Foods High in Vitamin C

Foods High in Vitamin C
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About Vitamin C

Another name for vitamin C is ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is water-soluble and acts like an antioxidant. There are a number of foods high in vitamin C, and not all of them are citrus fruits. Vitamin C is helpful in optimal oral health and in aiding the immune system.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the following are the recommended daily amounts of vitamin C:

  • Children up to 6 months of age: 40 mg
  • Children 7 to 12 months of age: 50 mg
  • Children 1 to 3 years of age: 15 mg
  • Children 4 to 8 years of age: 25 mg
  • Children 9 to 13 years of age 45 mg
  • Males, 14 to 18 years of age: 75 mg
  • Females, 14 to 18 years of age: 65 mg
  • Females, 14 to 18 years of age, pregnant: 80 mg
  • Females, 14 to 18 years of age, lactating: 115 mg
  • Males, 19 years and older: 90 mg
  • Females, 19 years and older: 75 mg
  • Females, 19 years and older, pregnant: 85 mg
  • Females, 19 years and older, lactating: 120 mg

Papaya

Providing the highest amount of vitamin C in the list, one papaya contains 118.56 calories and 187.87 mg or 313.1 percent of the recommended daily value.

Papaya is also high in other nutrients, including folate, potassium, dietary fiber and vitamin A.

Oranges

As a citrus fruit, it is expected that oranges will be high in vitamin C. One orange contains 69.69 mg or 116 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.

Other nutrients found in high amounts in oranges include dietary fiber and folate. One orange contains 61.57 calories.

Kale

One cup of boiled kale has only 36.40 calories. Providing 88.8 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin C from the 53.3 mg it contains in a serving, kale is a great way to add vitamin C to the diet.

Kale is loaded with nutrients, including high amounts of vitamin K, manganese, vitamin A and dietary fiber.

Turnip Greens

One cup of cooked turnip greens contains 65.8 percent or 39.46 mg of vitamin C. There are only 28.8 calories in a one cup serving of turnip greens. Also in a serving of turnip greens are high quantities of vitamin K, vitamin A, folate and manganese.

Mustard Greens

A one cup serving of boiled mustard greens has 21 calories and is loaded with nutrients. One serving of mustard greens provides 59 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C or 35.42 mg. Also in mustard greens are nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, manganese, vitamin E, tryptophan, calcium, potassium and dietary fiber, among others.

Collard Greens

There are 49.4 calories in a one cup serving of boiled collard greens. That serving also has 57.6 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin C. This comes from the 34.58 mg of vitamin C in each serving.

One serving also provides high amounts of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate and dietary fiber.

Swiss Chard

There is 31.5 mg of vitamin C in one serving (one cup) of boiled Swiss chard. This provides 52.5 percent of the recommended daily value for this nutrient. One serving also has only 35 calories, but high amounts of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, manganese and potassium.

Spinach

Last on this list of foods high in vitamin C is the nutrient-packed spinach. One serving of boiled spinach (one cup), provides 29.4 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. This comes from the 17.64 mg of vitamin C in one serving.

Other nutrients in spinach include vitamin K, manganese, vitamin A, folate, magnesium and iron.

References

Vitamin C. The World’s Healthiest Foods. https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=109

Vitamin C. Consumer Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer.asp

Vitamin C. Micronutrient Information Center. Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon State University. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/