From orange juice to skin serum, you’ve likely been hearing about the benefits of vitamin C for most of your life. Our bodies can’t produce vitamin C, which means it’s an essential dietary component. This means that it’s crucial we get vitamin C from other sources, like vitamins or vitamin-C-rich fruits and veggies like oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and kale.
Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means it’s easily absorbed through the water in your body. Your body doesn’t store vitamin C, so you must replace your supply every day—excess amounts are flushed out through your kidneys.
Unsurprisingly, vitamin C is great for our skin. Its benefits go below the surface, but you may also notice a difference in skin tone and texture when you’re low on vitamin C. It’s a much-needed boost for anyone who travels, has long days, and deals with stress—so, basically, all of us.
What Does Vitamin C Do?
Vitamin C helps form red blood cells, protects and promotes bone and tissue growth, and strengthens the body’s immune system. Vitamin C is jam packed with antioxidants which repair and restore cell damage and help fight premature aging.
One of the main reasons this ingredient has gotten so much attention is its cosmetic properties, which we put to work in our aromatic, creamy GLOBAL NOURISH MANGO + VITAMIN C Rapid Radiance Mask.
This mask brightens and moisturizes the skin while creating instant luminosity.
In addition to its benefits for your skin, Vitamin C also plays a vital role in helping other vitamins and minerals absorb into your body.
Finally, you’ve definitely been told to “get your vitamin C” when you feel a cold coming on. Vitamin C helps detox your body from chemicals and toxins. If you aren’t getting enough of the nutrient, sometimes a Vitamin C deficiency can lead to a toxic body. A toxic body leads to fatigue, skin problems, premature aging, illness and disease.
Vitamin C in Food
Vitamin C does not store very well in food, especially in particularly cold or hot temperatures. The amount of vitamin C in the foods we eat can vary drastically; for example, there is more vitamin C present in food closer to when it was harvested.
More often than not a huge amount of vitamin C is lost in most foods from the supermarket—by the time the food is picked, packed, transported and put on the shelf, quite a few days may have passed. Then, as a consumer, we buy the food and usually store it in our fridge and don’t eat it for two or three days, losing more of the nutrient’s benefits.
Cooking further reduces the amount of vitamin C you’re getting from fruits and veggies. For the best source of vitamin C, it is best to eat your veggies raw and recently harvested (this is why local farmer markets are great). We always recommend chatting with your doctor if you worry that you’re not getting enough vitamin C, and they may recommend a supplement.
The beauty & health benefits of Vitamin C
There are so many reasons to love vitamin C, from both health and beauty standpoints.
Vitamin C:
- Helps build a strong immune system, enabling your body to fight illness and disease
- Is a major contributor in repairing and rebuilding your cells, which helps with premature aging and helps build beautiful hair, nails, skin and teeth
- Is a powerhouse of antioxidants
- Works in conjunction with Vitamin E as a potent antioxidant, reducing free radicals in your body
- Promotes healthy hormones and supports your adrenal system
- Allows your body to regulate your metabolism and deal with stress
- Builds collagen, which makes your skin elastic and allows it to appear youthful and radiant
- Promotes overall wellness and vitality
Vitamin C is a key ingredient in our GLOBAL NOURISH MANGO + VITAMIN C Rapid Radiance Mask.
