Vitamin C: Dietary Sources, Technology, Daily Requirements & Symptoms of Deficiency

Vitamin C is one of the most important components to include in a regular diet. It is a powerful vitamin that provides a number of very important health benefits and affects multiple body processes. Vitamin C is not produced by our body, therefore, we need to ingest daily amounts of this nutrient for our body to function properly and to prevent disease. Vitamin C is a cofactor in at least eight enzymatic reactions, including several collagen synthesis reactions that, when dysfunctional, cause the most severe symptoms of scurvy. Vitamin C is also known to help prevent colds and flu, but it is much more than that; it is a potent antioxidant that fights free radicals in the body. As a result, it aids in preventing premature aging, strengthens bones and teeth, strengthens blood capillaries, fights infections, strengthens the immune system, helps to reduce the level of triglycerides and bad cholesterol in the blood, and it also helps our bodies absorb iron, preventing anaemia. Furthermore, the antioxidants in vitamin C help ward off inflammation, infections, and viruses. Vitamin C also protects against heart attacks and strokes by helping to build proteins in various types of cellular constructions, which generally promotes improved vascular health and longevity. Studies suggest that vitamin C may even be important in preventing Alzheimers disease or auto-immune problems, as well as atherosclerosis. This book aims to gather valuable information about this important vitamin, including sources of this nutrient with such important biological properties, the effects of processing and a number of different approaches to the roles of this powerful vitamin in the human body, as expressed by the diversity of themes addressed in the chapters.