In recent years, various Vitamin C products have become popular in the market, with many businesses promoting the benefits of Vitamin C for everything from cardiovascular diseases to colds, mouth ulcers, and even beauty and skincare. Vitamin C plays an important role in all these areas.However, the natural Vitamin C that businesses highly praise costs hundreds of yuan for a small bottle. What is the difference between this and the Vitamin C that costs just a few yuan per bottle? Is natural Vitamin C really better than synthetic Vitamin C?
01
What is the role of Vitamin C?
Vitamin C (Vitamin C), also known as “ascorbic acid,” is an essential nutrient for the human body.A long-term deficiency of Vitamin C can lead to scurvy, causing symptoms such as bleeding gums, tooth loss, skin problems, and in severe cases, it can be life-threatening.During the Age of Exploration hundreds of years ago, many sailors died from a disease known as scurvy, which was later found to be caused by a lack of Vitamin C, hence the name “ascorbic acid.”
02
Do we need to supplement Vitamin C?
Do we need to supplement Vitamin C?
According to survey data from China, the average daily intake of Vitamin C for residents aged 65 and older is 71.8 mg, with a median level of 59.5 mg/day; for adults aged 18 to 35, the average daily intake is 56.41 mg/day,while the recommended daily intake for health is 100 mg/day.
It is evident that many people have insufficient Vitamin C intake, primarily due to not consuming enough fruits and vegetables.Therefore, consuming an appropriate amount of Vitamin C daily is beneficial, and it is even more advantageous than harmful. Moreover,Vitamin C is water-soluble,making it relatively safe..
03
Natural vs. Synthetic: What’s the Difference?
Convenient to replicate
There are many Vitamin C products on the market, some costing two or three yuan per bottle, while those priced at two or three hundred yuan usually claim to be natural and more effective. So, is there really a difference between natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C?
In fact,from the perspective of human supplementation, there is fundamentally no difference between natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C.First of all,in terms of structure,the chemical structures of natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C are identical,the only difference is their source. Natural Vitamin C is extracted from food, while synthetic Vitamin C is manufactured using artificial synthesis methods to create vitamins with the same composition.Many people believe that synthetic Vitamin C involves chemical reagents; however, extracting Vitamin C from plants also requires chemical reagents. Moreover, Vitamin C is a chemical substance, and our bodies are composed of various chemical substances as well; water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and all other substances are chemical substances. There is no need to be overly alarmed by chemical substances; they are ubiquitous and areessentialfor the human body.
Secondly,in terms of function, natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C are completely identical.Vitamin C itself is a chemical substance; whether it is chemically synthesized, produced through fermentation, or extracted from natural foods, as long as the structure is the same, the function is entirely the same.Research has compared the effects of natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C, summarizing analyses from both animal and human study models, and the result is that there is no difference in the nutritional effects of natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C on the human body.In reality,the biggest difference between natural Vitamin C and synthetic Vitamin C is the price; natural Vitamin C is generally more expensive, while Vitamin C that costs two yuan per bottle is already sufficiently good.
04
How to Supplement Vitamin C?
■ Eat more fresh fruits and vegetablesFruits and vegetables contain the most Vitamin C. According to dietary guidelines, consuming 500 grams of vegetables and 250 grams of fruits daily can provide sufficient Vitamin C.For example, vegetables like bell peppers, kale, pea shoots, and cauliflower, and fruits like sour jujubes, winter jujubes, kiwis, hawthorns, and strawberriesare all rich in Vitamin C, so it’s advisable to eat more of them regularly.
Vegetables and fruits not only contain Vitamin C but also various vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and carotenoids, Vitamin E, and B vitamins. Many nutritional studies have found that eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
■Appropriately consume Vitamin C supplementsIf you are concerned that the Vitamin C obtained from fruits and vegetables is insufficient,you can take 100-200 mg of Vitamin C supplements daily, but there is no need to take more than that.■ Moderate supplementation, avoid excessIt is worth noting thatwhether it is natural Vitamin C or synthetic Vitamin C, more is not necessarily better; excessive intake can also be detrimental to health.Adults can tolerate a maximum daily intake of 2000 mg of Vitamin C, but if taken in such large amounts over a long period, it may increase the risk of urinary system stones. Therefore, it is recommended not to exceed this amount.Source：CCTV News (ID: cctvnewscenter)Comprehensive Science Popularization China, CCTV FinanceEditor: Wang YueReviewer: Li Yang Liu DongyangSupervisor: Kan Xiaoyue Wang Tong
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