Vitamin C Rich Food Sources

Vitamin C is water-soluble which means that the body is unable to store it. Therefore, vitamin C must be taken on a daily basis. There are many different types of vegetables and fruits that contain a lot of vitamin C, but be careful how you prepare them as vitamin C can be lost in the liquids in which they are cooked.

Below is a list of foods which are high in vitamin C.

Foods High In Vitamin C

Vitamin C Rich foods list	Portion	Milligrams per serving	Percent RDA
Raw red pepper	½ cup	95	158
Orange juice	¾ cup	93	155
Kiwifruit	1 medium kiwi	71	118
Orange	1 medium	70	117
Grapefruit juice	¾ cup	70	117
Raw green pepper	½ cup	60	100
Cooked Broccoli	½ cup	51	85
Fresh strawberries	½ cup	49	82
Cooked brussels sprouts	½ cup	48	80
Grapefruit	½ medium	39	65
Raw Broccoli	½ cup	39	65
Tomato juice	¾ cup	33	55
Cantaloupe	½ cup	29	48
Cooked cabbage	½ cup	28	47
Raw cauliflower	½ cup	23	38
Potato baked	1 medium	20	38
Raw tomato	1 medium	16	27

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic Acid, is an essential anti-oxidant and is necessary for the production of collagen, connective tissue found in skin, bone, ligaments and blood vessels. It performs a variety of other enzymatic and metabolic functions, such as:

maintaining and repairing body tissue
strengthening blood vessels
aiding the absorption of calcium, essential for healthy bones and teeth
helping the body to resist infections
lowering levels of blood cholesterol
aiding the absorption of iron from food, thus preventing anaemia
protecting cells from free radicals that can damage cell membrane and DNA

How Much Vitamin C Do I Need?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is subject to ongoing debate. In the US, it currently stands at 60mg per day. Vitamin C deficiency is characterized by: