Vitamin C Is A Powerful Antioxidant To Boost Health And Wellness
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid has gotten lots of attention in past years, and perhaps rightly so. It is one of the more readily available vitamins for most people around the world, and between news reports of its benefits and advice from friends and family, its no wonder this particular citrus vitamin is always at the top of our supplement list.
When you hear the word vitamins, you may instinctively think of the common cold. For that you can thank Linus Pauling and his 1970 book, Vitamin C and the Common Cold. In it, Pauling recommended mega doses of vitamin C to reduce the frequency and severity of colds. The book triggered a sales boom for vitamin C that is still going strong. It also prompted nutritionists to begin a series of carefully designed studies of the vitamin and its functions in the body.
Ascorbic acid is a sugar acid with antioxidant properties. Its appearance is white to light yellow crystals or powder. It is water soluble. The name is derived from the alpha privative a- (meaning no) and scorbuticus (scurvy), the disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C. In 1937 the Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to Walter Haworth for his work in determining the structure of ascorbic acid (shared with Paul Karrer, who received his award for work on vitamins), and the prize for Physiology or Medicine that year went to Albert Szent-Gyorgyi for his studies of the biological functions of L-ascorbic acid. At the time of its discovery in the 1920s, it was called hexuronic acid by some researchers.
Primates, including humans, and a few other species in all divisions of the animal kingdom, notably the guinea pig, have lost the ability to synthesize ascorbic acid, and must obtain it in their food. Ascorbic acid and its sodium, potassium, and calcium salts are commonly used as antioxidant food additives. These compounds are water-soluble and thus cannot protect fats from oxidation: For this purpose, the fat-soluble esters of ascorbic acid with long-chain fatty acids (ascorbyl palmitate or ascorbyl stearate) can be used as food antioxidants.
Eighty percent of the world’s supply of ascorbic acid is produced in China. The relevant European food additive E numbers are: E300 ascorbic acid, E301 sodium ascorbate, E302 calcium ascorbate, E303 potassium ascorbate, and E304 fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (i) ascorbyl palmitate (ii) ascorbyl stearate.
Although ascorbic acid is a vital food nutrient for humans and is therefore termed a vitamin, it is a natural liver metabolite in most other animals. Vitamin products C or Ascorbic acid is the enolic form of 3-oxo-L-gulofuranolactone. It can be prepared by synthesis from glucose, or extracted from plant sources such as rose hips, blackcurrants or citrus fruits. It is easily oxidized in air. It is essential for the formation of collagen and intercellular material, bone and teeth and for the healing of wounds.
It helps maintain elasticity of the skin aids the absorption of iron and improves resistance to infection. It is used in the treatment of scurvy. It may prevent the occurrence and development of cancer. Man is one of the few mammals unable to manufacture ascorbic acid in his liver. Good sources of Vitamin C are Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, red peppers, chilies, watercress, parsley, blackcurrants, strawberries, kiwi fruit, guavas, and citrus fruit.
So you can see that vitamin C is essential for a healthy body. Vitamin supplements are relatively inexpensive and available for purchase at practically any store including your local or internet health food store.
*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vitamin C is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.