A. Vitamin C is a wonder vitamin as it enables the biosynthesis of collagen. Pick up any reputable book on health and nutrition and you will discover a common thread.

You need collagen to sustain a healthy presence, a vibrant upright posture, healthy movement, muscles, bodily structure, flexibility, body tone, moist elastic skin and strong cartilage and nails. That is for starters. Your cardiovascular system is a direct beneficiary. Your blood vessels for instance consist of structural proteins – meaning collagen and elastin. Vitamin C is needed for collagen development.

Human beings have a high need for Vitamin C in comparison to other vitamins. As we get older, often we become neglectful of consuming enough Vitamin C and that is when the trouble starts with blood vessels which start to thin and become less elastic. So, blood vessel health and blood pressure are influenced by an appropriate intake of Vitamin C.

It is part of the collagen combo. Of course, getting Vitamin C from fruit and vegetables is your first option: broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, tomatoes, spinach, green and red peppers, berries, cabbage, and sweet potatoes are good sources. The highly refined Western diet is however doing its damage and dieticians are waking up to this too.

Did you know that potatoes peeled, cut, and soaked in water for two hours and then baked and eaten, have lost 89% of their Vitamin C? So back up and enjoy the benefits.