Vitamin C during flu season
There are quite a few health recommendations I carry with me since I was a child mostly passed on from generation to generation. Some truly stand the test of time and work because they are based on solid evidence. Some others are more myths. One of those is ramping up the intake of Vitamin C during flu season. Drinking lots of orange juice, or any other citrus, is highly recommended and for good reasons. For our grandparents, who have lived through less fortunate times, regular intakes of Vitamin C were so rare that diseases like scurvy were quite common. Now we are lucky enough to avail of fruits and vegetables at any given season and in high quantities so we don’t need to worry about the “pirate disease” as scurvy was once dubbed.
Vitamin C is good for immunity, but how much do we really need?
However, is it true that an uptake in Vitamin C, let's say 1000mg daily, is more effective in fighting colds?
Apparently, not. In fact, despite Vitamin C being a great source of antioxidants, our body tissues can’t use more than 200mg per day so whatever more you are getting, although it doesn’t cause any harm it’s not really needed. Our body just flushes it out!
That said, make sure you are getting enough Vitamin C - the recommended daily intake (RDI) for women is 75mg per day - especially through your diet; for that you can eat more strawberries, if you like them, because they contain more Vitamin C than oranges, but also grapefruits, blackcurrants, and yellow and red peppers.
Vitamin C is definitely very important to support your immune system, and maintain healthy blood vessels, but also to fight off arterial plaque. It is also critical for our skin as it helps fight free radicals which are responsible for our aging.
So yes, Vitamin C is top of mind as winter approaches and the cold season looms, but loading up is not necessary, unless of course you like the taste of oranges and those effervescent Vitamin C beverages. What is even better is adding some Zinc and Vitamin A to your daily diet as those are truly a boon for the immune system!
This is the season when I add vitamin C electrolytes with Lemon and Orange to my water to make sure I get my daily intake of vitamin C and other essential minerals.
Try it and let us know what you think!
