Vitamin C: Importance, requirements and low-histamine sources

The body does not produce vitamin C itself, so the body's needs must be met entirely through food. Fruits and vegetables are particularly good sources of vitamin C.

Low-histamine and vitamin C-rich foods

Depending on the degree of ripeness and processing, harvest time, type and duration of storage, and transport conditions, the vitamin C content of a food varies. High temperatures, oxygen exposure, and water solubility are key factors in the lower vitamin C content of processed foods. Fresh foods are the better alternatives when it comes to meeting nutritional needs. These include fruits and vegetables, as well as smoothies or juices , such as these low-histamine varieties:

• blackcurrants
• paprika
• Parsley
• potatoes
• broccoli
• Acerola cherry

Raw vegetables contain the most vitamin C. However, raw vegetables are often not well tolerated by people with sensitive digestive systems. Since vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, gentle heating is recommended, ideally brief steaming with a small amount of water. Fruits and vegetables should be washed briefly but thoroughly. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends "5 a day," meaning five portions of fruit and vegetables daily.

What is the daily requirement for vitamin C?

Your daily vitamin C requirement depends on age, gender, and body weight. According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the recommended daily intake for each population group is as follows:

• Infants and children up to 4 years: 20 mg/day
• 13-15 year olds: 85 mg/day
• Males aged 15-19: 105 mg/day
• Females aged 15-19: 90 mg/day
• adult men: 110 mg/day
• adult women: 95 mg/day
• Pregnant women: 105 mg/day
• Breastfeeding women: 125 mg/day
• Smokers: 155 mg/day
• Female smokers: 135 mg/day.

Nicotine consumption leads to a 40% increase in the need for vitamin C, as the blood of smokers exhibits higher metabolic losses.

Is too much vitamin C harmful?

Because vitamin C is water-soluble, the body usually excretes excess vitamin C in the urine . If this doesn't happen, diarrhea can occur. People with kidney stones, other kidney diseases, or iron metabolism disorders should not exceed the recommended daily intake.

How does vitamin C work?

As an antioxidant , vitamin C contributes to various functions in the human body:

• Cell protection against oxidative stress
• Increased iron absorption from plant-based foods
• Reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• normal immune system function during and after intense physical activity
• normal collagen formation is essential for the normal function of blood vessels.
• normal collagen formation is essential for normal bone function
• normal collagen formation for normal cartilage function
• normal collagen formation for normal skin function
• a normal energy metabolism
• normal functioning of the nervous system
• a normal psychological function

Natural Vitamin C vs. Synthetic Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. Various fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. To extend shelf life, synthetic vitamin C is often added to processed foods.

Many dietary supplements also contain synthetically produced acorbic acid as a source of vitamin C; at HistaNutri, we use natural vitamin C from the acerola cherry.