Centuries have passed since British sailors discovered the key to warding off scurvy: vitamin C.
You’ve probably been told that getting enough vitamin C can ward off colds and other illnesses, but now it turns out that vitamin C may not play a major role in preventing sniffles. However, it plays an important role in maintaining the health of your skin.
Sailors and others who could not eat fresh fruits and vegetables suffered from bleeding under the skin, ulcers, and weak joints. That’s because vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is key to the production of collagen, a protein that helps the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin firmness and strength. Vitamin C also helps build scar tissue and ligaments, and it helps your skin heal itself.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that slows the rate of free radical damage — free radicals are unstable molecules that damage collagen and cause skin dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. New research shows that ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, a derivative of vitamin C, not only neutralizes free radicals, but also reverses DNA damage.
Research shows that vitamin C can also reduce sunburn caused by exposure to ultraviolet B rays and prevent the effects of long-term sun exposure, which can lead to skin cancer. That doesn’t mean you can take a vitamin or apply topical vitamin C and then bake safely in the sun, but you can help keep your skin healthy and supple by making sure you’re healthy. May you get enough of these antioxidant vitamins.
Keep reading to find out what foods you can add to your diet to make sure you get the vitamin C your body needs.
Vitamin C foods
Vitamin C can improve your skin, strengthen your immune system, protect against heart disease and reduce your risk of stroke, and doctors say it’s the safest. And is one of the effective nutrients. Vitamin C is water soluble, which means it is easily absorbed into your body through water. Your body doesn’t store vitamin C, so you must replace your supply every day — excess is excreted through your kidneys.
There are many foods that can help you increase your vitamin C intake. If you get the recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you’re probably meeting the minimum daily recommendation for vitamin C — plus many other vitamins and minerals to ensure To include plenty of vitamin C in your diet, eat citrus fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, collard greens and tomatoes. Although opinions vary about how much vitamin C your body needs, many doctors recommend taking 500 milligrams per day, which can often be found in daily multivitamins or vitamin C supplements. However, don’t eat more than 2,000 milligrams per day — too much vitamin C can cause heartburn.
You can also apply topical vitamin C to your skin to boost collagen production and fight free radicals. Look for a facial cleanser or moisturizer that contains the L-ascorbic acid form of vitamin C to ensure the vitamin penetrates the layers of your skin.
See the links on the next page for more information on how vitamin C benefits your skin and how you can incorporate it into your diet and skin care routine.