| Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin essential to the body's health and is especially important for maintaining healthy skin. Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Unlike most other animals, humans cannot make their own Vitamin C. With Vitamin C being part of more than 300 bodily functions, life itself depends on daily replenishment. Its primary function is to maintain collagen, a protein necessary for the formation of skin, ligaments, bones and teeth, and for the strength of blood vessel walls. In addition, Vitamin C plays an important part in the absorption of iron, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells. It also plays a role in the utilization of folic acid, one of the B-complex vitamins. It is well noted that Vitamin C is destroyed by food preparation more than any other nutrient. It is also well known that the body does not store Vitamin C, but tends to excrete excess amounts. |
