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Korzyści Mikrodermabrazji Twarzy z Witaminą C
17 Foods That Are High in Vitamin C
When you think of vitamin C, you may think primarily of oranges, but it’s actually abundant in lots of other foods — foods you’re probably already eating on a regular basis.
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Vitamin C is especially plentiful in citrus fruits (oranges, yes, but also grapefruit, lemons, etc.) and vegetables (especially cruciferous vegetables, which we’ll explain in a moment).
Registered dietitian Devon Peart, RD, MHSc, shares more info about foods that are high in vitamin C, plus tasty tips for incorporating them into your diet.
Recommendations
Recommendations for vitamin C, as well as other nutrients, are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Food and Nutrition Board at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. DRI is a term for a set of reference intakes that are used to plan and assess the nutrient intakes of healthy people. These values, which vary by age and sex, include:
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): The average daily level of intake that is enough to meet the nutrient needs of nearly all (97% to 98%) healthy people. An RDA is an intake level based on scientific research evidence.
Adequate Intake (AI): This level is established when there is not enough scientific research evidence to develop an RDA. It is set at a level that is thought to ensure enough nutrition.
Dietary reference intakes for vitamin C:
- 0 to 6 months: 40 milligrams/day (mg/day)
- 7 to 12 months: 50 mg/day
- 1 to 3 years: 15 mg/day
- 4 to 8 years: 25 mg/day
- 9 to 13 years: 45 mg/day
- Girls 14 to 18 years: 65 mg/day
- Pregnant teens: 80 mg/day
- Breastfeeding teens: 115 mg/day
- Boys 14 to 18 years: 75 mg/day
- Men age 19 and older: 90 mg/day
- Women age 19 year and older: 75 mg/day
- Pregnant women: 85 mg/day
- Breastfeeding women: 120 mg/day
The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods.
Smokers or those who are around secondhand smoke at any age should increase their daily amount of vitamin C by an additional 35 mg per day.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and those who smoke need higher amounts of vitamin C. Ask your health care provider what amount is best for you.
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, which means your body needs it but can’t make it on its own. Instead, you have to get vitamin C from the foods you eat — namely, fruits and vegetables.
“For peak freshness and nutrients, choose fruits and vegetables that are in season where you live,” Peart advises. “Frozen fruit and veggies are a great option, too, especially if you live in climates where seasonal produce is limited.”
But why do you need vitamin C in the first place? Good question. It helps your body form and maintain connective tissue like skin and bones, and it’s also a powerful antioxidant, protecting your cells from damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals.
Citrus fruits
Let’s start with what you already know: Yes, oranges are a great source of vitamin C. But they’re certainly not the only citrus fruits that deliver on this important nutrient.
The amount of vitamin C in citrus fruits varies depending on a lot of factors, including the type, size and ripeness of the fruit itself. But here are some estimates of the vitamin C content in common citrus fruits:
- Orange: 70–90 milligrams (mg).
- Grapefruit: 80–100 mg.
- Lemon: 30–40 mg.
- Lime: 20–30 mg.
“Just one orange or grapefruit can fulfill your daily required dose of vitamin C,” Peart says.
How to enjoy them: Here’s a vitamin C-forward recipe you probably haven’t tried yet: Quinoa Orange and Pistachio Salad fulfills 100% of your daily requirement of vitamin C and vitamin A.
Cruciferous vegetables
It’s not breaking news that green veggies are good for you, but you may be surprised to learn that they’re a great source of vitamin C, too. Vegetables in the cruciferous category all have distinctive, cross-shaped flowers — and many of them give you all or most of your daily vitamin C intake:
- Broccoli (1 cup, chopped): 80 mg.
- Kale (1 cup, chopped): 80 mg.
- Brussels sprouts (1 cup): 75 mg.
- Red cabbage (1 cup): 50 mg.
- Cauliflower (1 cup, chopped): 48 mg.
Should you take vitamin C supplements?
If you eat a healthy diet, you’re likely already getting enough vitamin C. “You can’t get too much vitamin C from food sources,” Peart says, “so if you eat plenty of vegetables and fruit every day, you will get the recommended amount and more.”
But if you fear you’re not getting enough vitamin C (like if you smoke or if you don’t eat many fruit and veggies), talk to your healthcare provider about whether supplements are safe for you. The usual supplement dosage is 500 mg per day, but they may recommend a different amount.
There are also times when you may want to take extra vitamin C, like if you’re not feeling well.
“If you feel like you’re coming down with a cold or the flu, or if you’re in a period of acute stress and feeling run-down, most people can take up to 1,000 mg vitamin C per day (or temporarily increase your current supplement to that amount),” Peart says. “This helps maintain healthy levels of vitamin C, which get depleted in times of physical stress.”
