Speaker #0Hello, and welcome to the Blueness Guide, the ideal nutrition guide for humankind. Today, we're going to focus on vitamin C. It's the most well-known vitamin among the general public. Does it really deserve this reputation? What exactly is it? What is its recommended daily dosage? And in which foods can we find it? These are the questions we'll try to answer in this podcast. So, first of all, what is vitamin C? It's a water-soluble vitamin, remember? In the introductory podcast about vitamins, we learned that water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. They dissolve in water and are easily eliminated through urine, except for vitamin B12. Humans can't synthesize vitamin C on their own, nor can they store it. So we have to get it from food every day so it can take part in hundreds of physiological reactions. The discovery of vitamin C is linked to scurvy, a disease that affected sailors who were deficient in vitamin C, because they didn't eat fruits and vegetables during their long voyages. The word scurvy gave rise to the term ascorbic acid, which is the scientific name for vitamin C. The main property of this micronutrient is that it's an organic antioxidant acid. In other words, vitamin C prevents or slows oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. And free radicals are responsible for aging. So let's take a closer look at the benefits of vitamin C. It acts as a coenzyme in many physiological reactions, among which, as we've mentioned, it primarily serves as an antioxidant. It also helps stimulate collagen synthesis. Collagen is a protein essential for building and strengthening tissues, skin, bones, teeth, ligaments, gums, and more. It also supports the immune system and protects against infections. When taken together with iron, it increases the absorption of iron. Finally, it may have a preventative effect against pneumonia and could reduce the duration of the illness. So which foods are rich in vitamin C? Among these foods, you'll find yellow bell peppers, fresh parsley, raw kale, kiwi, green bell peppers, lychee, broccoli, brussel sprouts, papaya. orange, strawberry, lemon, and so on. You can find the complete list directly in the Blueness Gaia. So like all nutrients, vitamin C is very delicate. After just three to four days, there is a noticeable loss of vitamin C content in fruits and vegetables. It is sensitive to light, air, temperature, and cooking time. That's why it's best to opt for gentle cooking methods or steaming. So, what is the recommended daily intake of vitamin C? European guidelines recommend a daily intake of 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. For example, an orange provides an average of 53 mg of vitamin C. That's more than half of the European recommendations. In France, the French Food Safety Agency recommends a daily intake of 110 mg for adults between 20 and 60 years old. And people who are more exposed to the harmful effects of oxidants, like smokers, have increased vitamin C needs, up to 125 mg, according to the Belgian Superior Health Council. For their part, some researchers and nutritionists recommend even higher doses. The Institute for Orthomolecular Medicine, based at the University of Oregon and now called the Linus Institute, Pauling, for example, argues that the optimal vitamin C requirement for a sedentary human is at least 400 milligrams per day. At this dosage, researchers at this institute believe you get very significant benefits for stress resistance, prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, blood vessel health, and the prevention of certain cancers. For athletes, according to some scientists, the requirement would be even higher, exceeding 500mg per day. But be careful, these recommendations have not been validated by public authorities. So the question is, should you take supplements? Depending on your stance regarding the recommended dosages, you may be more or less tempted to supplement. If you choose to take vitamin C in tablet form, don't worry, up to a dose of 2000mg per day you obviously divided, vitamin C supplementation is not dangerous. Generally speaking, if you're exposed to the harmful effects of oxidants like tobacco or stress, or if you're an athlete, for example, it seems wise to supplement and also increase your dietary intake of vegetables. It can only do you good. In conclusion, vitamin C deserves its reputation, and having a relatively high intake is essential for the body to function properly. That's all. See you very soon on the Bloomist Guide.
