Foods Rich In Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin which is essential to maintain the health of your body. It is also known as ascorbic acid. It helps in supporting the immune system thereby protecting you from any kind of infections.
Vitamin C is also needed for the maintenance and repairs of the bones and cells and maintaining the levels of cholesterol in your body. The consumption of vitamin C can also help in protecting you against cancer or cardiovascular disorders in future. Unfortunately, the human body is not able to produce and store vitamin C and hence, has the daily consumption of the vitamin is essential.
The best sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables which are consumed raw. As vitamin C is water soluble, it can be easily lost due to improper storage or cooking. Citrus fruits are particularly known to be rich in vitamin C. Include fruits like oranges, pineapple, grape fruits, limes etc in your diet to provide you with the adequate amount vitamin C that your body requires. Fruits like mangoes, watermelon, cranberries, strawberries etc also consist of high amounts of vitamin C. The exact quantity of vitamin C in each of the fruit could differ. However, it is found that the riper the fruit is, the richer it is in vitamin C.
Some root vegetables like potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C. Green leafy vegetables are also believed to be rich in vitamin C. Hence, vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes etc will certainly help in increasing the level of vitamin C in your body. Foods like onions, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, beets, cayenne pepper also contain vitamin C.
Fruit and vegetable juices can also help in improving the levels of this vitamin in your body. However, some individuals may suffer from a shortage of vitamin C despite all the available sources.
A deficiency of vitamin C could result in ‘Scurvy’ which results in weakening of the bones. It also causes the weakening of the blood vessels and the connective tissues. The deficiency of this vitamin, if not treated on time, can even be life threatening.
