Foods high in Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid

Why Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid matters

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble antioxidant that your body cannot make or store in large amounts, so daily intake matters. It is essential for synthesizing collagen — the structural protein that holds skin, tendons, blood vessels, and bone together — and acts as a cofactor for several enzymes involved in neurotransmitter and carnitine production. Vitamin C also dramatically boosts the absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods when consumed in the same meal. Plant foods dominate the ranking: guava, bell peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries, citrus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale all supply more per serving than an orange. Adults need 75 to 90 mg per day; smokers need an extra 35 mg because oxidative stress depletes stores faster.

Daily intake reference

Signs of low intake

Severe vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy — once a scourge of long sea voyages, now rare but still seen in restricted diets, people with severe mental illness, heavy smokers, and dialysis patients. Early signs include fatigue, irritability, bleeding gums, easy bruising, slow wound healing, joint pain, and corkscrew-shaped body hair. Advanced scurvy causes loose teeth, anemia, and hemorrhage into skin and joints. Any adult eating at least one fruit or vegetable per day is unlikely to become deficient, but people relying on processed foods or restrictive diets should audit their intake.

Best for these diets

Vitamin C-rich foods fit naturally into these dietary patterns:

• Mediterranean
• Vegan
• Anti-inflammatory
• dash