For the full functioning of the human body, for normal molecular metabolism in the tissues of all organs, the presence of certain vitamins, macro- and microelements is necessary. In this article, we will talk in detail about one complex compound that is of paramount importance for cellular metabolism. This is vitamin C, or, as it is also called, ascorbic acid, simply ascorbic acid. According to the international IUPAC classification, the name sounds like gamma-lactone 2, 3-dehydro-L-gulonic acid.
General information
In the late twenties and early thirties of the last century, chemists isolated vitamin C as an element involved in metabolism as a catalyst. This is a complex compound of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon atoms, an acid, the absence or lack of which causes an imbalance in the body of enzymes involved in the normal functioning of individual organs and systems. As a result, severe forms of various diseases develop. Specifically, scurvy, or mourning.
Scurvy
This is a terrible disease that has claimed the lives of millions of seafarers,participating in world tours. It occurs when, due to beriberi C, the body stops producing collagen. As a result, dystrophy of connective tissues occurs. Visible manifestations are bleeding gums, hemorrhagic rash, subperiosteal hemorrhages, anemia, pain in the limbs, tooth loss, etc. These are characteristic manifestations of a critical shortage or complete absence of ascorbic acid. The scurvy that once afflicted entire crews of sailors on long voyages has now been eliminated.
Hypovitaminosis
Hypovitaminosis is an unbalanced intake of vitamins in the body. Not a complete absence, but an imbalance. For example, vitamin C requires the presence of vitamin P. Only in this case is it absorbed by cells. The optimal balance is the ratio of these elements as 2:1, where two parts are vitamin C, and one part is vitamin P. Hypovitaminosis develops in two cases:
1. Lack of vitamins in the body due to their low content in food.
2. Indigestion of vitamins by the body due to an imbalance of trace elements or he alth problems.
In the initial stage, vitamin C deficiency manifests itself in the deterioration of hair, brittle nails, pallor and dry skin. In the future, rapid fatigue develops, weak resistance to infections, and frequent colds. This is followed by dystrophic processes in bone tissue and tissues of other systems and organs.
At first glance it seems that the condition of the hair and the lack of vitamin C are difficult to reconcile with each other. In fact the connectionbetween them is straight and looks like this. Hair follicles receive their nourishment from the smallest blood vessels – capillaries. With their weak elasticity and increased blood viscosity, useful substances do not reach the hair roots. As a result, we see dull, sparse and brittle curls. Rubbing ointments and washing your hair with advertised shampoos does not give the desired improvement.
Sufficient amount of ascorbic acid speeds up the metabolism. The blood becomes more liquid, the vessels are strengthened and beneficial trace elements enter the hair follicles. The hair reacts accordingly. Similarly, tissues and organs respond to vitamin C: bones, muscles, ligaments, liver, kidneys, brain, etc.
Ascorbic Benefits
Vitamins are involved in almost all biochemical processes in our body. As for the benefits of vitamin C for our body, you can’t answer in a nutshell. He is an active participant in redox processes. Its role is important in ensuring the proper metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates.
A sufficient amount of ascorbic acid improves blood composition, as it promotes the breakdown and absorption of iron.
Ascorbic acid is necessary for the synthesis and absorption of collagen protein. Collagen forms the connective tissue of bone cells, brain, epithelium, blood vessels and interarticular ligaments. Vitamin deficiency affects the fragility of bones, fragility of capillaries and blood vessels, poor healing of ulcers and scratches, and the formation of hematomas.
When ingested carcinogens fromair and food, they provoke the formation of so-called free radicals in the blood, which in excess lead to the formation of cancer cells. This process is counteracted by antioxidants, that is, substances that prevent destructive oxidative processes. It is vitamin C that plays the main role in protecting our he alth from cancer.
Its benefits extend to the area of hormones, in particular, this applies to adrenaline. The hormone, which is considered purely male, is necessary for women, children, and the elderly. Insufficient amount of adrenaline - and we are already ascertaining weak blood flow, low blood pressure, as a result - loss of strength, despondency, depression, sluggish resistance to external influences, infections, diseases.
The body reacts very quickly to a lack of vitamin C. It is necessary to constantly ensure that fresh vegetables and fruits are always present in the daily diet. As for such a thing as an excess of vitamin C, then this can not be feared. Why? Because ascorbic acid is very easily destroyed. But still, when taking large doses, and especially a synthetic drug, diarrhea, increased urination, kidney stones, skin rashes may appear.
Sources of ascorbic acid
Many vitamins are synthesized by the human body on its own. Unfortunately, this does not apply to ascorbic acid. We must get it from food. The best sources of vitamin C are green vegetables and citrus fruits. The peel of citrus fruits containsvitamin P (rutin), necessary, as mentioned above, for the absorption of ascorbic acid. Therefore, when adding lemon to tea, you do not need to cut the peel.
In our country, Tsar Peter I introduced a tradition, among other supplies, to buy large quantities of lemons for ships going on a trip, since already in those days it was noticed that scurvy does not affect those who drink drinks from fresh lemons.
Vitamin C is found in large quantities in rose hips, sea buckthorn and black currants. Moreover, in dry rose hips, the concentration of the vitamin is more than three times higher than its concentration in fresh berries. This product is the champion in the content of ascorbic acid. Immediately followed by red sweet bell pepper. The highest concentration of the vitamin is in the region of the stalk. Rutin is also present in pepper - the same vitamin P, without which ascorbic acid is not absorbed, more precisely, it is absorbed, but much worse. Vitamin C is also found in cabbage, especially in Brussels sprouts. Salad greens are also rich in them - spinach, parsley, dill, wild garlic, watercress, arugula, etc. In winter, the main source of vitamin C for residents of Russian latitudes is sauerkraut.
Infusion of needles has long been used by the American Indians for bleeding gums. Spanish sailors followed suit. To get a vitamin drink, you need to fill the needles of spruce, pine, fir or juniper in a thermos and pour very hot water, but not boiling water. Close tightly and let steep for one to two hours.
Products of animal origin givenpractically do not contain vitamins. In a very small amount, it is found in muscle tissue, liver and brain.
Causes of loss of ascorbic acid
It is extremely difficult to keep ascorbic acid in products. It breaks down incredibly fast. Its molecules react with oxygen in the air. As a result, a new compound is formed - dehydroascorbic acid, which is by no means an analogue of ascorbic acid. Rather, its opposite. Plants contain the enzyme ascorbinase, which is responsible for this transformation.
Ascorbic acid is destroyed and, as a result of reaction with metal, these are both dishes and cutting tools (hand knives, meat grinders, blenders).
Vitamins are divided into fat and water soluble. C vitamins are just water-soluble compounds. This includes vitamins of group B. Vegetables and fruits lose their nutritional value during heat treatment. Vitamins pass into the water. The cook pours them into the sink along with the liquid in which the fruits were boiled. Vegetables and fruits containing water-soluble C vitamins must be cooked under certain conditions to preserve their nutrients.
Preservation of ascorbic acid in food is an extremely important issue
During the chopping of vegetables with cutting tools - knives, a blender, a meat grinder - cell membranes containing ascorbic acid are destroyed. There is contact with oxygen. For this reason, it is advisable to cut vegetables, fruits and herbs into large pieces. It is better to tear with your hands or leave whole.
A large amount of ascorbic acid accumulates in potato tubers under the skin. We make a big mistake by peeling potatoes and then boiling them in a lot of water. Not only does it lose its taste, there is practically nothing useful left in it. From such a potato, you can only gain unnecessary kilograms of fat, but not at all improve your body. The benefits of tubers happen only if they are baked in their skins. By the way, such potatoes are not only very useful in terms of the preservation of vitamin C, but also very tasty.
Drying and pickling are also sure ways to preserve ascorbic acid. Only the fruits need to be dried whole, observing a gentle temperature regime. Vitamin C is perfectly preserved in dry rose hips, black currants and sea buckthorn.
When fermented, an acidic environment is formed, which neutralizes enzymes that destroy acid. History knows an interesting fact regarding white cabbage. In past centuries, sailors and explorers of the Arctic suffered greatly and died in large numbers from scurvy. After the discovery of vitamins, in particular C, and its discovery in sauerkraut, the food stocks of long-distance ships began to be completed with barrels with this simple natural source of ascorbic acid. The scurvy retreated.
To exclude the interaction of ascorbic acid with oxygen, the products are covered with an oil film. In everyday life, this is simply a generous portion of vegetable oil poured into a salad.
Short-term blanching of vegetables with hot steam inactivates ascorbate oxidase, an enzymepresent in plants and in an alkaline environment that destroys vitamin C. For this purpose, cabbage is doused with hot steam before pickling, making sure that it does not lose its crunchiness, and then cut and sprinkled with s alt. Cabbage brine is not poured. It contains vitamins. It is good to ferment cabbage with carrots, cranberries, lingonberries or apples.
Berries can be harvested for the winter, mixed with sugar or honey. This applies to blackcurrants, strawberries, mountain ash, etc. To avoid the formation of mold, it is better to store jars with blanks in a dark, cool basement or in a refrigerator.
Daily requirement
Since the human body does not provide itself with ascorbic acid in sufficient quantities, it must be obtained from outside. The daily requirement of vitamin C varies from person to person. It depends on age, general he alth, lifestyle, habits and more. Even the time of year matters. Since hypervitaminosis C is an exceptional and unique phenomenon, but the vast majority of people feel the lack of this vitamin, it is useful to get acquainted with the numbers showing how many milligrams of ascorbic acid are contained in certain plants and what their consumption can be considered optimal.
The average daily requirement ranges from 60 to 100 milligrams per person. The greatest need for ascorbic acid is experienced by pregnant women and nursing mothers. In old age, the need for vitamin C is greater than in youth, since the aging body is worse.young assimilates it.
As mentioned above, the largest amount of ascorbic acid is found in dry rose hips - 1200 milligrams per hundred grams of berries. In fresh - 420 mg. Vitamin C easily passes into an aqueous solution, so it is not difficult to extract it from rose hips. It is enough to fill the berries in a thermos and pour hot water. After a couple of hours, the healing infusion can be drunk.
One hundred grams of red bell pepper contains 250 milligrams of ascorbic acid, while green pepper has 150. Approximately the same amount is found in salad greens and Brussels sprouts. It is important to remember that there is more vitamin C in freshly picked parsley or dill than in stale overseas red pepper. White and red cabbage next to fresh pepper lose in terms of ascorbic acid content. They contain 60 milligrams of it per hundred grams of the product, but in tight heads it remains much better and longer than in pepper.
Horseradish, different types of cabbage and fresh herbs should be present in the daily menu. From imported fruits, you can opt for citrus fruits, kiwi and papaya. They contain ascorbic acid - from 40 to 60 milligrams per hundred grams of pulp. By the way, our body is able to retain vitamin C for some time. The daily norm is one or two fruits or a plate of salad from fresh vegetables or sauerkraut. This is quite affordable even for a very poor person.
Vitamin salad
Greek salad is a dish that is prepared in compliance with the requirements that allow the vitamin to be preserved to the fullest extentC. The daily value of ascorbic acid is present in a portion weighing only 150-200 grams.
Cut into large pieces, about 2 x 2 centimeters, sweet red pepper, tear spinach or lettuce with your hands, also tear dill, parsley and celery, add tomatoes, onions, olives and feta cheese, s alt a little, sprinkle with lemon juice and drizzle with good oil. All this will take no more than ten minutes. Your daily vitamin C requirement is already on your plate. Now it must be eaten immediately. To avoid losing its beneficial properties, this salad is prepared just before serving.
Chemicals
Ascorbic acid can be obtained not only from plant foods, but also from multivitamin complexes offered by the modern pharmacological industry. These are effervescent tablets, such as "Celascon Vitamin C", "Ascovit", "Citrogex", and lozenges, such as "Asvitol", and chewable ascorbic tablets. In addition, you can buy powders for intravenous and intramuscular administration, as well as for the preparation of drinks. These drugs are intended to eliminate hypovitaminosis. Vitamin C is absorbed and absorbed very well. The process begins already in the oral cavity and continues further, throughout the entire digestive tract.
There are different opinions about the benefits of ascorbic acid chemicals. In particular, this. All natural amino acid molecules on Earth have a left-sided structure. It happened because of the structural features of our solar system and the direction of movementultraviolet rays. Chemical synthesis does not repeat this pattern. Synthetic drugs have a two-way structure of molecular rotation. Accordingly, they are not completely absorbed by the body.
However, in some cases, synthetic drugs are indispensable. What is the best way to take vitamin C tablets - before meals, during or after? Experts believe that in time. In the process of evolution, the human body has learned and is accustomed to extract useful substances from food. Having received a pill, he is much less actively working on it, and if you eat it with other food, then the body will take the vitamins from the pill as if from food.
Chemists and biologists say that vitamins are best obtained from natural products, and synthetic drugs should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, after a thorough examination and passing the appropriate tests.
