Questions about vitamin c

also known as ascorbic acid. In 197, Norwegian chemist holst discovered it in lemon juice. It was only in 1934 that the pure product was obtained. It is colorless crystal, which belongs to water-soluble vitamin, soluble in water, and the aqueous solution is acidic, so it is called ascorbic acid. It is stable in acidic solution and easy to be oxidized and decomposed in neutral or alkaline solution. Metal ions such as iron and copper can accelerate its oxidation rate.

the main functions of vitamin c in human body are: participating in the redox process in vivo, promoting the growth and development of human body, enhancing the resistance of human body to diseases, promoting the formation of collagen in cell matrix, maintaining the normal functions of teeth, bones, blood vessels and muscles, and enhancing the detoxification ability of liver. When vitamin C is lacking in human body, there will be symptoms such as gingival bleeding, loose teeth, fragile bones, easy bleeding of mucous membrane and subcutaneous tissue, and difficult wound healing. In recent years, scientists have also found that vitamin C can prevent nitrite and secondary amine from combining into carcinogen-iminodiamine in the stomach, thus reducing the incidence of cancer.

According to the measurement, adult men need about 65 mg of vitamin C every day, and adult women need about 6 mg of vitamin C every day. Because vitamin C exists in many fresh vegetables and fruits, as long as you eat more vegetables every day, you can meet the needs of the human body. However, we should pay attention to the following issues.

firstly, because vitamin c is easily soluble in water, fresh vegetables should not be soaked in water for a long time. It should be washed first and then cut to avoid loss of vitamin C.

Second, because copper ions can catalyze the oxidation and decomposition of vitamin C, it is necessary to avoid contacting vegetables with bronzes during processing.

thirdly, vitamin c in plants often exists at the same time as vitamin c enzyme. When vitamin C enzyme comes into contact with air, it will promote the oxidation of vitamin C. This effect is stronger when the temperature is higher. Originally, vitamin C was relatively stable when heated, but it was also destroyed by the action of vitamin C enzyme at high temperature. Therefore, it is best to stir-fry vegetables with quick fire, so that a short period of high temperature is conducive to protecting vitamin C from destruction.

There are many foods containing vitamin C, and kiwi fruit and pepper are the most abundant. The following table shows the content of vitamin C in various common animal and plant foods.