Vitamin C: Powerhouse antioxidant in your anti-ageing arsenal

Shahnaz Husain *

When you think of Vitamin C, you tend to think about immune defence and beating those pesky colds and flu. Yet, Vitamin C is an essential beauty nutrient too which prevent signs of ageing, strengthens blood vessels and gives skin its elasticity and strength besides regenerating other antioxidants in the body.

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful and inexpensive ways to maintain a healthy hair, radiant skin, shinning nails. Vitamin C is responsible for creating and maintaining collagen i.e., the “glue that holds the body together.

There’s a catch though- because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, your body doesn’t store it, which is why moderate intake of 180 mg Vitamin C daily protects skin from pollution, improves hydration, reduces under-eye circles, prevent hangnails, feel vibrant and energised.

Research has revealed that a healthy, balanced diet, that supplies the body with the essential nutrients, promotes both good health and beauty. Smooth skin, lustrous hair, bright eyes, slim figures and vitality owe much more to a vitamin-rich diet than we realize. Among the nutrients, we all know that Vitamins are essential for both good health and beauty.

Let us take the skin. It requires an adequate amount of nutrients to maintain its normal functions, including that of cell renewal. The health and youth of the skin depends on this.

There is enough evidence to show that a deficiency of vitamins is an important factor in early wrinkling of the skin. Vitamin C, for instance, is most important, as it strengthens the immune system and delays degeneration and, therefore, the formation of early visible ageing signs.

Actually, Vitamin C is vital for maintaining healthy collagen, the supportive tissue of the skin. It has an action on connective tissue and is essential for collagen synthesis. Collagen helps to keep the skin healthy, firm, strong and youthful. It maintains the elasticity and resilience of the skin.

Vitamin C keeps the skin healthy. So take a look at your diet and ensure that it supplies you with adequate amount of Vitamin C. Another rule to remember is that we should avoid overcooked and fried foods. Vitamins are so sensitive that cooking destroys more than half their value.

Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, like oranges, lemon and grapefruit, “amla,” tomato, sprouted grains and green leafy vegetables. Amla is probably the richest source of Vitamin C. Amla is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts for the treatment of many ailments.

In fact, the ancient physician Charaka referred to amla as a medicine that delays ageing, due to its high Vitamin C content. It is said that the Vitamin C content of amla is so stable that it is even resistant to heat. Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is widely grown in India. Amla juice, added to a glass of water and taken first thing in the morning is said to have tonic effects. In fact, amla is said build up resistance against disease and also soothes sunburn and sun-damaged skin.

Fruits should be a part of the daily diet, as many of them are rich in Vitamin C. We all know that lemon is a rich source of Vitamin C and minerals. Adding the juice of a lemon to a glass of warm water and having it first thing in the morning, helps to flush the system and remove toxins. This helps to clarify the skin and add a glow.

Oranges are also rich in Vitamin C. Apart from including them in your diet, use them for external skin care. Apply orange juice on the skin, or add it to face packs. It helps to restore the normal acid-alkaline balance of the skin, removes tan and minimizes blemishes.

Orange peels are a rich source of Vitamin C. Dried and powdered orange peels make a good scrub when mixed with cream of milk or yogurt. Or grind fresh orange peels into a paste.

Add multani mitti and rose water and apply as a pack on the face to benefit acne prone skin and minimize blemishes.

Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, so including citrus fruits, apples, tomato, etc in your diet, helps to prevent oxidation damage and degeneration, delaying visible ageing signs.

It also contains ascorbic acid, which helps skin texture and produces an even colour tone. The fact remains that beauty experts all over the world consider Vitamin C ideal for looking youthful for a longer time.