You often hear that oranges or citrus fruits contain a lot of vitamin C, but nothing could be further from the truth. Did you know that you need 12 oranges to get 500 mg of vitamin C? So, a glass of orange juice in the morning is actually not enough for the whole day.
How much vitamin C per day?
Research shows that vitamin C between 650 mg and 3000 mg per day can have a positive effect. Dosages in between have less effect. An excess of vitamin C is excreted via the kidneys, so you urinate it out. We always recommend taking 1 capsule of vitamin C per day with your food.
Why do we need vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin. The human body cannot produce vitamin C, so it is important that we get it daily from our diet. Colloquially, vitamin C is one of the most well-known vitamins. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. It acts as an antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C is also necessary for the formation of connective tissue, the absorption of iron, and maintaining immunity.
If you have a vitamin C deficiency, this can lead to reduced immunity, delayed wound healing, and ultimately scurvy. If the dosage is too high for an individual, diarrhea can occur because unabsorbed vitamin C attracts water in the intestines. This indicates that the bowel tolerance has been reached.
Foods with vitamin C
Vitamin C is found in many types of fruit, vegetables, and potatoes. Especially in certain types of cabbage, bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, and berries. The highest vitamin C content in food can be found in:
- Blueberries: these antioxidant bombs have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bell peppers: in addition to vitamin C, they contain many antioxidants and B vitamins.
- Brussels sprouts: contain about 3 times more vitamin C than oranges! In addition, they are rich in B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, and fiber.
- Kiwi: this fruit is a vitamin C bomb. One green kiwi provides approximately 63.8 grams of vitamin C.
- Kale: has anti-inflammatory properties and is good for your immune system.
Furthermore, it is always important to know that most vitamin C in food is found in the skin of a fruit. Therefore, mainly buy organic vegetables and fruits so that you get the optimal amount of vitamin C through food.
