Vitamin C: Meaning, Benefits, Foods, and How to Avoid Deficiency

Vitamins are the nutrients that are found in food and are required by our body to function properly. They are classified into two types, fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) which need fat to be absorbed in the body and water-soluble vitamins (B- complex, vitamin C) which can be absorbed with water.

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and our body cannot produce vitamin C, making it an essential nutrient. It is responsible for several functions in our body from immunity to skin and heart health. Therefore, we must include vitamin C rich foods daily in our diet.¹

Top Vitamin C benefits

1. Builds Immunity –

Vitamin C helps you fight infections by maintaining a strong immune system that helps the production and function of our body’s soldiers (white blood cells). It not only protects the body from harmful molecules called free radicals but also helps to strengthen the immune system by acting as a potent antioxidant. Hence, vitamin C builds immunity and aids in faster recovery.¹

2. Promotes Healthy Skin –

Our skin has a high vitamin C concentration that stimulates collagen production. This is a protein, involved in reducing wrinkles, slows aging by providing elasticity and strength to the skin, and also slows down melanin production (responsible for dark spots or pigmentation). Vitamin C protects our skin from damage due to external sources like air pollution, sunlight especially UV light, etc.¹

3. Promotes Iron absorption –

One of the Vitamin C benefits, is its role in combating iron deficiency. Iron helps in transporting oxygen throughout the body and making red blood cells. There are two types of iron – non-heme iron [found in plants-based foods – pearl millet (bajra), amaranth (rajgira), horsegram (kulith), bengal gram (brown chana), chickpeas (white chana) and heme iron (organ meats – liver, kidney, lean meats – fish, chicken, red meat). The absorption rate of heme iron is better than non- heme iron. Vitamin C helps in iron absorption in our body thereby reducing the risk of iron deficiency.¹

4. Supports Heart Health –

Vitamin C benefits heart health by protecting it from damage caused by harmful free radicals. This helps in blood flow, maintains blood pressure levels, and prevent cholesterol build-up keeping the blood vessels healthy, thus supporting heart health.²

Top Vitamin C-rich foods

Here are top Vitamin C rich foods and tips on how to incorporate them into daily meals:

1. Citrus fruits:

These include Indian gooseberry (amla), lemon (nimbu), oranges (santara) and sweet lime (mosambi). An easy way to promote iron absorption is to squeeze lemon on iron-rich foods e.g. dals, pulses or pulse chaats (ragda/chana chaat), non-veg foods, etc.

2. Berries:

Raspberries, strawberries, black currants. Enjoy these as mid-meal snack with yogurt or nuts.

3. Tropical fruits:

Guava (pink and white), kiwi, papaya, pineapple.

4. Vegetables:

Green, yellow, and red bell peppers, raw mango, tomatoes, drumstick leaves and parsley are examples of vitamin C-rich vegetables.  These vitamin C foods can be included in salads, curd raita, wraps etc.³

Pro-tip: Vitamin C gets destroyed on heating, so these vegetables are best included in raw form for enough vitamin C intake.

Some fun ways to include vitamin C foods for kids:

• Make the plate colourful or rainbow-like by adding different coloured bell peppers, other Vitamin C- rich foods like fruits and vegetables
• Fruit skewers using vitamin C-rich fruits are the easiest way to include vitamin C foods for kids.
• Fruit smoothies using berries or other vitamin C-rich fruits with yogurt
• Popsicles by adding coconut water or yogurt to the fruit pulp
• Dips like amla (Indian gooseberry) chutney to eat along with parathas, sandwiches, etc.
• Desserts like fruit yogurt parfaits, sorbet, etc.
• Vitamin C-rich fruits as mid-meal snacks or toppings on breakfast cereals/porridges
• Bell pepper sticks with healthy yogurt dip is a nutritious snack if you wish to include vitamin C foods for kids.

Vitamin C Deficiency

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency:

Include weakness, iron deficiency anemia, inflammation of the gums, slow wound healing, dry and splitting hair, rough and dry skin, weak immune system, swollen or painful joints, etc. If left untreated, can develop a condition called scurvy that can lead to loosened teeth, bleeding gums, or bleeding under your skin.⁴

Causes of Deficiency:

Causes vary based on age, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and certain medical conditions (eating disorders, malabsorptive disorders, bariatric surgery, iron-overloaded conditions, haemodialysis, etc.)⁴

How to prevent Deficiency:

While it depends on the cause, including vitamin C rich foods in the diet remains the best way to meet daily vitamin C requirements and prevent its deficiency.

How much Vitamin C does your child need? Age-wise vitamin C requirements are:

How to maximise vitamin C absorption from food

Vitamin C is water-soluble and easily breaks down when exposed to heat and light, therefore, its absorption can be maximised by quick heating methods (light stir fry, blanching), using very less water, and closing the lid of the vessel when cooking. Eating vitamin C foods like whole fruits, gooseberries, and vegetables, will help meet daily requirements.⁶

Conclusion

Eating vitamin C is very important for immunity, iron absorption, radiant skin and heart health. To prevent deficiency, it is important to include vitamin C foods for kids as per the daily requirement along with a balanced diet. However, if you are unable to meet all nutritional requirements through foods alone, you can include nutritional drinks like Complan which has 34 vital nutrients including Vitamin C to help your child stay healthy and strong.