Nutrient Highlight - Vitamin C

The nutrient of the week this week is Vitamin C!

Sources of vitamin C are plenty! But some high yield sources are listed below. A few fruit options include grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, and orange. Some vegetable options are tomato juice, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and bell peppers. Realistically, you can find vitamin C in most fruits and veggies.

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Vitamin C is essential for your health. As a water-soluble vitamin if you have too much in your system, you will be able to eliminate it fairly easily, but always be cautious when supplementing with a vitamin for the first time without a doctor's advice on dose.

I mentioned that vitamin C is essential and that is true, because the body cannot produce Vitamin C on its own, so you have to get it through your diet (fruits and veggies). It also acts in the body as an antioxidant, which is partly why it has soo many health benefits. See below!

Some uses for Vitamin C include:

• Immune support - by preventing and treating "the common cold" and other infections

• Forms collagen (helps keep bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, hair, skin, and nails strong and working right)

• Improves absorption of iron from non-meat sources

• Improves heart health by decreasing blood pressure

• Decreasing skin cell damage

• Regulating blood sugar in people with sugar dysregulation disorders (like diabetes)

• Supports cognition (memory)

A safe amount to start supplementing with if you cannot get it from dietary sources alone is 500-1000 mg daily, but you can likely increase to 2000 mg daily without side effects. Always check with me or your doctor prior to starting a new supplement regimen.