VITAMIN C AND ZINC

 

How To Absorb The Maximum Amount Of Vitamin C And Zinc From Your Diet

Here are some tips to absorb more nutrients

Vitamin C and Zinc are the two crucial nutrients required to boost your immune health, which can help to fight diseases causing pathogens. Adding these two nutrients to your diet at the current time when the country is reeling under the burden of COVID-19 can help your body to fight the virus and support a speedy recovery. The best and the safest way to get these two nutrients is from your daily diet. There are several food items that are rich in Vitamin C and Zinc and can help you meet your Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI). But to ensure that your body is absorbing these nutrients properly you should consume them correctly. Here we will tell you how to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from your diet.

02/7​Health benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. This simply means that Vitamin C first dissolves in water and then it is transported to different parts of the body. However, our body does not store this vitamin, so it is crucial to take it daily from the food.

The C vitamin plays a role in controlling infections and healing wounds. It is a powerful antioxidant that can fight disease-causing harmful free radicals. Besides, it is also involved in numerous metabolic reactions in the body and is needed to make fibrous protein in connective tissue (called collagen) that is weaved throughout various systems in the body.

03/7​The recommended daily intake of Vitamin C

The Recommended Dietary Allowance of Vitamin C for men above 19 years is 90 mg and for women is 75 mg daily. During pregnancy and breastfeeding the daily need increases to 85 mg and 120 mg respectively. Smokers are advised to take an extra 35 mg of this vitamin as smoking can deplete vitamin C levels in the body.

Taking more than 2000 mg of Vitamin C in a day can lead to gastrointestinal distress and diarrhoea. When this water-soluble vitamin is present in the body in excess, it switches roles and acts as a tissue-damaging pro-oxidant instead of an antioxidant. This can even increase the risk of kidney stones.

04/7​The right way to take Vitamin C

Studies suggest that our body's capacity to absorb Vitamin C decreases by 50 per cent when we take more than 1000 mg of this vitamin in a day. All the extra amount of the vitamin is moved out of the body through urine.

It is best to take Vitamin C in the raw form as heat and light can destroy the amount of vitamin in the particular food. Cooking Vitamin C rich food for a long time at a high temperature can break down the vitamin. Apart from that, cooking in water can also make the vitamin seep into the liquid and when the liquid is not consumed you may not get the vitamin. Stir-frying or blanching are the best ways to preserve the vitamin. Also, try to eat fruits that are ripe as they contain the maximum amount of Vitamin C.

05/7​Health benefits of having Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral, required by our body in a small amount. It is an essential nutrient required to activate more than 300 enzymes in the body that helps to carry out different functions in the body. Zinc majorly helps in DNA creation, cell growth, protein building, healing damaged tissue, and strengthening the immune system. Taking a sufficient amount of this mineral is particularly important during times of rapid growth, such as childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy.

06/7​The recommended daily intake of Zinc

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc in men above 19 years is 11 mg a day and for women, it is 8 mg. During pregnancy and lactation, the requirement of zinc slightly increases. Pregnancy and breastfeeding women must take slightly more at 11 mg and 12 mg of zinc respectively. Taking high amounts of zinc might cause fever, coughing, stomach pain, fatigue, and many other problems. Consuming more than 100 mg of supplemental zinc daily for 10 or more years increases the risk of prostate cancer. Up to 40 mg of zinc is considered safe for consumption. 

07/7​The right way to take Zinc

To ensure maximum absorption of zinc from diet add different varieties of food like meat, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate and others. Our body readily absorbs the nutrient from animal sources of foods as compared to plant sources. Also, take zinc in a smaller dose to absorb it more efficiently. Pairing zinc-rich food with protein also increases the chances of absorption.