7 reasons to eat more vitamin C foods

1. Reducing the risk of chronic disease

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that enhances the body's natural defenses.

Antioxidants are substances that stimulate the immune system. They protect the cells of the body from harmful molecules - free radicals.

Free radicals build up in the body and can cause a condition called oxidative stress. It, provoking the destruction of healthy cells, ultimately leads to various chronic diseases.

Studies have shown that increasing vitamin C in the diet can raise blood antioxidant levels by up to a third. This helps the body fight inflammation on its own and reduces the risk of dangerous diseases. For example, cardiovascular.

2. Fighting high blood pressure

Constant high blood pressure threatens chronic heart disease. And they are the main cause of death worldwide.

Researchers have found that vitamin C lowers blood pressure by relaxing the walls of blood vessels.

Of course, you should not rely on vitamin alone in the treatment of hypertension. It has not yet been proven whether it maintains a positive effect on blood pressure levels in the long term. However, it is still an excellent tool for maintaining vascular tone.

3. Reducing the risk of heart disease

There are many factors that increase your risk of dangerous heart disease. For example, all the same high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Vitamin C helps fight these factors and reduces the risks of their occurrence.

Thus, an analysis of several studies conducted showed that people who took high doses of vitamin C for several weeks had a quarter lower risk of heart disease compared to those who did not.

4. Protection against gout

Gout is a painful joint inflammation and swelling. Its symptoms appear when the level of uric acid in the blood rises.

This acid is a waste product of the body, but when it becomes too much, it crystallizes and is deposited in the joints. This causes bouts of acute pain.

Studies have shown that vitamin C helps reduce the amount of uric acid in the blood and, as a result, protects against gout attacks.

5. Prevention of iron deficiency

Iron is an essential element in the body for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body.

Vitamin C also promotes better absorption of iron from food. A trace element, which is found, for example, in foods of plant origin, vitamin C converts into an easy form for absorption by the body. This is important for those who do not eat meat, which is the main source of iron.

In general, an adequate intake of vitamin C reduces the risk of anemia, and it is especially beneficial for people prone to iron deficiency in the blood.

6. Increase immunity

Vitamin C plays several important roles in the immune system.

Stimulates the production of white blood cells, or white blood cells, which help protect the body from infections.
Helps white blood cells function more efficiently by protecting them from free radicals.
It is actively transported to the skin, where it acts as an antioxidant and strengthens the protective systems of the integument.
Accelerates the healing process of skin wounds.

What's more, low levels of vitamin C in the body are directly linked to health conditions. So, when studying patients with pneumonia, experts found out that its supplements help to shorten the recovery time.

In the case of the common cold, for example, vitamin C can speed recovery by 8% in adults and 14% in children. At the same time, contrary to common misconception, he is not able to prevent it.

7. Preventing memory impairment

The loss of the ability to think normally, remember and remember information, which leads to the inability to apply practical skills and even perform habitual daily activities is called dementia. It is mainly found among the elderly. In total, more than 35 million people around the world suffer from it.

Oxidative stress, which often leads to chronic inflammation, can increase the risk of developing dementia. And it is especially dangerous if they affect the brain and spinal cord, as well as other important organs of the nervous system.

Vitamin C is able to actively fight oxidative stress. Therefore, a violation of the normal ability to think and memorize information is directly related to the lack of this trace element. While consuming enough of it has a protective effect.

Scientists disagree on which is more beneficial: artificial additives or a special fortified diet. But if you are already on a diet rich in vitamin C, you should not additionally resort to pharmacy remedies.

So, its excess in the body can, for example, increase the risk of eye diseases. Therefore, always consult your doctor about the use of high doses of vitamins.