Nutrition Benchmark Practice Test

Vitamin C is the one that matches all the clues. It helps tissue healing by supporting collagen synthesis, boosts immune function, and enhances iron absorption from plant-based foods. It’s found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, green leafy vegetables, and strawberries. Deficiency leads to scurvy, characterized by symptoms like swollen gums, easy bruising, and poor wound healing. People who are ill or who smoke tend to need more vitamin C because illness and smoking increase oxidative stress and metabolic demand, so a higher daily intake is often recommended (for smokers, about 35 mg more per day). Vitamin C is water-soluble, so it should be consumed regularly. By contrast, vitamin A is mainly about vision and certain immune functions, the B vitamins cover various aspects of energy metabolism, and vitamin D centers on calcium and bone health; none of these are described by the same combination of tissue healing, iron absorption, and scurvy risk.