The Wonders of Vitamin C

We live in a society in which we are in a state of constant fear of diseases. From when we are young we are taught repeatedly to wash our hands before every meal and to eat an apple daily. Moreover, we are catechized on a regular basis to bundle up so we do not catch a cold or pneumonia. Likewise, our doctors advise us to visit them annually to make sure we don’t have deficiency related disorders such as scurvy or anemia. What if there is a vitamin that could aid in preventing the aforementioned illnesses? Would it not be worth a try? Consider this an introduction to vitamin C! Details on this “wonder vitamin” are elaborated in the subsequent paragraphs!

Several unique attributes distinguish vitamin C from other substances. Vitamin C is a snow white, powdery sugar that is water soluble (Nicolaou & Montagnon, 2008). As evidenced from its basic chemical formula of C6H8O6, vitamin C is organic. Additionally, in a more complex analysis, we will find that it is both an alcohol and an acid which has a carbon ring (has 6 carbons) and a double bonded oxygen atom (Dubé, 2011). Two major types of vitamin C exist today, ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is in a simple, reduced form whereas dehydroascorbic acid is in an oxidized (positively charged) state (Nualart, Rivas, Monticenos, et al, 2003). Vitamin C is prevalent in an amplitude of foods. We can find it in several types of citrus fruits including oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and clementines. Moreover, green and red vegetables are a rich source for this vitamin. Bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, peas, and broccoli all fall into that category. Oranges are one of the best sources with 90 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. On the other hand, peas and tomatoes have...

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