Which foods have the most vitamin C and why is this substance so important for the functioning of our body? Let’s find out together.
Eating foods that contain vitamin C is very important for our health since this substance is a powerful antioxidant which helps prevent tissue aging and protects against free radicals.
It is also a particularly useful vitamin for the nervous system and is also able to stimulate faster wound healing.
Properties of vitamin C
The vitamin C or ascorbic acid is undoubtedly one of the basic water-soluble vitamins for our health. This, in fact, has the purpose of preventing capillary bleeding and, since it is also a powerful antioxidant, it is able to block the aging of the body . To these faculties is also added the destructive action of free radicals and its ability to balance the levels of vitamin E , equally important for the proper functioning of our body.
Furthermore, foods rich in vitamin C help in the harmonious development of the organism and in tissue repair: one of its main peculiarities, in fact, is that of stimulating wound healing .
Furthermore, vegetables and fruit with vitamin C also play an important role in the brain since this vitamin is responsible for the creation of the neurotransmitter called norepinephrine , which allows you to control the use of substances contained in the blood, in particular glucose. .
Foods that contain vitamin C
Foods rich in vitamin C are many and are to be found above all in fresh fruit and vegetables such as guava, and in particular citrus fruits, namely lemons, oranges, grapefruits.
Other fruits that contain vitamin C are berries, melon, watermelon, kiwis. As for the other foods rich in vitamin C, this can be found in peppers, asparagus, turnip greens, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes.
Although vitamin C is also present in many vegetables, it is good to keep in mind that it is a very labile substanceand therefore it is destroyed by cooking, storage, exposure to air and light, which is why it is essential to consume fresh food.
The fresher and more unprocessed the food, the greater the amount of vitamin C it contains.
Among the cooking methods indicated in this regard we mention the microwave oven, steam and rapid frying.
Daily requirement of Vitamin C
In normal situations, the recommended daily dose of vitamin C ranges from 30 to 50 milligrams in a healthy person.
The minimum recommended level is 10 milligrams: below this amount there is the risk of contracting scurvy, a disease due to the lack of vitamin C. The maximum allowable intake, however, is 200 milligrams per day. .
Then there are people who have some particular pathologies or dysfunctions for which, instead, there is the need for different quantities, in which case it is possible to use food supplements that can be easily found in herbal medicine.
The 10 foods richest in Vitamin C
- Yellow peppers
- Litchi
- Fresh thyme
- Hot peppers
- Orange peel
- Parsley
- Lemon peel
- Red, sweet peppers
- Kiwi
- Broccoli