Winter is here and so are all the germs, sneezes and itchy, watery eyes that come with it. To get your immune system running at top notch this cold weather season, you may want to consider upping your vitamin C intake.
But many people don’t realise that not all forms of vitamin C are created equally, so some work better than others. Your body absorbs and utilises plant based vitamin C more efficiently than the manufactured kind.
Read on to find out why you should be supplementing with vitamin C this winter and what the best kind to take is.
Functions of Vitamin C
Vitamin C, otherwise known as L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. Because humans are not able to synthesize vitamin C in the body, it is considered an essential nutrient.
Although vitamin C plays a large role in building up your immune system, it’s also needed for many other important mechanisms. Vitamin C plays a role in protein metabolism and is needed for the biosynthesis of collagen, certain neurotransmitters and the amino acid L-carnitine.
Collagen is needed for wound healing and the regeneration of skin cells, which is especially important during the winter when skin gets rough and dry. Vitamin C can help soothe rough skin, prevent wrinkles and even reverse UV damage. Vitamin C increases the synthesis of collagen by inducing the chemical process that combines an organic compound with a hydroxyl group.
Studies show an association between dose-dependent vitamin C and an increase of collagen in fibroblasts. So generally speaking, the more vitamin C you take, the better collagen is synthesized.
It’s also an important antioxidant that has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants in the body, including vitamin E. Both vitamin C and vitamin E work as an antioxidant at a cellular level to naturally detox the body of toxins and boost the immune system.
Supplementing with vitamin C may even be able to shorten the duration of the common cold and reduce the risk of developing a chronic disease.
Lastly, vitamin C is needed to improve the absorption of nonheme iron, which is the type of iron found in plant-based foods. Iron plays an important function in reducing inflammation, promoting proper blood circulation and keeping the immune system strong, especially in regards to bacterial infections.
Plant Based Vitamin C Versus Manufactured: What’s The Difference?
Your body absorbs plant based vitamin C better than manufactured products, or the kind you find in cheap supplements. Manufactured vitamins are generally produced synthetically with chemicals and they do not come from natural sources.
They are designed to mimic the way natural vitamins work in the body. The problem is that your body knows the difference between a manufactured vitamin that is produced in a test tube and one that is naturally sourced from plants, and it prefers to absorb the kind that is naturally produced.
Manufactured vitamins also do not include the transporters and coenzymes that are naturally found in plant based vitamins to help your body absorb the vitamin because they have been “isolated.”
Supplementing with plant based vitamin C allows you to take lower doses with better results due to the better absorption. Plant based vitamin C also works better when it’s taken with other plant based antioxidants that are needed for absorption.
Plant based vitamin C is hard to find. The majority of vitamin C supplements are sold in synthetic or manufactured form. Vitamins that are isolated cannot be properly utilized until you obtain the other plant based nutrients needed to absorb them, so taking a supplement that is synthetic is like asking your body to put your vitamins on layaway. Because they are isolated and contain nothing other than the vitamin itself, manufactured vitamins increase the risk of creating a trace mineral deficiency because the body must pull from its storages to absorb them.
On the other hand, plant based vitamins come with all the transporters and trace minerals needed to get the job done without creating a deficit. The following is a list of plant based foods that are high in vitamin C:
- Yellow bell peppers
- Guavas
- Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach
- Kiwi
- Broccoli
- Oranges
- Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and acerola berries
- Cooked tomatoes
- Peas
- Papaya
- Camu camu
To boost your plant based vitamin C intake this winter, consider a high quality supplement such as Vibrant Health Vitamin C. The 100 percent plant sourced vitamin C supplement is naturally full of trace minerals, plant antioxidants and coenzymes needed for better absorption.
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