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Most people know about scurvy – it's one of those historic anecdotes most school children learn about. Scurvy is a disease caused by a critical vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency. Vitamin C is abundant in fresh fruit and vegetables, unavailable to sailors on extended voyages in previous centuries.
Scurvy is fatal. It killed aroundtwo million sailors between 1500 and 1800.
Contrary to common belief, scurvy is not something of the past. In the United States, a recent study found that between 2016 and 2020, the incidence of scurvy among childrenmore than tripled from 8.2 to 26.7 cases per 100,000.
Scurvy mostly occurs among infants, young children, and older adults whose diets lack vitamin C.
To understand why this is an alarming finding, we must understand what scurvy does to the body.
Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet. This lack comes about because our bodies can't make vitamin C, and they also don't store it. This means we must replenish our supply of vitamin C every day.
In addition to a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, scurvy can result from conditions that increase the body's need for vitamin C. For instance, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers need more vitamin C than normal.
Recovering from recent surgery also requires increased amounts of it, as do wounds caused by burns. A high fever and chronic diarrhea also require increasing one's vitamin C intake.
Smoking destroys vitamin C levels in the body, as does heavy alcohol use.
If you have kidney disease and are dependent on dialysis, you are in danger of developing vitamin C deficiency.
Vitamin C is water soluble and is necessary for important functions in the body.
The first symptoms are not so bad, but worsen if the condition is not treated. The first signs appear a few months after a severe lack of vitamin C in the diet. These include generally feeling weak, tired, and irritable. You may also experience joint pain.
If you don't realize what is going on and don't start eating fresh fruit and vegetables, the following symptoms start appearing:
While incidences of scurvy are rare, being low on vitamin C is not uncommon, especially if fresh fruit and vegetables are not part of one's regular diet.
Here are some signs that you might be deficient in this essential vitamin.
Vitamin C supports the immune system and protects against infections and illness. If you get sick often, it might be due to a vitamin C deficiency.
For instance,research shows vitamin C won't stop you from getting a cold, but you won't feel quite so sick, and the cold won't last very long.
Red, swollen, and bleeding gums are common signs of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C supports healthy blood vessels and helps blood clot. Vitamin C is crucial for healthy gum tissue and without it gums become inflamed.
If the gums become too weak, they can't support teeth, which can lead to teeth loss.
Vitamin C is vital for the production and stabilization of collagen, which is crucial for wounds to heal. The body needs vitamin C to make collagen, which is a protein that provides structure to tissues. Without adequate collagen, new tissues can't form, leading to poor wound healing.
If you have wounds or sores that take long to heal, you might benefit from some extra vitamin C.
If you notice large areas of small purple dots on your skin appear for no apparent reason that you can remember, you might have a vitamin C deficiency. In fact, bruising easily is a common sign of vitamin C deficiency.
Have you been diagnosed with anemia caused by an iron deficiency? And are you then prescribed iron supplements which make you constipated?
Iron deficiency, most often diagnosed in women, is challenging to treat due to poor absorption or blood loss through menstruation.
Iron-deficiency anemia usually makes one feel tired and weak. You may look pale and have cold hands and feet. You may also feel dizzy or lightheaded.
Vitamin C helps with theabsorption of iron. It might be worth your while to make sure you get enough vitamin C to help absorb the iron you get from your food.
You can help your body absorb the iron from your food by drinking100% fruit juice or eating a vitamin-C-rich food with every meal.
See Also: 17 Practical Ideas to Get More Vitamins and Minerals through Diet
Scurvy responds very well totreatment with vitamin C. Thesuggested dose is 500 to 1000 mg orally once a day for 1 to 2 weeks, until signs disappear after which the person must follow a nutritious diet that provides 1 to 2 times the daily recommended intake.
The use of ascorbic acid restores the functions of vitamin C in a few days. Symptoms usually disappear within 1 to 2 weeks, except for chronic gingivitis, which takes longer to resolve.
To increase your vitamin C levels, you need to eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day. When it comes to preparing vegetables, raw is better since vitamin C is destroyed by heat. Plus, since it is water soluble, the vitamin leaches into cooking water and gets lost if the water is not ingested.
So, when you prepare a meal, use as little water as possible when cooking your vegetables. Steaming and stir-frying are also good options.
You could also salvage the vitamin C in the water by using the water for stock or sauces. For instance, when making cheese sauce, use half vegetable water and half milk – the result is tastier, more nutritious, and richer.
Sweet peppers, red, yellow, and green are high in vitamin C. Chop them up and add to your salads, or eat bite-sized chunks with humus for a healthy snack. They look and taste great in stir-fries.
Use them as an ingredient for Hawaiian rice with chopped pineapples and roasted almonds for a healthy meal.
Eat them raw, eat them cooked, tomatoes are a great addition to salads and a myriad of pasta and other dishes. Plus, they deliver loads of vitamin C, even when tinned. One cup of tinned tomatoes delivers 170 mg of vitamin C - 188% of the daily recommended value (DV)
Hot chilies have conquered the world. They have become as necessary to most dishes as salt and pepper. One hot green chili pepper delivers 121% of the DV.
Broccoli can be described as a superfood, it is so nutrient-dense. It contains:
Plus it has loads of healthy fiber. You can cook broccoli florets. But you can also eat them raw in salads with cheese, avo, and nuts. Yum!
Even those who hate vegetables will eat French fries and mashed, or baked potatoes. I bet you didn't know that potatoes are high in vitamin C.
Well, you can't eat them raw, so you will lose some of the vitamin content when you prepare them, but you will still get the benefit of some vitamin C. Mash it with some parsley, which is high in iron. This way, the vitamin C in the potato will help you to absorb the iron in the parsley. Win-win!
All fruits contain vitamin C, so you'll always benefit from eating them. Some just have more than others, which we highlight here:
I bet you have always thought that oranges are the fruit highest in ascorbic acid.
No, you're not even close; that was just marketing.
Guavas have way more vitamin C - one cup of raw guava contains 377 mg of vitamin C, which is419% of the daily recommended value of 90 mg. Just eat one, and you're done for the day.
This tart fruit is exceptionally high in vitamin C – two of them will give you 128 mg of vitamin C, much more than you need for the day. Have them on their own or as part of a fruit salad. They also go well in smoothies.
Kiwi's other benefit is its high serotonin levels that help with sleep quality.
See Also: Insomnia - Tips to deal with Sleeplessness
Papaya, often the basis for fruit salad, adds a healthy vitamin C punch to your diet. Eat a slice with a squirt of lime for breakfast, and you're set for the day.
One ripe mango provides 122 mg of vitamin C, more than you need for the day. Make yourself a mango lassi for those scorching hot summer days. Mango lassi hails from India and is super easy to make.
Put 1 cup of ripe mango pieces in one cup of milk, add sugar, honey, or condensed milk, and ice. Process and enjoy! Adding a sweetener like sugar, honey, or condensed milk, brings out the taste of the mango, so don't skip it!
Strawberries and pineapple will also give you a vitamin boost as they are also superior to oranges in the vitamin C department.
Food that is high in vitamin C is often high in fiber as well. So the two go naturally together. However, if you're taking a fiber supplement, it might be better no to take it at the same time as your medication.
Experts suggest taking your medications two or three hours before or after the fiber supplement, as the medication may move with the fiber through the intestine without getting absorbed.
See Also: 21 Easy Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet!
Yes, you can take protein powders with vitamin C supplements. They could possibly complement each other's functions. Just be careful not to exceed the daily allowance for each of them.
See Also: Thinking Of Taking Protein Powder? You Need To Read This!
Low vitamin C levels can lead to keratosis pilaris where the skin on the back of the upper arms, thighs, or buttocks becomes dotted with tiny red bumps.
Itchy skin is not a primary result of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C shortage can cause dry, rough, and scaly skin, which may become irritating.
In modern societies, where people can access a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, scurvy is rare. Remember, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you need extra vitamin C. You also need an above-average dose if you've recently had surgery or are struggling with diarrhea.
If you suspect you're low on vitamin C, it's easy to rectify the situation by simply eating more fruit and vegetables and taking a vitamin C supplement.
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