Vitamin C for better health

In winter, everyone has a favorite activity: playing in the snow, cooking and feasting for the holidays, or staying indoors and snuggling up to stay warm. No matter what your most enjoyable wintertime moments are, no one enjoys feeling ill from catching a cold or the flu. The good news is that making good food choices can help you stay healthy and happy through the months when the most sickness occurs.

One easy way to combat the common cold is to eat more foods high in vitamin C. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is known to have many benefits to the body. The major functions this vitamin performs are:

• production of the fibrous proteins that make up bone, cartilage, tendons and other connective tissues;
• formation and repair of red blood cells;
• protection against bruising; and
• aids the absorption of iron.

In addition, vitamin C is known to keep gums healthy, heal cuts and wounds and strengthen the immune system.

Vitamin C is also known to help protect against heart diseases and many cancers, including those of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, pancreas, stomach, colon and breast. This is because it is a natural antioxidant, which help destroy cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

How much vitamin C do I need?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 60 mg per day for anyone 15 years of age and up, with increased needs during pregnancy and lactation. The best sources of vitamin C are:

Since Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, amounts above the RDA taken in will be easily flushed out of the body and are not likely to be harmful. Any amount larger than 5,000 mg per day may cause abdominal bloating and diarrhea, however, and therefore is not recommended.

It doesn't take much planning to receive an adequate amount of vitamin C daily. A single serving of the most common source of vitamin C, orange juice, has 100% or more of the vitamin C you need each day. Therefore, it should be fairly easy for anyone who has a glass of orange juice on a daily basis to reduce their likelihood of getting a cold. It has been found that vitamin C can reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms because of its antiviral and antioxidant effects.

Anyone who does not get the minimum suggested daily intake of vitamin C runs the risk of developing a deficiency called scurvy. This deficiency is characterized by weakened bones and connective tissue. More specific symptoms of Scurvy include bloody or swollen gums and loose teeth. It is certain that no one wants to be faced with such negative consequences of not getting enough vitamin C.

One easy way to stay on track with vitamin C consumption is to remember to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, always including at least one citrus fruit. Since many fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamin C, consuming five servings a day will greatly increase your chances of being vitamin C sufficient.

If you're not sure if your fruit and vegetable choices are high in vitamin C, refer to the following table for the best sources, or contact your local registered dietitian for other suggestions.

References:
Pennington, Jean, Bowes & Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, Lippincott Williams, and Wilkins, 1998.

Smolin, Lori, Grosvenor, Mary, Nutrition Science & Applications, Saunders College Publishing, 2000.

The Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor is created by registered dietitians and dietetic interns who staff the Nutrition Clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital. For information, contact the Nutrition InfoLine at (203) 688-2422.

For more information on this topic, you could visit:

• Outstanding antioxidants, Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor, September 20, 2002
• Food as medicine: Vitamin C, The Cancer Project, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
• Natural food-Fruit vitamin C content, The Natural Food Hub
• The antioxidant vitamin: Vitamin C, Townsend Letter for Doctors, February/March 1994
• Is extra vitamin C okay?, ParentSoup, iVillage Inc., July 2, 2001

Other issues addressed by Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor:

• Thinking about going low-carb?
• What's to drink?
• Obesity—it's not just for grown-ups anymore
• Fruits and vegetables: Always in season
• Calcium: Not just for bones anymore!
• Mercury Rising
• A powerful B vitamin: Folate
• Vegging out
• Manic for organic
• Beta carotene
• Shellfish & cholesterol
• Sorting through nutrition information
• Summer fruit sensations
• Make it fun in the sun (outdoor food safety tips)
• Archive

Last revised: March 10, 2005 (jj)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.