Vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis and iron absorption. It is also an effective antioxidant. Deficiency of the water-soluble vitamin leads to a potentially fatal condition called scurvy that causes bruising and bleeding, tooth and hair loss, and joint inflammation and pain. The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C is 90mg for adult women and 75mg for adult men. Smokers require an additional 35mg per day of vitamin C due to higher levels of oxidative stress and lower blood levels of the vitamin.
Fruit
One cup of red bell peppers contains about 175mg of vitamin C, and one papaya provides 188mg, making these two of the best dietary sources of the vitamin. One cup of strawberries contains 81mg, and 1/4 cup of lemon juice offers 28mg of vitamin C. Other good fruit sources include cantaloupe, kiwifruit, grapefruit, oranges, and tomatoes. Ohio State University recommends eating fruit raw to ensure the greatest intake of the vitamin.
Vegetables
One of the best vegetable sources of vitamin C is steamed broccoli, with a single cup providing more than 120mg of the vitamin. Cauliflower, mustard greens and Brussel sprouts are also high in vitamin C content. To prevent losing some of the vitamin content during cooking, steam or boil vegetables or prepare them in a microwave oven. Storing and soaking vegetables in water reduces their vitamin C content.
Fortified Foods
Many juices with naturally low vitamin C content, such as grape and apple, are often fortified with extra vitamin C to ensure the public's daily requirements for the vitamin are met. Ready-to-eat cereals are an easy way to increase vitamin C intake, with most containing 25 percent or more of added vitamin C.
Other Food Sources
One ounce of garlic contains nearly 9mg of vitamin C, according to the George Mateljan Foundation, and just four ounces of braised calf's liver provides about 35mg. Parsley, an herb, provides about 5mg per tbsp., and shiitake mushrooms contain nearly 6mg when consumed raw.
Supplements
Vitamin C supplements are available in both synthetic and natural forms. Ohio State University reports that most American men and women exceed the daily recommended intake of vitamin C and therefore do not require supplementation. Although vitamin C is available in a variety of forms, such as sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid, the Linus Pauling Institute states that there is no reason to believe one form works more effectively or is better absorbed than any other.
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