We Often Hear...
I've received these kinds of questions from my clients, so this week I wanted to talk a little bit about what Vitamin C can do for our bodies, inside and out!
Vitamin C is also known as L-Ascorbic Acid and is a water-soluble vitamin. It occurs naturally in some foods, and is added to others. Since we cannot store Vitamin C in our bodies, it is important to integrate it into our regular diets.
The ideal daily amount of Vitamin C is 65-90mg, but this can vary depending on your age, gender and medical condition.
#1: Antioxidant Properties
One of Vitamin C's most impressive benefits is the fact that it acts like an antioxidant when it enters our bodies and makes use of its disease-fighting properties. This is why Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables have such a good reputation when it comes to disease prevention, they are literally filled with little disease-fighters!
Some examples of Vitamin C-rich foods include: guava, bell peppers, kiwis, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, lychees, papayas, strawberries and citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. Some more surprising foods are rich in Vitamin C as well, including parsley, rose hips & chili peppers.
#2: Makes Our Skin Glow
However, Vitamin C has become popular more recently in the skincare world. Now, we can integrate this incredible ingredient directly into our skincare routines! Various personal care companies have come out with different Vitamin C-based products, but the one that I recommend is Beautycounter's All Bright C Serum. It's quickly become a best-selling product and is only made with safe ingredients to boot. Here, you can see my beautiful friend and collaborator wearing nothing but the Bright C Serum and lip gloss. After 8 weeks of using this serum, 100% of users said that their skin looked brighter and 97% said their skin looked more youthful.
Integrating Vitamin C into our skincare routine does wonders to slow down skin aging and protect against and reduce the appearance of skin damage. It lightens hyperpigmentation caused by acne or sun damage and reduces inflammation.
#3: Increases Iron Absorption
Iron is a very important mineral that helps to transport oxygen around our bodies. Unfortunately, many people (and especially women) struggle with anemia, a type of iron deficiency. In order to help fight anemia, it's important to optimize our iron absorption. Iron absorption refers to the amount of iron that we're actually able to keep in our bodies when we consume it. There are several different substances that can help with iron absorption, and Vitamin C is one of them! Some examples of iron-rich foods include: lean red meat, chicken, seafood, lentils, beans, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, eggs and spinach. Try pairing some of those foods in the same meal as some of the Vitamin C-rich foods mentioned above to maximize your iron absorption! Some easy examples include chicken fajitas made with bell peppers and a squeeze of lemon or a fruit salad with some nuts & seeds sprinkled on top! |
#4: Acts As An Immunity Booster
A lack of Vitamin C can even make you more prone to certain illnesses. It's very important to integrate enough Vitamin C into our diets. It can't be stored in our bodies, so we need to remember to eat it on a regular basis.
What's your favourite way to eat Vitamin C?
All In All...
We're lucky, because Vitamin C-rich foods are so fresh and delicious that they are no trouble to consume at all! Which one is your favourite? I would love to hear what you think, so feel free to reach out on my Facebook page.
My Clean Beauty Detox Meal Plan
Do you want help putting together healthy, delicious meals full of rich nutrients like Vitamin C? Click here or on the button below to download my FREE Clean Beauty Detox Meal Plan. The recipes are absolutely delicious, and you'll see how beauty really comes from the inside out and starts with what we put into our bodies! |