Vitamin C-where do you get yours?
I was a big fan of Sunny Delight in my youth, the orange juice that used to actually turn you yellow if you drank too much of it. I also enjoyed the odd orange and presumed that was enough to keep my vitamin C levels up. If I felt a tickle of a sore throat or that I was fighting something off, I’d eat an extra satsuma when I remembered and might add in a chalky tasting supermarket vitamin C supplement.
Vitamin C - more than just the cold and flu vitamin
I put my hands up- I underplayed the importance of vitamin C. This clever vitamin is needed all year round-not just when we think we need a bit of oomph.
Vitamin C is the most studied and best understood anti oxidant-it defends our cells against nasty free radicals to keep them ticking over and working at their best
Whilst vitamin C is found in orange juice, even in sunny d, it turns out the sugar in those juices makes it pretty hard to absorb the amount of vitamin C that is actually in the product. And even if you could absorb all the vitamin c in a glass of OJ, unless you have a diet that contains a lots of citrus fruits every day, you are still at risk of not obtaining enough vitamin C
Oranges are not the only fruit
Hear vitamin C think orange. Guavas, kiwi fruits, bell peppers and strawberries are even more C rich than the humble orange. Pile up the greens on your plate this festive season - tis the season to brussel sprout, another vitamin c rich food source.
Fun fact-Your brain is full of vitamin C
Vitamin C is more highly concentrated in your brain than in any other organ. For good reason. Vitamin C in your brain is used to make nerve cells (neurons) as well as myelin, an important insulator of nerve cells which helps nervous system cells communicate.
Beauty is vitamin C deep
Vitamin C helps us make collagen which is like a type of scaffolding to hold our cells up. All our cells need this so collagen has responsibility for keeping our skin look fresh and bright as well as supporting blood vessels
Immune super heroes
With its unparalleled free radical fighting abilities, vitamin C is the super hero sidekick our immune cells need. Insufficient vitamin C may make it that bit harder for our immune system to fight at its hardest. And we all know how important supporting our immune system is right now.
Stress weapon
Next to our brain, the adrenal glands (which sit on top of the kidneys) are the 2nd most vitamin C packed area in the body. Adrenal glands have a key role in producing life sustaining hormones as well as hormones involved in helping to deal with stress.
Keep Well, Dr Clara Russell
