Sure, we’ve all heard plenty about the health benefits of Vitamin C, and we all heard growing up about how sailors coming to the new world suffered from scurvy due to the lack of this vitamin, but how much do you really know about this wonder nutrient, aside from the anecdotes you’ve heard over the years?  Here’s a little information about what vitamin C can do for you and where you can get it.

Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you can take in as much as you want, and your body will discard what’s not needed.  That also means that you must take in fresh amounts of the vitamin everyday for your body to function properly.

So what does this vitamin do for you?  It helps repair damage to your cells and it is important in the function of your immune system (that’s probably why you always hear you need to take more vitamin C when you have an illness).  It also helps with tissue regeneration and helps your body absorb iron.  In fact, it does so much more—it helps fight against disease and is thought to fight aging as well.

So how can you be sure you’re getting enough vitamin C?  In this day and age, vitamin C deficiency is rare, but it still doesn’t hurt to make sure you’re getting enough.  Adult women should make sure they take in at least 75 milligrams a day.  If you eat any fruits and vegetables (especially fresh ones), chances are you’re getting plenty.  For example, a baked potato contains 200 milligrams, more than twice what you need in a day.  But strawberries, cantaloupe, red pepper, broccoli, and—yes—oranges all have enough to cover you on a day-to-day basis.  Because vitamin C is plentiful and easy to obtain through food, experts don’t recommend supplements.

However, most multivitamins contain vitamin C, often more than 100% of your daily needs.  That’s okay, though, because your body will simply discard what it doesn’t need.  There are plenty of multivitamin tablets that contain a good amount of vitamin C—Nature Made’s Multi for Her has 90 tablets and can be found at most food and drug stores for around $5.  If you’d prefer a vegetarian vitamin tablet, you can purchase 90 tablets from Deva for less than $11, and it’s easy to buy online.

Want to give your immune system a boost?  Get some C today!

Sources:
UF:  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/fy/fy21500.pdf />
Dr Weil:  http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02811/facts-on-vitamin-c