Did you know that vitamin C is essential for the health of your hair? It is also for your body, your skin and your nails. Consuming more of it daily through foods rich in it or food supplements will allow you to make the most of the benefits of vitamin C and will give you the hair of a queen that you have always dreamed of!
What is vitamin C or “ascorbic acid”?
Vitamin C also goes by the barbaric name “ascorbic acid”. It is an absolutely essential vitamin for the proper functioning of our body as a whole. This non-caloric organic substance is hydrosoluble (soluble in water) and our body is unable to produce it independently. In other words, we need to ingest vitamin C every day to keep our metabolism functioning properly and simply live.
An essential vitamin for the body
Ascorbic acid is a great ally for the health and vitality of our hair and all of our tissues. Properly nourished, they are more beautiful and shinier... But we will come back to this in detail in a future point. Often represented by citrus fruits (especially orange), it is preferred when our immune system seems to be failing. Also, vitamin C is one of the best antioxidant compounds there is.
In what foods can you find vitamin C?
We often associate vitamin C with the yellow-orange color, particularly because orange and lemon are presented to us as the best sources of ascorbic acid. Overall, the best sources of vitamin C are fruits! But if you thought orange was the best of all, you're wrong. Yes, there are fruits richer in vitamin C than oranges!
Dare to be exotic!
This is the case for sea buckthorn berry, acerola, camu camu, blackcurrant and rosehip. Of course, orange and citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemon, pomelo, etc.) are also very rich in it, as are papaya, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple and mango.
Good news ! Vegetables are also natural sources of vitamin C. It is therefore found in peppers, spinach, broccoli, parsley and red cabbage. And if you think that these sources are not enough for you, you can always turn to food supplements .
The benefits of vitamin C on the body
The benefits of vitamin C are numerous, as it is one of the most versatile essential nutrients in our body. It plays very diverse roles and influences our health overall. Good intake of ascorbic acid keeps us in shape (mentally and physically). This nutrient influences our psychological functioning due to its effects on the production of dopamine and norepinephrine. Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen and carnitine, a substance that allows the body to use fat as a source of energy.
A natural antioxidant and immunity protector
On the other hand, vitamin C is renowned worldwide for its antioxidant properties! Indeed, it actively fights against excess free radicals and the damage they cause to cells. Damage which particularly concerns the skin and hair, in addition to certain pathologies.
Finally, we must also highlight the major role it plays in balancing the immune system. If your grandmother encourages you to drink tons of orange juice in winter, it's not for the life of you! But simply to better arm your body against its winter attackers: colds, flu and many other ailments.
The benefits of vitamin C on hair, nails and skin
How is vitamin C beneficial for our hair, nails and skin? Like vitamin E , vitamin C is involved in the synthesis of collagen, the protein responsible for building skin tissues. Collagen is partly responsible for the elasticity of our skin and therefore its health (essential to appear younger). Moreover, vitamin C activates the healing of wounds, which makes our little everyday ailments disappear more quickly.
Limit hair loss and strengthen it with ascorbic acid
Although many associate hair loss with men, it affects a large number of women, particularly in cases of stress, medication, hormonal disorders or other events (pregnancy, childbirth, etc.). Vitamin C can help you remedy this! Ascorbic acid stimulates collagen synthesis and in this area, our skin is not the only one to benefit. This benefit of vitamin C helps counter hair loss and even repair areas of hair damaged by the sacrosanct straightener and our repeated shampoos.
A vitamin useful for hair growth
Would you like your hair to grow a little faster? In this case, you have to rely on vitamin C! Indeed, this vitamin facilitates the growth of the hair follicle (of hair, that is). It also helps to strengthen and cleanse your hair. The loathsome split ends that are ruining your life are certainly linked to a lack of vitamin C in your diet! This, which is antioxidant by nature, will neutralize free radicals and their devastating effects on the cells that make up each part of our body. If your hair is weakening and calling for help, sound the alarm and consume more vitamins daily!
Is your hair dry? Bet everything on vitamin C!
Among the benefits of vitamin C, we could not forget to talk about its action on dry hair! Its daily consumption helps prevent and treat dry hair. In fact, the vitamin stimulates the synthesis of natural oils and prevents both dehydration of the hair and dryness of the ends. The production of oils in which ascorbic acid is involved helps protect and moisturize hair fibers.
And that's not all ! Regular intake of this vitamin helps restore and strengthen the natural shine of the hair. If your hair is prone to frizz and split ends, it is certainly lacking in moisture and vitamin C will help you remedy this. In this case, consider combining it with the use of rhassoul , a miracle product for dry hair.
Prevent hair aging
As with our skin, the years that pass leave visible marks on our hair. Changes are taking place in our scalp. We then notice a loss of strength of the hair and its whitening, for example. Yes, the famous white hair comes from there! Vitamin C helps prevent these signs of aging. Indeed, aging is largely caused and accelerated by free radicals. As a natural antioxidant, vitamin C helps activate blood circulation and therefore the transfer of nutrients to the scalp. Likewise, it repairs hair fibers in depth, which helps preserve their strength and shine.
Use ascorbic acid against hair discoloration
Is your hair regularly experiencing color loss? Before blaming your hairdresser or your bad luck, know that the fault lies with a defect in melanin synthesis. And this is linked to the activity of vitamin C in the body. In addition, and it must be emphasized, vitamin C contributes to the regulation of the body's production of sebum and natural oils. The hair (and the skin, in this case) are thus better nourished and hydrated... We kill two birds with one stone!
Some ideas for recipes rich in ascorbic acid
Here are some ideas for colorful and sparkling recipes to make vitamin C your best daily health ally.
A nourishing hair mask with vitamin C
Applying vitamin C as a mask directly to your hair is a great way to give it a big boost of nutrients, and it always needs it. Squeeze an orange and half a lemon to combine their juice, and mix everything with two tablespoons of coconut milk (and a dash of honey, if you wish). Apply this preparation as a mask to your previously wet hair and leave it to act for between a quarter of an hour and an hour. Rinse your hair thoroughly and shampoo with a regular shampoo. Use a grapefruit shampoo to take advantage of its extra vitamin C content! This tip also applies if your scalp tends to produce dandruff. Note that it is also possible to add citrus juice directly to your shampoo.
A fruit juice ultra-concentrated in antioxidants
To benefit from the benefits of vitamin C, you must eat fruits and vegetables that contain it. And to boost your intake once and for all, bet everything on a delicious fruit juice! There are thousands of juice recipes rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Combine fruits (and vegetables) as you wish in a blender or juice extractor and start the machine!
- Three apples, two lemons, three centimeters of fresh turmeric, three centimeters of fresh ginger;
- Two oranges, a lemon, a cinnamon stick, a tablespoon of honey, 250 milliliters of water, a few fresh mint leaves;
- Vary the flavors with sea buckthorn berry, acerola, acai powder (ideal for mixing in fruit juice) and other exotic sources of vitamin C like camu camu.
And there you have it, you know everything about vitamin C, your hair’s best friend! And if you want more details, Health Passport tells you more here . And for even more happiness for your hair and your body, our supplements contain all the vitamin C you need: Resolution N°1 , our richest formula, for faster growth and slower hair loss, Little President , for stock up on energy for little ones aged 4 to 15, or Mama , to stock up on nutrients during pregnancy and breastfeeding! So, what are you going to take?