Nutrition is the foundation of health. Vitamin C deficiency is an old topic, but it is often overlooked in daily life. Vitamin C is a vitamin that prevents "scurvy," so it is also called "ascorbic acid." It plays an important role in material metabolism and also promotes the formation of intercellular substance, which is very important for maintaining the normal function of tissues such as bones, teeth, blood, and muscles.
In addition, vitamin C can also detoxify and has the ability to resist bacterial and viral infections. Once the human body lacks vitamin C, it will reduce the amount of collagenous substance, leading to symptoms such as poor wound healing, sparse epiphyses and diaphyses of long bones, joint swelling, follicular keratosis, inflamed and bleeding gums, and loose teeth. Due to the increased fragility of capillary walls, patients may have widespread petechiae all over the body, a condition known as "scurvy." Sailors, people who work in arid desert areas for long periods, and those who do not eat vegetables and fruits for a long time often suffer from this disease. Some picky children who do not eat vegetables and fruits may also suffer from this disease.
Scientific research has proven that vitamin C cannot be synthesized in the human body and must be supplied through food intake. The normal requirement is 75 mg per day, which can be increased to 200-300 mg in case of deficiency. In addition to taking vitamin C supplements, it is advisable to consume more foods rich in vitamin C in the diet. Various sour fruits such as hawthorn, fresh jujubes, oranges, tangerines, lemons, tomatoes, and various fresh green leafy vegetables are all good food sources of vitamin C. Animal foods contain less vitamin C.
Vitamin C is an extremely delicate water-soluble vitamin. Its nature is very unstable and it is easily oxidized and destroyed if not handled carefully. Vitamin C is not only afraid of light, heat, and alkali, but also afraid of copper and iron utensils. Therefore, it is best not to use copper or iron pots for cooking, but to choose aluminum pots. Plant tissues contain ascorbic acid oxidase. If plant-based foods are left for too long, vitamin C can be lost due to oxidation in the air. Therefore, fresh vegetables and fruits are the best. When cooking, attention should be paid to washing vegetables before cutting them. After chopping, they should be put into the pot immediately. It is best to wash, cook, and eat them fresh. Cooking methods such as stir-frying with high heat and speed should be used to reduce the loss of vitamin C. Vitamin C is more stable in an acidic environment. If it can be eaten with acidic foods or some vinegar is added during cooking, its utilization rate can be improved.