The Many Benefits of Vitamin C for Health
Vitamin C is important for a variety of bodily functions, but it can also help decrease the risk for many diseases by acting as an antioxidant. Heart disease and diabetes are two chronic health conditions that have a relationship to vitamin C. Chronic illness can also affect life insurance rates and coverage.
We will discuss the functions of vitamin C, along with food sources and how to add more to your diet. We will also discuss chronic health issues and how they can impact life insurance.
Healthy Eating and Chronic Diseases
Vitamin C is just one nutrient with important health benefits. Getting a variety of healthy foods in your diet daily is also a way to boost wellness and lower the risk for many diseases.
Type 2 diabetes is one chronic health condition affecting many adults. Higher vitamin C levels in the body may be linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Vitamin C may also be related to other chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.
Chronic diseases like these can also affect life insurance coverage and rates. It’s important to have adequate life insurance to protect your family in case something happens to you.
It’s possible to get term insurance for a diabetic person. It just might be more costly if your condition isn’t being managed properly. You should compare life insurance quotes online or meet with an agent to find the best coverage and rates for your situation.
Functions of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that we must get from our diet with many different functions in the body. It cannot be stored or made by the body, so we need to consume it daily. Vitamin C plays an important role in the proper functioning of many body tissues.
Antioxidant
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Free radicals are byproducts of many body processes and can damage cells and create inflammation in the body.
Antioxidants help protect our cells from free radicals and can also lower inflammation in the body. Vitamin C helps stabilize free radicals so they are less likely to damage our cells.
Collagen and Skin
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body. It helps with structural support and acts as a glue to hold our muscles, bones, and other tissues together. Vitamin C helps the body form collagen.
Collagen is also important for the structure of our skin and helps with healing after a bone fracture. Another important role of vitamin C is for healthy teeth and gums because collagen is an important component of those structures.
Immunity
Vitamin C plays a big role in boosting our immune system. It is important for our white blood cells, which help protect our bodies from pathogens and infections.
Taking vitamin C at the onset of cold symptoms can help slightly decrease the duration of cold symptoms. Many people use a vitamin C supplement to help boost immunity during the cold season.
Sources of Vitamin C
Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C in our diet. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables daily will help you meet your vitamin C requirements.
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are great sources. Orange juice is a common source of vitamin C in our diet.
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are also high in vitamin C. Green bell peppers also have some vitamin C, but less than the other colorful peppers.
Leafy greens and green vegetables like kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli are good sources. Tomatoes, strawberries, potatoes, and kiwi are also rich in vitamin C.
It’s always better to get vitamin C from foods, but a supplement can help meet your needs. A multivitamin with vitamin C or a single vitamin C supplement can also provide vitamin C. Many immune-boosting supplements also have vitamin C in them and can help lower your BMI.
The benefits of vitamin C and eating healthier is such that during the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people experienced heart attacks, possibly due to the lower amount of people eating out or consuming heavy meals.
The Importance of Vitamin C
Vitamin C has a number of important health benefits, so it’s important to get plenty of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Eating a variety of healthy foods can also impact your overall wellness and life insurance rates and coverage.
Melissa Morris writes and researches for the life insurance comparison site, QuickQuote.com. She is a university professor of nutrition and a certified sports nutritionist.
