glass of orange juice, couple of dried apricots or a serving of Clean Greens and Berry Beauty) together with leafy greens or other iron rich foods can help to increase the bioavailability or iron during digestion.

3. Healthy hair, skin & nails

Just like most antioxidants, Vitamin C is a nutrient that your hair, skin and nails love!

It helps to support your natural detoxification processes and also improves the rate of repair for any damage too - supporting hair growth, stronger nails and reducing the severity of skin breakouts.

Vitamin C also helps to support collagen synthesis, the most abundant structural protein in the body. Collagen is the building block of hair, skin and nails and so a diet rich in Vitamin C can help to keep our appearance youthful and glowing.

4. Supports brain health & mental wellbeing

One of the lesser known benefits of Vitamin C is that is also supports brain health and so our mental wellbeing in turn.

The antioxidant activity of Vitamin C protects neurons from oxidative stress, reducing damage including age-related damage which can contribute to the onset of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease.

Vitamin C also enhances the production of certain brain chemicals including serotonin and glutamate, which help to improve memory, cognition and mood regulation.

5. Helps to prevent the common cold & flu

It is a common misconception that increasing your intake of Vitamin C when you already have a cold or bug will help to fight it off.

Unfortunately, it is usually too late by the time the damage is done.

However, getting enough Vitamin C daily and consistently year-round is a sure fire way to reduce the chance of falling poorly in the first place - as well as speed up your recovery when you do get a cold.

How much Vitamin C do need? 📊

The average adult male requires 90mg Vitamin C per day, and for women this is 75mg per day. This recommended intake also varies depending on age and physiological state.

Pregnant women are advised to aim for an increased intake of 85mg per day, to get enough for mum and growing baby
Breastfeeding women also have an increased daily requirement of up to 120mg per day
Babies and infants require 40-50mg per day
Children and teens require less than adults, but this will vary depending on age

What happens if you get too much Vitamin C?

The safe upper limit for Vitamin C is 1000mg per day. It is hard to get too much Vitamin C from diet alone, and as it is water-soluble any excess will be excreted in our urine. However, overdoing it on supplements is the usual culprit for getting too much Vitamin C.

Any more than 1000mg per day could cause some adverse symptoms such as stomach aches, diarrhoea, feeling sick and wind 💨 Luckily, these usually resolve themselves with no lasting effects once you stop taking too many Vitamin C supplements!

What happens if you get too little Vitamin C?

Not getting enough Vitamin C daily can lead to Vitamin C deficiency over time.

Signs of Vitamin C deficiency include tiredness, sore bones and joints, dry skin which damages easily and is not quick to heal, brittle nails and irritation.

Luckily, it is very uncommon to have a Vitamin C deficiency. However, if your intake of fruit and veg is typically low then it is possible - so it's best to take a supplement (or better yet enjoy your daily superfoods!) to make sure you're topped up.

Boost your Vitamin C intake with natural superfoods 🤗

Getting your Vitamin C from 100% natural superfoods, compared with synthetic supplements, improves absorption and bioavailability in the body.

Synthetic Vitamin C supplements are usually made with the purest form of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) which is chemically identical to that you'd find in food.

However, natural fruit and vegetables are also rich in numerous other nutrients and phytochemicals which increase the bioavailability of Vitamin C - for maximum absorption and benefits.

We recommend our Feel Good Bundle to help boost your intake of Vitamin C with natural superfoods. This is a bundle of Berry Beauty and Clean Greens, together providing a whopping dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants from Organic berries and baobab.

Here is how much Vitamin C you will find in just one spoonful (5g) of our Clean Greens and Berry Beauty superfood blends - and even better, with both!

Feel Good Bundle Vitamin C content

Simply mixing a heaped teaspoon of Clean Greens and Berry Beauty into water, juice or breakfast recipes is an easy and convenient way to get your daily dose of Vitamin C and enjoy all of its incredible benefits.

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