The Importance of Vitamin C

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What is the effect of storing and preparing food on it’s vitamin C level?

Introduction

Vitamin C is essentially for both humans and animals to remain being healthy. In fact, when people get colds, they consume large amounts of vitamin C to try to fight off the cold. Vitamin C can be found in many fruits and veggies, buts it’s most common in oranges. A deficiency in vitamin C can cause a condition known as scurvy. Scurvy plagued sailors through the 19th century from the time of Columbus. Scurvy is characterized by blood coming out of a ruptured blood vessel, or hemorrhages, throughout the body, most especially noticeable on the gums and around the mouth and other areas of the skin that has abundant blood vessels. The only way to stop scurvy was a diet consisting of citrus fruits.

Vitamin C is viewed as an important water soluble “antioxidant.” Since antioxidants are chemical compounds that readily donate electrons, they can block potentially harmful free radical reactions. In order to stay healthy, the Food and Drug Administration recommends a daily dose of 60 mg of vitamin C.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid, which can be written C6H8O6. The structure of ascorbic acid is shown in the image to the left. Since vitamin C is easily oxidized, the majority of its functions rely on this property. Ascorbic plays a key role in the body’s production of collagen, which is the main structural protein in the connective tissues of animals. Since a human’s body does not produce vitamin C naturally, it must be taken in from one’s diet. Vitamin C can be found in fruits, vegetables, and organ meats (liver or kidney). The amount of vitamin C in plants varies greatly depending on such factors as variety, weather, and m...

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...e World History of Food. 3 December 2013. .

Kramer, B.K. Pultz, V.M. McCormick, J.M.. “Vitamin C Analysis”. Truman State University. 3 December 2013. .

Lawrence, Glen D. “Vitamin C Content in Foods”. 3 December 2013. .

Austin Peay State University Department of Chemistry. “Analysis of Vitamin C”. Austin Peay State University Department of Chemistry. 3 December 2013. .

Tepestra, Christina. “Vitamin C in Orange Juice”. 3 December 2013. .

*The Vitamin Foundation. “Vitamin C content in foods”. 19 Decemeber 2013. .

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