Ascorbic acid (ascorbate), also commonly known as Vitamin C, is an organic compound produced by many kinds of plants and animals, but not by humans and other primates. However, because ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for us, we must eat foods that are rich in Vitamin C if we are to remain healthy. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is one of the essential vitamins for good health. The actual function of the vitamin is to maintain strong connective tissue. If a person has an inadequate amount over a long period of time they will suffer the deficiency disease called scurvy. Unknown to the untrained individuals, vitamin C is involved in many internal human processes to maintain health. In stressful situations, our body produces more ascorbic acid to cope with the imbalance caused by stresses.
Scurvy historically affected mostly those nations, which were dependent more on military power. During military campaigns and long ocean voyages, food consumed by the ship crewmembers largely lacked in fresh fruits and vegetables, thus causing inadequacy of Vitamin C and leading to outbreak of scurvy epidemics. The best way to get vitamin C is to eat a balanced diet. Balanced diet is a diet which includes foods like mustard greens, cauliflower, green peppers, strawberries, green vegetables, fish, potatoes, broccoli, milk, citrus fruits, and tomatoes. Vitamin C is sometimes also known as ascorbic acid.
Since the body does not produce vitamin C, it must be obtained from fruits and vegetables. Some excellent sources of vitamin C are oranges, olives, guava, green peppers, watermelon, papaya, strawberry, kiwi fruit, mango, honey, mango powder, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and citrus juices or juices fortified with Vitamin C. The most important factor in the prevention and treatment of scurvy is proper feeding of mother’s milk, at least for the initial six months. After birth, all children should preferable be breast-fed because it is pure and fresh and contains most of the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the baby. If, for any reason, it is not possible to breast-feed the baby, then cow’s milk or commercially available milk should be supplemented with vitamin C.
Scurvy can also be caused by consuming too many vitamin C-rich foods, and then reducing vitamin C consumption to normal levels. A colleague of mine in Germany noted the case of a man from Sweden who vacationed in Florida one winter, drinking 8 to 10 glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice every day. Several months after he returned to Sweden, despite eating "normal" amounts of vitamin C foods, he developed all the symptoms of full-blown scurvy. His body had become accustomed to excreting excess amounts of this water-soluble vitamin and failed to readjust when he started consuming less vitamin C. One of the drawbacks of taking high amounts of the vitamin is "rebound scurvy". This occurs when the body becomes dependent on a higher level of vitamin C, and then the individual stops taking supplements after a period of time. The body has become used to using this higher level it was receiving, and suddenly does not have the amount available to perform bodily functions.The actual function of the vitamin is to maintain strong connective tissue. If a person has an inadequate amount over a long period of time they will suffer the deficiency disease called scurvy. Unknown to the untrained individuals, vitamin C is involved in many internal human processes to maintain health. In stressful situations, our body produces more ascorbic acid to cope with the imbalance caused by stresses.
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