In the cold winter months, boosting our vitamin C intake is key to keeping our immune systems healthy and thriving. The delicious benefits of vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach go far beyond fighting off the common cold. Here are seven benefits of vitamin C that you may not even know about!

1. It could reduce the risk of chronic disease: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can protect your cells from harmful free radicals that lead to oxidative stress.
2. It can help manage high blood pressure: It has been shown to reduce blood pressure in both healthy and at-risk individuals.
3. It can lower your risk of heart disease: One study found that people who took at least 700 mg of vitamin C daily had a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who did not take a vitamin C supplement.
4. It can reduce blood uric levels and prevent gout: Too much uric acid leads to joint inflammation known as gout. Vitamin C reduced uric acid levels.
5. It helps prevent iron deficiency: Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from diet. 100 mg of vitamin C may improve iron absorption by up to 67 percent.
6. It protects your memory and thinking: Low vitamin C levels have been linked to increased risk of dementia. 
7. It boosts immunity: Perhaps its most common benefit for your body, vitamin C helps your white blood cells function more effectively and heal wounds faster. 

The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Luckily, it is fairly easy to obtain your daily vitamin C requirements from a healthy diet, but if you are struggling to reach this goal, vitamin C supplements can be an effective tool for ensuring adequate intake.