Low blood vitamin C shrinks gray matter and hurts attention, memory, and mood. Studies of over 2,000 people show the link. Skip supplements and eat vitamin-C-rich foods instead, aiming for 75-90 mg daily, lightly cooked to preserve the nutrient.
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eating foods high in vitamin C benefits your gray matter. Studies of over 2,000 individuals show decreased gray matter volume on their brain on MRI in those with lower levels of blood vitamin C. People with low blood levels of vitamin C show decreased performance on tasks involving attention, working memory, the speed of making decisions, and recall compared to those without deficient levels. A systematic review also linked vitamin C deficiency to depression. Interestingly, studies show that supplements don't actually help. The idea is to prevent the decrease in levels, not to actually increase way above normal levels. And this is best accomplished by eating food. Orange and red fruits and vegetables. These are the best sources to get your minimum 75 to 90 milligrams a day. Foods super high in vitamin C are guava, which has almost 228 milligrams, kiwis, which have 71 milligrams per fruit. Strawberries also are high, 89 milligrams per cup. Papayas have 88 milligrams per cup. Oranges have 70 milligrams per medium orange. And pineapples have 79 milligrams per cup. Mangoes, one of my favorites, have 60 milligrams per cup, and cantaloupes, 58 milligrams. So any of these will do. Also top that off with vegetables. Red bell peppers have the highest, 190 milligrams per cup. Raw. Green bell peppers have 120 milligrams per cup. Broccoli has 81 milligrams per cup. Even vitamin C is heat sensitive, so you want to very lightly cook it. So get your vitamin C today. It's not that hard, just a serving of fruit or vegetable. So this is like a micro habit, and that's why I created Relax to Soar. Here in your habit tracker, you can Write down vitamin C and you can make a beautiful orange X every time you eat a vitamin C loaded fruit or vegetable. Relax to soar microhabit stacking is going to get you that physical and mental resilience.
