Top 20 Vitamin C rich foods in 2021 (Updated)
Our body cannot produce vitamin C, so we need to consume vitamin C-rich foods regularly. Check these out.
Vitamin C-rich foods mainly include vitamin-rich fruits and high vitamin C vegetables. People can fulfill their daily requirements by eating a variety of these nutritious foods.
Vitamin C rules out many vital functions in the body, including a healthy immune system. It’s also a necessary nutrient for good skin, silky hair, solid bones, and cartilages, as well as wound healing.
But, our body cannot produce vitamin C on its own as it does with some other nutrients. To compromise with that, we need to regularly consume vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables according to vitamin C daily intake[1]Carr AC, Frei B, (1999). Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. The American Journal of Clinical … Continue reading[2]Vitamin C fact sheet. Office of Dietary Supplements. (Updated 2021)
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional.
Table of Contents
Best Foods for Vitamin C
The following list comprises high vitamin C foods and their provided DV (daily value) in (milligrams, percentage) according to the serving size.
| Food | Serving size | Milligrams (mg) | DV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guava, raw | 1 cup, raw | 377 | 419% |
| 2 | Sweet red pepper, raw | 1 cup, raw | 190 | 211% |
| 3 | Tomato juice | 1 cup, canned | 170 | 188.9% |
| 4 | Orange juice | 1 cup | 124 | 137.8% |
| 5 | Sweet green pepper | 1 cup, raw | 120 | 133% |
| 6 | Hot green chili pepper, raw | 1 pepper, raw | 109 | 121% |
| 7 | Oranges | 1 large fruit | 97.5 | 108.8% |
| 8 | Strawberries | 1 cup, sliced | 97.6 | 108% |
| 9 | Papaya | 1 small fruit | 95.6 | 106.2% |
| 10 | Pink grapefruit juice | 1 cup | 93.9 | 104.3% |
| 11 | Broccoli | 1 cup, raw | 81.2 | 90.2% |
| 12 | Pineapple chunks | 1 cup, raw | 78.9 | 87.7% |
| 13 | Potato | 1 large vegetable | 72.7 | 80.8% |
| 14 | Brussels sprouts | 1 cup, raw | 74.8 | 79.8% |
| 15 | Kiwifruit | 1 fruit | 64 | 71.1% |
| 16 | Mango | 1 cup, raw | 60.1 | 66.7% |
| 17 | Cantaloupe | 1 cup | 57.3 | 63.7% |
| 18 | Cauliflower | 1 cup, raw | 51.6 | 57.3% |
| 19 | Lemon | 1 fruit | 44.5 | 49.4% |
| 20 | White grapefruit | ½ medium fruit | 39 | 43.3% |
Vitamin C Benefits
Increasing your intake of vitamin C foods can show many health benefits.
| Promoting Heart Health | Consuming more vitamin C from your diet can lower the risk of deadly heart diseases or complications[3]Martín-Calvo N, Martínez-González MÁ, (2017). Vitamin C Intake is Inversely Associated with Cardiovascular Mortality in a Cohort of Spanish Graduates: The SUN Project. PMCID: PMC5622714, PMID: … Continue reading. |
| Protection against Cancer | Vitamin C can provide a layer of protection against cancer by preventing damage from free radicals. |
| Blood Sugar Control | A study has found that taking 500mg of vitamin C twice a day can help those with type 2 diabetes by lowering elevated blood sugar levels across the day and minimizing spikes in blood sugar after meals[4]Media Release, (2019). Humble vitamin C tablet key to Deakin diabetes … Continue reading. |
| Better Immunity | Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system, ultimately leading to better health and disease prevention[5]Carr AC, Maggini S, (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. PMID: 29099763. PMCID: PMC5707683. DOI: 10.3390/nu9111211. |
| Younger, Healthier Skin | Per a review by the database nutrients, vitamin C helps you look younger and cleaner. It does that by stimulating the production of collagen — a protein that helps keep your skin firm and full. |
| Maintenance of Bones, Teeth, and Cartilage | Vitamin C aids in the healing and maintenance of strong bones, teeth, and cartilage (the rubbery material that covers the ends of bones). Vitamin C may also help persons with osteoarthritis prevent cartilage loss. |
| Prevents Eye Disorders, Increases Night Vision[6]American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/diet-and-nutrition | Vitamin C lowers the risk of developing cataracts. |
| Wound Healing | Vitamin C is required for collagen formation, a protein that is an important component of connective tissue. As a result, Vitamin C is essential for wound healing. |
| Prevents Hair Fall, Promotes Hair Growth | Vitamin C promotes hair health, reduces hair loss and improves hair growth by producing collagen — an important part of hair structure. |
| Enhance iron absorption | Vitamin C has been shown to enhance iron absorption. It captures non-heme iron and stores it in a form that’s more easily absorbed by your body. Check these mouth-watering high iron drinks. |
How much vitamin C do I need?
Recommended DV for adults aged 19+ require 90 mg and 75 mg of vitamin C per day for men and women respectively[7]Vitamin C fact sheet. Office of Dietary Supplements. (Updated 2021)
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional. Your everyday diet might be able to provide you with all of the vitamin C you need. Also, vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so it must be consumed daily.
What happens if I take too much vitamin C?
Large doses of vitamin C (more than 1,000 mg per day) might cause stomach pain, diarrhoea, and flatulence. When you stop consuming vitamin C supplements, these symptoms should go away.
The bottom line
Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that serves a variety of functions in the body. It aids in the healing of wounds, the synthesis of collagen, and immunity.
The RDA for vitamin C ranges from 45 to 120 mg, depending on your age and gender.
Vitamin C supplements should match the RDA while being well below the defined UL — 400 mg for young children, 1,200 mg for children aged 9-13, 1,800 mg for teenagers, and 2,000 mg for adults.
Adding a range of vitamin-C-rich fruits and vegetables to your diet can also help you achieve optimal health and wellness.
References