Vitamin C is also important in the summer

Taking extra Vitamin C is often associated with preventing colds during the harsh winter months. However, we can also benefit from this vitamin during the summer. Vitamin C is truly an all-rounder when it comes to supporting our body. It functions as a co-enzyme for approximately 300 functions in our body and is perhaps the most discussed and recommended vitamin. In the 18th century, it was already demonstrated that eating oranges and lemons could prevent and cure scurvy. Two hundred years later, it was discovered that this was specifically due to Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. This name is derived from 'A' meaning 'not' and 'Scorbutus', a variation of scurvy.

Why Vitamin C?

Nowadays, we no longer recommend Vitamin C to prevent scurvy, but it is still considered an important basic supplement. This is for several reasons:

• vegetables and fruits contain less ascorbic acid due to factors such as soil depletion and modern cultivation techniques
• Vitamin C is unstable and is quickly lost due to exposure to light, oxygen, and heat such as cooking
• we have a higher need because we are subjected to more stress from, for example, poor diet, high work pressure, and environmental pollution

Summertime

Why is a substantial dose also important during the summer? It helps protect the skin against the effects of UV light. This is due to two important properties of this substance.

Antioxidant

In the summer, your skin suffers more from the sun. UV radiation damages the skin, releasing free radicals. These cause oxidative damage to the body. Oxidation means that a substance reacts with oxygen, negatively altering cell properties. Vitamin C plays an important role in scavenging these free radicals in our body cells.

Collagen production

Sun exposure also leads to the breakdown of collagen, which causes skin ageing such as wrinkles and sagging skin. Vitamin C is important in this process because it contributes to the formation of collagen, which strengthens the skin and helps maintain its condition.

Adequate Vitamin C

We cannot produce Vitamin C ourselves and are therefore entirely dependent on our diet. It is important to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits! At least 500 grams per day. Vitamin C does not tolerate heat well and is quickly lost during cooking. Therefore, alternate cooked vegetables with salads or have a raw vegetable snack in between. Want to ensure you get an optimal daily dose of Vitamin C? Opt for a high-quality supplement. There are various forms to choose from.

We cannot produce Vitamin C ourselves and are therefore entirely dependent on our diet.

Ascorbic Acid

This is the cheapest and most commonly used form of Vitamin C in supplements. Some supplements contain bioflavonoids that support the action of ascorbic acid. Together, they form a natural Vitamin C complex. If you wish to take high amounts, ascorbic acid can cause problems for a sensitive stomach because this acidic form is less well-tolerated. The advice is to choose a non-acidic form.

Non-Acidic Vitamin C

There are various non-acidic or buffered supplements available. If you choose mineral ascorbates, ascorbic acid is bound to a mineral such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, or sodium. You can also opt for Ester-C, a patented new form of Vitamin C that is even more absorbable than mineral ascorbates. Ester-C is a calcium ascorbate that is partially converted, ensuring efficient absorption and rapid action.

Author: Noëlle van Seggelen