{"id":35094,"date":"2025-04-16T16:25:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35094"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:29:00","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:29:00","slug":"vitamin-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/vitamin-c\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitamin C: What It Is, What It Does and Foods Rich in Vitamin C"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vitamin C<\/strong> is an essential nutrient that strengthens the immune system and acts as an antioxidant. In this post, you will discover what it does and which foods contain the highest amounts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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What is vitamin C?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Definition and characteristics<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that the body cannot synthesise itself<\/strong>, so it is needed in our daily diet. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative damage<\/strong>, participates in collagen synthesis and strengthens the immune system. It is sensitive to heat and light, meaning it can degrade during cooking or prolonged storage.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Functions in the body<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C stands out for its antioxidant action<\/strong>, protecting cells from oxidative damage. It is also essential for collagen synthesis: collagen is a protein<\/a> that maintains the integrity of tissues such as skin, muscles, tendons and blood vessels. It also improves absorption of iron found in plant-based foods, helping prevent deficiencies<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also participates in neurotransmitter synthesis<\/strong>, directly affecting mood, concentration and cognitive performance<\/strong>. It plays a key role in strengthening the immune system too, helping improve the body’s response to and recovery from infections<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Health benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n

Immune support<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C participates in the production and function of white blood cells<\/strong>, the cells responsible for defending the body against viruses and bacteria. It also maintains the integrity of epithelial barriers, such as skin and mucous membranes, acting as a first line of defence against pathogens<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Its antioxidant effect protects immune system cells from oxidative damage, improving their effectiveness. All this contributes to a more efficient immune response<\/strong>, reducing the duration and severity of common illnesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Collagen production<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, a fundamental protein in connective tissue. Without enough vitamin C, collagen production is affected<\/strong>, potentially causing dry skin, premature wrinkles, muscle weakness and fragile joints. Adequate intake helps keep skin firmer and healthier, improves muscle and tendon flexibility<\/strong>, and strengthens bones and blood vessels. It also supports wound healing, facilitating recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Iron absorption<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C improves the absorption of non-haem iron<\/strong>, found in plant foods such as pulses and spinach. Consuming this vitamin alongside plant-based iron sources converts the iron into a form that is more easily absorbed in the intestine.<\/span><\/p>\n

This helps prevent iron<\/a>-deficiency anaemia<\/strong> and supports energy and physical and mental performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Antioxidant properties<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping protect cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals<\/strong>. These radicals are generated by factors such as stress, pollution and poor diet, and can disrupt cellular balance and accelerate processes such as ageing or fatigue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By neutralising free radicals, vitamin C reduces oxidative stress and also preserves the health of tissues such as skin, muscles and blood vessels<\/strong>, improving recovery after exercise and helping prevent injuries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This antioxidant action also plays a role in preventing chronic diseases associated with oxidative damage, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Vitamin C-rich foods<\/span><\/h2>\n

Citrus fruit<\/span><\/h3>\n

Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit<\/strong> are known for their high vitamin C content. Including them in your daily diet is a way to ensure adequate intake of this vitamin. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Other fruit and vegetables<\/span><\/h3>\n

Alongside citrus fruits, other fruit and vegetables such as strawberries, kiwis, papayas, peppers and broccoli<\/strong> are also rich in vitamin C.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Recommended amounts and preparation<\/span><\/h3>\n

The recommended daily amount of vitamin C varies by age, sex and individual needs. In general, an intake of 75-90 mg\/day is suggested for healthy adults<\/strong>. Eating fresh, raw foods such as fruit and vegetables is the best way to make the most of their vitamin C content, as it can be degraded by heat and light.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Deficiency: causes and symptoms<\/span><\/h2>\n

Common causes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C deficiency can result from a diet lacking fresh fruit and vegetables<\/strong>, situations of high physiological demand such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, diseases affecting nutrient absorption, smoking, intense physical activity, or recovery periods after surgery or injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Symptoms and consequences<\/span><\/h3>\n

A lack of vitamin C can cause fatigue, dry skin and swollen, bleeding gums<\/strong>, slow wound healing, joint pain and a reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections. In extreme cases, scurvy may develop, a serious disease associated with prolonged vitamin C deficiency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Vitamin C supplements: when are they needed?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Intake recommendations<\/span><\/h3>\n

For most people, it is preferable to obtain vitamin C through a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables<\/strong>. However, supplements may be necessary in cases of diagnosed deficiency, reduced absorption, smoking or high physiological demand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The doses used in these cases may range from 200 to 1000 mg per day<\/strong>. The safe upper limit for healthy adults can reach 2000 mg\/day. However, above 1000 mg\/day, no additional benefits have been demonstrated, and digestive discomfort may occur. To avoid this discomfort and improve absorption, it is recommended to divide the daily intake and take it with food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Possible side effects<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin C has low toxicity. However, consuming more than 2000 mg daily can cause side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramps and other gastrointestinal disorders<\/strong>, because unabsorbed vitamin C in the digestive tract has an osmotic effect. In people with a history of kidney stones, sustained high supplement intake may increase the risk of oxalate formation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that strengthens the immune system and acts as an antioxidant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35094"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35782,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35094\/revisions\/35782"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}