What is Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids Good for?
Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are becoming popular with the increasing awareness about the health benefits these two bring for you. Vitamin C has a reputation for being useful in the health of your eyes and improving your eyesight. Bioflavonoids is a relatively new term for many people.
We are going to discuss Vitamin C and bioflavonoids to help you understand what these antioxidants are good for.
Vitamin C and Your Eyes
Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in several food items like oranges, sweet red peppers, other citrus fruits, and vegetables. Vitamin C plays a vital role in helping your body form and maintain various connective tissues throughout the body. The connective tissue also includes the collagen found in the cornea of your eyes.
However, the benefits of Vitamin C extend beyond your eyes. Due to its ability to help form and maintain connective tissues, Vitamin C also promotes healthier skin, blood vessels, and bones. Vitamin C consumption in recommended amounts also helps improve the health of the delicate capillaries in our eyes. Studies show that this essential Vitamin can play a role in preventing lens cataracts.
Our bodies cannot naturally produce Vitamin C and we need to consume foods rich in the vitamin to get our daily recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C. A deficiency in Vitamin C can lead to several serious health conditions, including:
- Bleeding under the skin
- Soreness and stiffness of joints
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Swollen and bleeding gums
According to the National Institutes of Health, the RDA of Vitamin C for adult males is 90mg and 75 mg for adult women.
The Role of Bioflavonoids
Bioflavonoids are antioxidants found in foods that are rich in Vitamin C. These are natural pigments that give fruits and vegetables their color. However, these antioxidants play a more vital role than providing our food its fresh-looking color.
Sometimes referred to as Vitamin P, bioflavonoids do not meet the requirements to be considered vitamins. Studies on bioflavonoids have revealed several health benefits from these naturally occurring compounds, including improvement in our eye health.
Bioflavonoids and Vitamin C work together in our bodies to provide benefits. Scientists also believe that several of the health benefits solely credited to Vitamin C in the past could be due to the combined effort of Vitamin C and certain bioflavonoids. Some of the combined benefits of bioflavonoids and Vitamin C include:
- Anti-aging effects
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems
- Certain anti-aging effects
- Improved liver function
- Improved blood circulation
- Strengthened blood vessel walls
- Protection against infections
Almost all foods containing Vitamin C also contain bioflavonoids. Like Vitamin C, bioflavonoids are also water-soluble and are non-toxic for consumption, even in high doses.
Final Thoughts
Studies into the specific effects of bioflavonoids are still relatively new. Scientists have yet to establish an RDA for bioflavonoids but have established that it provides immense benefits for our bodies in combination with Vitamin C, especially for our eyes.
A healthy and balanced diet containing Vitamin C and bioflavonoids can help improve your eyesight, skin health, muscles, and your bones
