Vitamin C — More Than Just Oranges

Hey, I’m Jase — how’s it going?

You’ve heard about Vitamin C since you were a kid — oranges, limes, and pirate scurvy stories. But there’s way more to it than that. In this episode, we dig into the real science behind Vitamin C: how it powers your immune system, helps you recover, boosts collagen for healthy skin, and even improves your iron absorption.

We’ll explore why your needs change under stress or hard training, what foods actually pack the biggest Vitamin C punch (hint: it’s not just oranges), and whether supplements really make a difference.

By the end, you’ll know how to get enough every day — and why this little vitamin is still one of the biggest players in your health stack.

Transcript: 

Hi there, I'm Jace, how's it going?
Today's episode we are diving deep into one of the most famous nutrients of all time,
Vitamin C. I'm sure you've heard about it since you're a kid, he oranges and you'll
get your Vitamin C. Well maybe you have heard about sailors getting scurvy and discovering
that if they put limes on their boats, how they avoid it.
But here is the thing, Vitamin C is way more than just citrus fruit and old timely pirate
medicine.
It's about immune support, recovering, energy, skin health and yes, maybe even helping
you bounce back a little faster when you get a winter sniffle.
Alright, so Vitamin C, or as scientists call it, a "sobic acid," is a water soluble
vitamin.
What does that mean?
It means your body doesn't store it up like fat soluble vitamins, so you've got to keep
topping it up every day through food or supplementation.
And what does it actually do?
Well it definitely does quite a lot.
First off it's a powerful antioxidant, so what that means is it helps protect your cells
from damage.
It's crucial for collagen production, which keeps your skin, cartilage and joints healthy.
It also supports your immune system, so it helps your body respond better to infections.
It even improves the absorption of iron, especially the non-heat type you find in plants.
So let's rewind a few hundred years.
Sailors on long voyages used to come down with scurvy, so that means bleeding gums, fatigue,
muscle weakness, was pretty grum.
The solution, fresh fruit, surprise.
Once they figured out citrus-prevented scurvy, ship started carrying limes and British sailors
earned the nickname "limes."
Fast forward, and Vitamin C became the first vitamin to really capture the public imagination.
Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, famously promoted high-dose Vitamin C in
the 1970s as a cure for all colds.
The science, then, well, it's a little bit more nuanced, but the fascination stuck.
Here in New Zealand, the Ministry of Health recommends about 45 milligrams per day for adults
as a baseline.
To put that into perspective, one medium-cui-fruit has about 70 milligrams, so that's already
enough to hit those goals, and orange is around 50 milligrams, and a couple broccoli is roughly
around 80 milligrams.
Go broccoli.
So if you're eating a decent amount of fruit, it's your probably covered, but there are
times when your needs go up.
If you smoke, surprise, surprise, your requirement jumps because smoking increases oxidative
stress.
If you're under-currented stress, training hard, or recovering from illness, your body may
use more, and if your diet is a bit, let's say, crap, you might not be getting enough.
Vitamin C just isn't about citrus.
In fact, like I mentioned, just previously, New Zealand Cui-fruit is one of the richest
sources in the world.
A couple of gold Cui-fruit and you're loaded up.
Other great sources include blackcurrants, capskim, strawberries, and our old friends,
leafy greens, like spinach and kale.
But fun fact, cooking can destroy vitamin C since it's heat-sensitive and water-soluble.
So raw or lightly cooked is often the way to go.
Okay, so a big question we get all the time is does vitamin C prevent colts?
The research says not exactly.
If you're already healthy, taking vitamin C every day doesn't necessarily stop you from
catching a cold.
But, and this is very important, it does seem to, one, reduce the duration of colds, so
meaning you're sick for a few days, to reduce the severity of symptoms, and three, and athletes,
for people under heavy physical stress, it might actually reduce the chance of catching a
cold in the first place.
So it's definitely no medjubullet, but it's definitely a useful tool in the toolbox.
So here is where it gets interesting.
Vitamin C does a whole lot beyond sniffles and sore throats.
It can help your skin health.
Because of its role in collagen synthesis, vitamin C is a big player in skin care.
That's why you see it in so many serums and creams.
It helps with firmness, wound healing, and even reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Who doesn't want that?
It also helps with exercise recovery.
So vitamin C may help with oxidative stress caused by high training.
And so, yeah, that's a go-to.
And iron absorption.
This one's huge in New Zealand, especially for women.
So pairing plant-based iron like from lentils or spinach with a vitamin C rich foods can significantly
boost absorption.
So think spinach salad with capsicum or lentils with a side are broccoli.
Most people can get an alpha vitamin C from food, but supplements can make sense if you're
hitting your fruit and veg targets, your training intensely or under heavy stress, you're
recovering from illness or surgery, or you just want a piece of mind of topping up.
The good news for you is vitamin C supplements are safe and very affordable.
In New Zealand, surveys show most people meet the basic requirements, but there are pockets
of deficiency.
For example, some studies suggest rates of low vitamin C are higher in men, smokers like
we mentioned, and those with low fruit and veggie intake.
Given that only 50% of kiwis actually eat the recommended 5+ a day, it's fair to say
some people are falling short.
The bright side is we live in a country overflowing with vitamin C rich produce.
That's kiwi fruit, fijoas, blackcurrants, all soup stars, and all grow right here.
Okay, so let's land this plane.
Here's your action list.
1.
Aim for 5+ a day of fruit and veg, and at least 1 or 2 being high in vitamin C.
2.
Remember to eat the rainbow, add those colors to your meals, capsicum, berries, leafy greens,
3.
Consider supplements of your lifestyle training will make it hard to get enough, and 5.
Remember consistency beat megadosis.
So there you have it.
Vitamin C is the sunshine shield for your immune system, your skin, your recovery, and overall
vitality.
So that's a wrap guys.
Until next time, stay curious, stay consistent, and remember to take your vitamins.