can the body store vitamin c?

Who hasn't heard of valuable vitamin c, otherwise known as ascorbic acid?

Surely it's one of the best known of all essential nutrients?

And that's not surprising ... for your body needs this important vitamin for over 300 functions.

So, let's learn a little about it - what it does ... its sources ... and how much you need ...

benefits of vitamin c

Considering it's such a well-known vitamin, not everyone is terribly clear on what role it plays in your body.

This is probably because you need it for such a wide variety of your body's functions.

Here are just some of the main ones:

• growth and repair of all body tissues
• formation of collagen - protein which makes skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels
• repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth
• heals wounds
• it's an antioxidant

What's an antioxidant?

It's an important nutrient which stops some of the damage caused by free-radicals.

Free-radicals are mainly responsible for your aging process and, with it, such illnesses as cancer, heart disease and inflammatory conditions.

Antioxidants also help reduce damage to your body caused by pollutants, such as smoking.

vitamin c foods

Which foods are high in vitamin c?

Well, you'll find it present in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, in particular:

• citrus fruits
• strawberries
• rose hips
• kiwi
• berries
• tomatoes
• peppers
• broccoli

can the body store vitamin c

Can the body store vitamin c?

Well, the c vitamin is water-soluble.

Because of this, your body cannot store the vitamin, so you'll need to take in fresh supplies daily.

When you boil vegetables in water, much of their vitamin c will go into the cooking water - which you then go and throw away!

So, do keep your cooking water and re-use to flavor gravy, sauces, or stock ... that way, you won't be wasting important vitamins.

Prolonged cooking times will also destroy vitamin c, as will pressure cooking, roasting, frying and grilling.

So steam vegetables where possible, or boil lightly ... but, best of all, eat plenty of raw fruit and veg.

vitamin c dosage

How much vitamin c should you take each day?

Recommendations vary but, on average:

• adult male - 90 mg a day
• adult female - 75 mg a day

If you're pregnant, smoke, or are under stress, you may require more.

Normally, there's no danger of you taking too much of the c vitamin, as your body will just get rid of any excess.

vitamin c - signs of deficiency

What happens if you don't get enough vitamin c?

Signs of deficiency may include:

• feeling run down
• dry skin and hair
• bruising easily
• aching joints
• inflamed gums
• nosebleeds
• scurvy

can the body store vitamin c - related pages

Find detailed information about other vitamins on the following pages...

• List of essential vitamins
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B Complex
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin Water

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