Vitamin C : Do’s & Don’ts

Why Do We Need Vitamin C?

To Boost Immunity

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant in the body. Having sufficient Vitamin C daily helps reduce oxidative stress and cell damage in the body, and increases your immunity power against various diseases and viral infections.

For Optimal Skin, Hair & Joint Health

Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen in the body. This protein is responsible for providing structure and strength to skin, bones, and connective tissues, thus promoting healthy skin, hair, and joints. Vitamin C also protects the skin from harmful sun rays. In addition, it helps maintain healthy joints and prevent inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

To Promote Iron Absorption

Iron is very important for our body, especially for women on menstrual cycle. It helps to maintain healthy red blood cells which carry fresh oxygen all over the body. Vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron in our body.

How Much Vitamin C Do We Need Daily?

For normal healthy men aged 19 and above, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is 105 mg. On the other hand, for normal healthy women, it is 85 mg. However, pregnant and lactating women will require higher intake. (Source: Health Hub, Singapore) 85 mg is equivalent to around 1-2 oranges or slightly more than 1/2 (half) tablespoon of Camu-Camu Berry powder.

Whole-Food Sources of Vitamin C 
• Orange (1 big whole, 79.5mg)
• Bell peppers (1 whole, 241.6mg) 
• Strawberries (1 cup, 67.5mg)
• Tomatoes (1 whole, 14.2mg)
• Broccoli (Boiled, 1 cup, 119mg)
• Nature’s Superfoods – Organic Premium Camu-Camu Berry Powder (1 teaspoon,
158 mg)
• Nature’s Superfoods – Organic Sun-Dried White Mulberries (1/4 cup, 84mg)

Do’s And Don’ts For Vitamin C

Do’s

Take Whole-Food Vitamin C

Vitamin C complex is best obtained from whole-food sources rather than from supplements. (isolated/synthetic Vitamin C pills, for example). Whole-food sources of Vitamin C naturally contain complementary nutrients that can promote the absorption of Vitamin C in body, as Mother Nature intended it to be. In comparison, isolated/synthetic Vitamin C pills (which is isolated ascorbic acid) do not have the same absorption effectiveness.

Take On An Empty Stomach

Vitamin C foods have the best effect on the body when taken on an empty stomach, for example 1 hour before meal.

If you lead a busy lifestyle and are not able to consume sufficient fruits and vegetables in a day, boost your daily Vitamin C requirement with Organic Camu-Camu Berry Powder. Just one teaspoon of powder is sufficient to meet your daily Vitamin C requirement. You can mix the powder into raw honey water, juice, etc as a daily immunity/beauty drink!

Don’ts

Don’t Overdose

Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. More than 1,000 mg/day is considered an overdose. For this reason, you should avoid excess intake. Otherwise, you may face the following issues:

• Digestive Problems: Too much Vitamin C can lead to digestive issues like diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, etc.

• Interfere With Medications: An overdose of Vitamin C may affect the safety and efficacy of estrogen therapy, and it may be detrimental for patients with diabetes, kidney stones or kidney dysfunction.

Note: Always talk to your doctor first before taking any high-dose Vitamin C on a long-term basis, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions.