Are you someone who gets bruised too easily? Does your body take a long time to heal wounds? Do your gums bleed easily if you brush too hard? If the answer to all these questions is a yes, then you may be having vitamin C deficiency. Also known as scurvy, vitamin C deficiency is a rare medical condition that is caused due to lack of vitamin C intake. The symptoms of vitamin C deficiency like bruising, bleeding gum, weakness, fatigue, etc may not be obvious at first as they can occur for other medical reasons, therefore it is best to consult a doctor before reaching a hypothesis. However, there are many ways we can prevent vitamin C deficiency by following simple eating habits at home. That is why we have found some easily available fruits and vegetables that you can add to your daily diet to prevent vitamin C deficiency.
Also Read: 7 Vitamin C Drinks That Will Get The Iron Levels In Your Body Pumping
Signs And Symptoms Of Vitamin C Deficiency:
Bleeding Gum And Teeth
Vitamin C deficiency tends to make your gum tissues weak and inflamed. Hence even light pressure can lead to bleeding of the gum. In extreme cases, even teeth can fall out.
Slow Healing Of Wounds
Collagen provides strength and structure to the skin. The lack of vitamin C can slow down the rate of collagen formation, making the wounds heal slowly.
Fatigue
Vitamin C deficiency can make people feel exhausted. Exhaustion is one of the first symptoms that occur in individuals.
Dry And Wrinkled Skin
As vitamin C is rich in collagen, the protein that helps keep the skin healthy, the deficiency of the same can lead to the deprivation of the same.
Vitamin C keeps our body healthy.
Health Conditions That May Lead Due To Vitamin C Deficiency:
If vitamin C deficiency is not taken care of in time, then the consequence can is dire. Here are the medical conditions:
- Anaemia - the lack of red blood cells
- Myalgia - intense pain in the muscles
- Oedema - swelling caused by fluid trapping in your legs
- Periodontitis - infection of the gum that destroys the bones that support teeth
- Petechiae - brown spots that lead to bleeding
5 Home Remedies To Prevent Vitamin C Deficiency:
Citrus Fruit
Dr Rupali Datta, Delhi-based nutritionist says "Accordin to National Institute of Nutrition, our body requires 40 mg of vitamin C every day. vitamin C is great for immunity and essential for healthy collagen formation-framework of our skin and bones."
Click here for lemon recipes you can add to your daily diet.
Click here for 5 ways to use orange in everyday cooking
Papaya
Papaya is rich in antioxidant nutrients like carotenes, flavonoids and vitamin C. Papaya is best enjoyed fresh in the form of a salad or a juice. According to the book "Healing Foods" by DK Publishing, papaya is also known for its anti-bacterial properties.
Click here for a papaya recipe you can easily cook at home.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C.
Tomato
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. And these two components help the body to get rid of harmful free radicals in our blood. To absorb vitamin C into the system, they need to be eaten, that is why we include tomatoes in our daily cooking.
Click here for five delicious tomato recipes.
Strawberry
Strawberries are not only rich in antioxidants but are also a good source of vitamin C. The vitamin C content of a strawberry is slightly more than an orange. You can add strawberries to your diet through shakes and smoothies.
Click here for the strawberry smoothie recipe.
Broccoli
Broccoli also has a good quantity of Vitamin C, 100 grams of broccoli has as much as 89 grams of Vitamin C! According to Bangalore-based nutritionist Dr Anju Sood "(Broccoli) The low calorie vegetable is a storehouse of antioxidants essential minerals."
Click here for the 11 best broccoli recipes.
Also Read: How Much Vitamin C Should You Take? Study Reveals
If you find these methods helpful, do tell us in the comments section.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.