Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C helps keep your immune system healthy. However, our bodies do not naturally make vitamin C, so it is essential that we eat plenty of foods that contain this vitamin.
Vitamin C helps grow and repair body tissues, heal wounds, and repair and maintain healthy bones, skin, cartilage, and teeth. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, so it fights the free radicals within the body; this helps delay or even prevent certain types of cancers or heart disease, and even helps with healthy aging.
Vitamin C is not proven to prevent you from catching a cold; however, there is evidence that it may decrease the length of symptoms by nearly one-and-a-half days just by having a high intake of this vitamin. It is important to note though that some other studies have shown that high doses of vitamin C supplements do not decrease the length of symptoms, so it is essential to contact your doctor or registered dietitian before taking them.
Some sources of vitamin C include oranges/orange juice, citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, and green and red bell peppers. These sources can be eaten cooked or raw, but it is important to keep in mind that these foods do start to lose vitamin C after being heated or stored for long periods of time. In order to get the most nutrients out of these foods, try to eat them as soon as you get them from the store, or try to steam or microwave the vegetables for shorter periods of time.
Vegetarians can benefit from vitamin C because it helps the body better absorb non-heme iron- this is found in plants such as spinach, quinoa, and beans. In order to get the full benefit, consume foods rich in vitamin C with plant foods rich in iron in the same meal. For example, a spinach salad with strawberries and mandarin oranges will allow you to receive plenty of benefits and vitamin C and iron from this one meal.
Source: https://www.eatright.org/health/essential-nutrients/vitamins/how-vitamin-c-supports-a-healthy-immune-system
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