Facts about Vitamin C

Why do we need vitamin C?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has a wide variety of uses in the body. It helps slow down or prevent cell damage. It also is needed to maintain healthy body tissues and the immune system. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant foods.

What happens if we don’t get enough vitamin C?
Vitamin C is found in many foods we eat and deficiency is rare. Scurvy, the disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, was common a few generations ago. It was prevalent among seamen who lived on dried and salted foods for months at a time. Scurvy is rare in the U.S. Still, not getting enough vitamin C can lead to anemia, bleeding gums, infections, and poor wound healing.

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