London, May 2 (IANS): Protect your skin from the harsh ultra-violet rays of the sun with vitamin C.

Britain's expert nutritionist Jacqueline Newson shares the lesser known benefits of the antioxidant and talks about the best way to get vitamin C into your cells, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that help to counter any free radical cell damage caused to the skin due to toxins like smoking, environmental pollutants and excess sun exposure. This clever antioxidant also has the ability to regenerate other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, giving added protection to the skin.

Vitamin C will also come to the rescue if you succumb to sunburn or are unlucky enough to be targeted by mosquitoes. It has amazing wound healing abilities and can help to prevent the dangerous consequences of long term sun exposure which can potentially lead to skin cancer.

The nutrient is vital for the synthesis of collagen, which is one of the most abundant proteins in our bodies and an essential component of the connective tissue that holds our skin together as well as a major part of our joints, cartilage, teeth, blood vessels, bones, eyes, heart and pretty much everything in the body!

It is also important because it activates the enzymes necessary for initiating the reactions that create collagen in the body.

For healthier, smoother and younger looking skin -- make sure you eat up your fruit and veggies and add vitamic C to your diet.