Many people insist weight control is as simple as "calories in, calories out." Health, on the other hand, isn't nearly so simple. For optimal health and athletic performance, fill your belly with foods that pack not only calories from macronutrients, but also adequate amounts of certain must-have micronutrients.
Vitamin C and vitamin B-1 (thiamin) are two crucial water-soluble vitamins that provide an abundance of benefits. The immune-boosting properties of vitamin C can help you continue hitting the weights hard throughout the ebb and flow of volume and intensity, while B-1 will ensure you have the energy needed to complete those high-volume sessions.

VITAMIN C WHY YOU NEED IT, AND HOW MUCH YOU NEED

Vitamin C plays an important role in immune function and is essential for proper functioning of immunity-boosting cells like T-cells.1 Additionally, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to rid the body of those nasty, stress-induced free radicals.
Vitamin C may also help support the health of tendons and ligaments. That's because this benevolent water-soluble vitamin is used to make collagen. The most abundant protein in the body, collagen functions in the growth and repair of bodily tissues such as tendons, ligaments, skin, blood vessels, and bone.2
Collagen also aids in the absorption of the type of iron found in plant-based foods by converting it to a more absorbable form. This is especially important for female athletes to know, as women are more likely to be iron-deficient than men. Besides causing you to feel fatigued, iron deficiency can lead to frequent infections, headaches, cold hands and feet, and overall weakness.
How much you need: The current RDA for vitamin C is set at 60 milligrams per day for both men and women. However, research strongly suggests an intake of 90-100 milligrams per day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.3

FOODS RICH IN VITAMIN C

1

KIWI 117% RDA PER KIWI

While oranges get all the accolades when it comes to vitamin C, gram for gram, this fuzzy fruit actually provides more. In fact, the kiwi might be good-mood food. In a study conducted in the Journal of Nutritional Science, investigators found that people who ate two kiwi every day for six weeks tended to have a more positive outlook on life.4The payload of vitamin C in kiwi may play a role in emotion-stabilizing brain functions.
WHILE ORANGES GET ALL THE ACCOLADES WHEN IT COMES TO VITAMIN C, GRAM FOR GRAM, THIS FUZZY FRUIT ACTUALLY PROVIDES MORE.