The history of ascorbic acid goes back to sea voyages and scurvy.Those who eat nutritious meals often do not consider what would happen if fresh vegetables, fruits, and water-rich cereals were not normally available. Centuries ago, sailors experienced such deficiencies up close: swollen and bleeding gums, loose teeth, subcutaneous bleeding, and slow wound healing.What we now know as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) was deficient in most ships, and the human body reacted by causing a disease known as scurvy, which caused death.
Vitamin C enables the body to use carbohydrates, fats and proteins effectively. Because it acts as an antioxidant, a nutrient through chemicals binds to and neutralizes the destructive effects of tissue known as free radicals. It is vital for the growth and health of bones, teeth, gums, ligaments and blood vessels. It also plays a key role in the formation of collagen, the body’s main building protein, and is therefore essential for the proper functioning of all internal organs this is a Benefits and hamrs of Ascorbic acid.
Ascorbic acid is found in a variety of foods, including citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruits.It is also found in green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and cabbage, and in tomatoes and potatoes. Food processing may destroy or destroy vitamin C, as well as exposure to air, drying, salting, cooking and freezing usually do not cause loss of vitamin C, unless the food lasts for a long time. Long stored.In modern times, access to fresh fruits and vegetables is common, and cases of vitamin C deficiency are almost rare. These are usually limited to depressed adults, usually men whose diet is limited to foods lacking in vitamin C, as well as infants who use reconstituted milk or milk substitutes without vitamin C supplementation or orange juice. People with certain diseases, such as AIDS, cancer or tuberculosis, surgical patients, and those who are exposed to prolonged high-temperature fever, can also suffer from vitamin C deficiency.
Scurvy has long been the scourge of those sailing long distances without fresh food, and the first explicit description of the disease appeared in medieval records of the European Crusades. In the late fifteenth century, scurvy was cited as the leading cause of disability and mortality among sailors on long voyages. Although Danish sailors had long been familiar with the condition and included lemons and oranges in their seafood diet, it was not until 1753 that scurvy became known in the British medical community as being directly linked to dietary deficiencies.
In 1769, William Stark, a young English physician, began a series of experiments on diet and nutrition, using himself as an example. After 31 days of eating only bread and water, Stark added other foods to his diet one by one, including olive oil, figs, goose meat and milk.
Within two months, Stark noticed that his gums were red and swollen and that he was bleeding easily from touch. Seven months later, he died, probably from scurvy and possibly from the cumulative effects of malnutrition. The Stark diet was heavy on meat and starch, but lacked fresh vegetables and citrus fruits.
Twelve years before Stark’s experiments, Scottish physician James Lind, observing the power of prevention and treatment of citrus fruits and lemon juice during his years as a naval surgeon, wrote a text advising the forced consumption of these fruits by British sailors. Does. In 1795, Lind’s support led to the export of lime water to all ships and the gradual elimination of scurvy throughout the English fleet. At the time, no one, including Lind, was aware of the presence of ascorbic acid, eventually known as vitamin C.
It took many years to accurately determine the substance that prevents scurvy, which is responsible for preserving the body’s connective tissues. A Hungarian-born researcher named Albert then isolated and identified vitamin C and discovered the metabolic mechanism of its use in cells.
During a series of preliminary experiments on plants and citrus, he discovered that browning of the plant could be due to peroxidase (a plant enzyme that is active during oxidation). By adding citrus juice to peroxidase, the browning process can be stopped. In his experiments, he isolated a substance called hexoronic acid, which he thought was active in citrus juices. This was one of the first steps in discovering what we now know as vitamin C.
He performed these experiments on guinea pigs that have to consume this acid to stay healthy. He decided to change the name of hexoronic acid to ascorbic acid. It took years to find a way to produce large amounts of ascorbic acid from natural sources. Albert took paprika to the lab and found a lot of vitamin C. In 1937 he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology.