Benefits Of Vitamin C

Benefits Of Vitamin C

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Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is one of the most widely known cures for ailments like common cold and due to its relation to citrus fruits it is also referred to as the citrus vitamin.

Vitamin C is historically associated with scurvy, a disease which plagued mankind even before the time of Christ and was particularly rampant among the sailors. Contracting scurvy was the dread of every sea-faring individual embarking on a long voyage because it had the reputation of wiping out the full strength of the ships company within a matter of days. Necessity being the mother of invention and subsequently research, the ancient sailors found a cure for the disease in form of a number of food products like fruits, salads, vegetables and even ale which had been prepared from wormwood, horseradish and mustard seeds. The credit of identifying Vitamin C to be the surest as well as the quickest way to cure scurvy goes to James Lind who was a British physician and who recommended inclusion of citrus fruits like lemons and oranges in the diets of sailors as a precaution against scurvy. It is due to its success against scurvy that Vitamin C was accorded the name Ascorbic acid by scientists because it means without scurvy.

Vitamin C is beneficial to the human body in many ways which are listed as follows:

The inversely proportional relationship between Vitamin C and common cold was explained by Linus Pauling in his book Vitamin C and Common Cold in 1970 and it is to the credit of the author that the facts presented by him in his literary work had such a great impact on people that its recommendations are followed even today. It is proven that the regular intake of Vitamin C not only prevents common cold but also shortens its duration and reduces its severity to a great extent. This is because Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine and when imbibed it reduces the histamine levels of the body thus controlling the contagions of cold.
Since Vitamin C is an important factor in the production of collagen, its presence in the body helps to recuperate faster from surgical wounds, cuts, broken bones and burns and therefore it should be consumed on a daily basis in adequate quantities. On being applied on the surface of the skin it provides protection against the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Vitamin C is reputed to be one of those nutrients which reduce the probability of the occurrence of any type of cancer within the body. This is due to the antioxidant properties of Vitamin C which protect the cells and their inherent components from damage and mutation and thus equip the immune system of the body adequately to fight against the cancer causing compounds. Even if an individual is diagnosed with cancer, he is advised to continue with the consumption of Vitamin C as it provides the body with the nutrition required to fight the illness.
The lens of our eye requires a high concentration of Vitamin C to protect itself from the damage caused by the sunlight as this nutrient not only helps to improve our vision but also prevents the clouding of the lens which is a symptom of cataract.
Since Vitamin C is an antioxidant it prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood and thereby reduces the possibility of heart diseases and heart strokes. In addition it also helps to keep a check on the high blood pressure and protects the walls of the arteries from getting damaged.
People suffering from diabetes must include plenty of Vitamin C in their diets since apart from controlling the levels of sugar in the blood it provides protection against the many complications which are the hallmarks of diabetes like poor wound healing and sluggish circulation of blood.
As proven by research, Vitamin C plays an instrumental role in the treatment of many health conditions like asthma, Parkinsons disease, periodontal disease and preeclampsia in pregnant women.

The daily requirement of Vitamin C can be acquired by consuming citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits and other fruits like strawberries, kiwifruit and potatoes. An important point to keep in mind is that the food products which contain this essential nutrient should either be eaten raw or should be cooked as little as possible because prolonged cooking at high temperature destroys its value.

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