Vitamin C is one of those vitamins that you may have heard about several times in your life. This is because this vitamin has several health benefits and is required in your daily diet. While you may prioritize it for boosting your immune system, it can do so much more!
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), according to the Mayo Clinic, is needed for your body to produce blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones. It’s also essential for the healing process in your body and is an antioxidant that protects your cells from the impacts of free radicals – molecules produced when your body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation from the sun, X-rays, or other sources.
With its multiple health advantages, Jamaican registered nurse in New York, Monique Grant-Rhoden recommends taking it every day as water-soluble vitamins are not retained in the body like fat-soluble vitamins.
While some experts recommend that women take 75 milligrams (mg) of Vitamin C daily while men take 90mg, Nurse Grant-Rhoden noted that the daily dosage may vary depending on several factors.
“The dosage depends on a number of factors like the potency of the vitamin C, your gender, and whether you are pregnant or a nursing mother,” she said.
She added when it comes to providing nutritious foods to her patients, fruits, and vegetables high in vitamin C are essential, adding that they are typically served twice a day.
Therefore, she advises that all citrus fruits, as well as berries, cherries, pineapples, bell peppers, and vegetables, should be eaten regularly. This she says can reduce the likelihood of resorting to supplements.
“This might mean drinking a glass of orange juice in the morning with breakfast or ensuring you have at least one to two servings of fruits for the day,” she said.
“Find out what fruits are in season and consume fresh fruits as soon as they are harvested because the longer, they stay in storage they lose their vitamin C content,” she added.
Nurse Grant-Rhoden also recommends steaming your vegetables to keep the vitamin C content because boiling or cooking them for a long time can also cause them to lose nutrients.
From boosting the immune system, helping to beautify the skin, and providing the body with energy in the morning, Nurse Grant-Rhoden reiterated the importance of vitamin C, adding that eating fruits and vegetables is one of the greatest ways to keep healthy and is an effective approach.
