Vitamin C and potassium are two micronutrients essential for human health. Vitamin C is important for proper immune system function, wound healing, healthy gums and collagen production, while potassium is needed to maintain fluid balance in the body and regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. The Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, for vitamin C is 90 milligrams (mg) daily and the Recommended Adequate Intake or AI for potassium is 4,700 mg daily. Fruits and vegetables are rich in both nutrients.
Juices
Fruit and vegetable juices are usually high in both nutrients. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a 3/4 cup, or 6 fluid oz., serving of tomato juice provides 417 mg potassium, meeting 12 percent of the Recommended Daily Value, or DV, based on 3,500 mg and 33 mg vitamin C, or 55 percent of the DV based on 60 mg of vitamin C. The same serving of orange juice provides approximately 355 mg potassium or just over 10 percent of the DV and over 61 to 93 mg vitamin C, or over 100 percent of the DV depending upon variety. A 6 fluid oz. serving of vegetable juice provides approximately 71 mg vitamin C and 469 mg potassium--making it an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium.
Fruits
Fruits, like juices, are rich in vitamin C, potassium and other nutrients as well as dietary fiber. Raw guava is one of the best food sources of both nutrients. A 1 cup serving meets 20 percent of the DV for potassium and over 600 percent for vitamin C. One quarter of a medium-sized cantaloupe provides 368 mg potassium and 47 mg vitamin C, meeting 10.5 and nearly 80 percent of the DV for each nutrient, respectively. A 1 cup serving of raw papaya chunks offers 360 mg potassium and 86.5 mg vitamin C. Many individuals are aware that bananas are high in potassium but few realize that this soft, sweet fruit is also a good food source of vitamin C. One medium-sized banana offers about 422 mg potassium, or 12 percent of the DV and nearly 11 mg vitamin C, meeting over 17 percent of the DV.
Vegetables
Sweet and regular potatoes are rich in potassium and vitamin C. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, one medium sweet potato with skin, baked, offers nearly 307 mg potassium and 17 mg vitamin C. A medium white potato with skin, baked, is higher in potassium, providing 509 mg, or 14.6 percent of the DV, and almost 16 mg vitamin C, or 26 percent of the DV. Winter squash, such as pumpkin, acorn or butternut, are excellent food sources of these nutrients. One cup of cooked winter squash, cubed, provides 895 mg potassium and 20 mg vitamin C, or 25.6 and 33 percent of the DV for each nutrient, respectively. One cup of broccoli, steamed, offers 505 mg potassium and 123 mg vitamin C. One cup boiled spinach, drained, offers 839 mg potassium, meeting roughly 24 percent of the DV and 17.6 mg vitamin C or 29 percent of the DV.
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