Scientific studies have shown that about 90-95 percent of the total amount of vitamins the human body receives through a balanced diet. The actual question of at what temperature vitamin C is destroyed often arises during the period of colds due to the need to strengthen the immune system and effectively fight viruses.
Ascorbic acid is an important factor in he alth and wellness
This powerful antioxidant not only regulates redox reactions, but also normalizes blood clotting and capillary permeability, has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen, catecholamines and steroid hormones. In addition, it regulates metabolic processes associated with calcium, iron and folic acid,improving their digestibility. This vitamin is the most important factor in protecting the body from the effects of stress and its consequences. Therefore, the question of under what conditions and at what temperature vitamin C is destroyed worries almost everyone, including residents of megacities, remote cities and rural settlements.
Main causes of vitamin C degradation
Heat treatment of most products has a beneficial effect on their quality: improves taste, softens the structure, destroys harmful microbes and toxins. Boiled, stewed, baked, steamed and even fried foods are much safer than raw foods. It can save a person from digestive problems (intestinal disorders and pancreatic disorders). But what temperature destroys vitamin C, which is so necessary for the human body? And what other factors influence the destructive processes in ascorbic acid?
Water-soluble vitamin C is the most unstable compound that can decompose even during long-term storage, reacting negatively to any chemical and physical influences. Ascorbic acid is easily oxidized. Its preparations cannot be stored in metal containers, since acid reacts when it comes into contact with the container. Vitamin C should also not be exposed to light, heat, high humidity, contact with oxygen, which contributes to its destruction. The presence of this vitamin in foods decreases at any ambient temperature, but to varying degrees.
What does science say?
The ascorbic acid molecule, according to a number of researchers, is completely destroyed at a temperature of 191-192 °F (88-89 °C), but only one of its isomers (L-ascorbic acid), or vitamin C, has biological activity, is a natural substance found in vegetables and fruits. Its quantity is affected by the duration of transportation and shelf life of products, their protection from air and light, and other parameters.
After buying vegetables or fruits, it matters whether they are stored in the refrigerator or not, whole or sliced, how long they cook and at what temperature. Vitamin C is destroyed from a threshold of 60-70 degrees, but is resistant to an acidic environment. Salads (cold and hot) with lemon juice, second courses with the addition of tomatoes or tomato paste retain this vitamin much better than first courses with a high liquid content, but without acidic ingredients. Drying, slicing, heating food for a long time in a saucepan with an open lid, reheating food, copper or iron cookware actively destroy the powerful antioxidant.
Experiment with the "correct" water and express rosehip infusion
Using distilled water instead of tap water helps to significantly retain vitamin C when boiled for a short time. An experiment was conducted by an American chemistry student: in one cup of distillate, he dissolved 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid to obtain its concentration of 2-2.5%. As a result, the measuring device showed 2.17%. The explorer coveredtightly container with a solution of thermal film and left a small hole for the release of steam. Briefly heated a cup of ascorbic acid (no more than 2 minutes) in the microwave, then cooled for 5 minutes and put in the refrigerator. After 75 minutes, when the solution had cooled to room temperature, he again measured the concentration of vitamin C. Due to short-term evaporation, this figure increased to 2.19%! For the same purpose, experts advise preparing express infusions of berries rich in vitamin C.
The maximum amount of this vitamin is guaranteed to be preserved if the rose hips are quickly crushed, poured with boiled water at a temperature not higher than 40-60 degrees, and then insisted for an hour in a tightly closed thermos. Prolonged boiling of rose hips destroys L-ascorbic acid, significantly reducing the value of the decoction compared to freshly squeezed juices and express infusions.
Hot tea and boiling lemon water
On the forums, you can often find a question from lovers of hot tea at what temperature vitamin C is destroyed. Japanese researchers, contrary to the widespread belief that this popular drink cannot be brewed with boiling water, proved that the L-isomer of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is only slightly destroyed. Its concentration in the first quarter of an hour drops by only 30 percent in brewed tea at a constantly maintained boiling temperature, but after an hour it disintegrates almost completely. At the same time, in ordinary boiling water, dissolvedvitamin C is destroyed by 83 percent in 10 minutes.
Experts explain this difference by the fact that tea phenol reacts with copper and iron ions, binding them, which prevents their effect on accelerating the breakdown of vitamin C. If you need to make hot lemonade from 6 lemons, then they are cut in half and thrown into boiling water. After 3 minutes, the container is removed from the stove, the drink is infused for 10-15 minutes. Then it is filtered from the fruits and pulp. This lemonade protects against colds and boosts immunity when drunk hot or warm with a little honey added. Store the drink in the refrigerator, heat it in the microwave to maximize the preservation of ascorbic acid.
When preparing first and second courses
There is no exact data indicating at what temperature vitamin C is destroyed in each particular dish. It is known that already at 50 degrees Celsius in potato soup, the concentration of ascorbic acid will begin to decrease if the pan is not covered with a lid and the vegetables are laid ahead of time. According to the rules, they must be added to boiling s alted water, and the dishes covered with a lid during cooking. The same should be done with frozen vegetables, because boiling water contains much less dissolved oxygen, which destroys vitamin C. In addition, the high boiling point activates, along with ascorbine oxidase, other beneficial plant enzymes that contribute to better preservation of the vitamin. Potatoes drenched in boiling watercooked in the peel, its amount is reduced by about 10 percent. Less water also prevents the natural ascorbic acid from breaking down.
So, for example, sauerkraut soup loses 50% of a powerful antioxidant after cooking for an hour, and stewed cabbage loses only 15%. Tomatoes cooked for 2 minutes in the microwave or oven (at 90 degrees) lose only 10 percent of a vital substance. The same tomatoes, cooked for half an hour, lose about 29-30% of vitamin C. Steamed vegetables get rid of 22-34% of the valuable vitamin, and 10% in the microwave in the same period of time.
At what temperature does vitamin C break down in cherry plum?
The benefits of this well-known plum are especially noticeable during the cold season. Its diaphoretic and antitussive action is valued along with a pleasant taste and many other healing properties. Tkemali, as they call "cherry plum" in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, contains few sugars, but it contains citric and malic acids, vitamins of groups B, A, E and PP. Plum is rich in pectins, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, phosphorus. In addition, it is a real storehouse of vitamin C. The temperature of its destruction also depends on all the factors described above. For example, cherry plum compote will contain much less of this valuable substance than tkemali sauce, because in a large amount of water the described vitamin is destroyed faster than in seasoning without additional liquid. Cherry plum is powerfula source of ascorbic acid also because other acids in its fruits prevent the breakdown of the water-soluble vitamin.
Reaction of other useful elements to heat
The second, no less important "anti-cold vitamin" doctors consider vitamin D, which is recommended to be taken with rosehip infusion. Fish oil, vegetable oils and cheese in the off-season should be on every table. At what temperature is vitamin D destroyed? During heat treatment, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) practically do not reduce their activity and are not destroyed. At the same time, vitamin D can withstand prolonged boiling in an acidic environment, and in an alkaline environment it is subject to rapid destruction. It is known that at a temperature of +232 degrees in the oven, cheese loses up to 25-30% of the “anti-cold” vitamin within 5 minutes. It is known that rosehip, in addition to vitamin C, also contains vitamin P (rutin). This substance enhances the effect of "ascorbic acid", and their combined use is necessary when prescribing aspirin with sulfonamides for a beneficial, restorative effect on capillaries. The answer to the question at what temperature vitamin P is destroyed is similar to the recommendations related to ascorbic acid. These two vitamins are identical in many respects: both are water-soluble, afraid of sunlight, exposure to oxygen and the same temperature. In addition to rose hips, rutin is also found in lemons. Complementing and reinforcing each other, these vitamins are also indicated for long-term antibiotic therapy.
