For the reason that it is one the most commonly consumed vitamin supplement, a number of health buffs may ask, can the body store Vitamin C? Vitamin C may be the most popular vitamin because of its powerful properties and its role in building the body’s immune system. In fact, the vitamin has been proven to help protect against heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. Responsible for the formation of collagen in the body, Vitamin C is the important nutrient that helps the body to heal itself. Vitamin C appears to enhance the absorption of iron and maximize its usefulness.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which bonds to water and is washed out of the body rather swiftly. Because it is readily excreted from the body and cannot be stored in the body, it means you need to supply your body of this vitamin everyday. If you understand how the body uses and disposes this nutrient, you need to be aware of how much you need to replenish your requirement of Vitamin C daily by eating a diet rich in Vitamin C.

Being water soluble, substantial quantity of Vitamin C may appreciably run down in only a few hours depending on an individual’s metabolism. The body simply excretes any excess vitamin C through the urine. Toxicity of Vitamin C is extremely rare but still it is possible to suffer side effects especially from taking mega doses of Vitamin C supplements. Too much Vitamin C can cause nausea, diarrhea, kidney stones and inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis).

Where can Vitamin C be found? There is Vitamin C in almost every fruit and vegetable but some have far higher c vitamin content than others. Apples, apricots, lemons, melons and pears are examples of fruits that score high in Vitamin C. Among vegetables, green and red peppers, parsley, chives, and horseradish, to name a few, have high content of the c vitamin.

Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins are easily lost during cooking and processing. This means that vegetables lose the Vitamin C content if they are boiled for a long time. A better method of preparation is by steaming them to ensure that the vitamin C nutrient is preserved.

Now can the body store Vitamin C? Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, the body does not store excess quantities of this water-soluble vitamin. Hence, consuming foods rich in Vitamin C on a regular basis is recommended. Daily amount of the required vitamin can be obtained by eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetations if they are consumed raw or cooked quickly. Taking C vitamin supplements is a handy way to fill up any deficiency of the vitamin. However, with a balanced diet the quantity of c vitamin the body obtains is likely to be adequate.