Practically any process doesn't take place in a human body without participation of a water-soluble vitamin With (ascorbic acid). Growth and cell regeneration, digestion of iron, maintenance of immunity are only a small part of functions of vitamin. At the same time it is important to remember that it isn't developed by an organism, and comes to it with food. We will consider, than vitamin C is useful to health and beauty in what products it contains.
The best sources of vitamin C
At the mention of vitamin C there is an association with strengthening of immunity and protection against respiratory diseases at once. As soon as in a throat begins to tickle, many address ascorbic acid that cold avoided. Here only in shop most often run behind lemons, oranges and other types of a citrus, and they aren't leaders in the content of the vital vitamin. Leadership belongs to atserola berries (Barbados cherry), but for us it is exotic. It is necessary to pay attention to a dogrose, paprika, parsley, blackcurrant, a sea-buckthorn, apples, broccoli.
Useful properties of ascorbic acid
Vitamin C is important not only for the immune system, it also protects vessels. Ascorbic acid normalizes a blood-groove and promotes maintaining integrity of internal walls of arteries. Without allowing to collect cholesterol, prevents atherosclerosis and pathologies of a cardiovascular system.
Skin and connective tissue also profit from vitamin as it plays a crucial role in production of collagen - it substance strengthens teeth and bones, keeps elasticity of ligaments, tendons, an integument and blood vessels, accelerates healing of wounds and accretion of bones.
Besides, vitamin C regulates hormonal balance and activates those enzymes in a liver which are responsible for a detoxication. And the last, but not less important: the organism needs a microcell that it could dissolve and absorb better minerals - zinc, calcium and iron.
One more function of ascorbic acid – fight against free radicals due to antioxidant activity. Free radicals cause damage to cages, they can attack practically any fabric (from eyes to kidneys, joints and heart), provoke dangerous diseases, including oncological . Antioxidants counteract this destructive process.
To whom the deficiency of vitamin C threatens
The healthy organism receives necessary amount of ascorbic acid if the person adheres to the balanced diet with the emphasis on vegetables, fruit, berries, greens. Nevertheless, the need for vitamin C can sharply increase at intake of certain drugs - contraceptives, a cortisone or antibiotics of a broad spectrum of activity. The serious deficiency of vitamin can arise at sharp or chronic diseases.
Who most often suffers from deficiency of ascorbic acid:
- people who are in a condition of a chronic stress;
- diabetics (their need for vitamin C increases by 30%);
- patients with ulcers of stomach or intestines;
- smokers (their requirement increases by 40%) and alcoholics;
- people, whose diet is poor or includes mostly ready-made products;
- persons with the weakened immune system.
The shortage of vitamin C is usually shown by the increased susceptibility to infections, bad healing of wounds, joint and extremities pains, the general weakness, insomnia, frequent bleedings of gums, a depression and apathy. It is easy to avoid it, it is only necessary to reconsider a diet and to fill it with useful products.