Vitamins A and C are nutritional powerhouses for our body. These antioxidants promote healthy growth and development, protect us from infections and viruses, repair our damaged cells, protect our eyesight and skin, heal our cuts and wounds, and keep our teeth and gums healthy. For healthy adults, the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin C is 75 to 90 milligrams; the RDA for vitamin A is between 2,300 and 3,000 international units. Healthy, unprocessed foods are the best sources of vitamins A and C.
Nutrient Percentages on Food Labels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, decided that listing the actual vitamin content on a nutrition label would be too complicated. For example, one cup of cube cantaloupe contains 5,411 international units of vitamin A, and one medium orange contains 70 milligrams of vitamin C. We would have to know the reference value for each nutrient to determine if that food contains a high or low amount of that nutrient. And we would have to keep track of different units of measurement. So to make this easier for us they came up with reference numbers for nutrients called Daily Values, or DV. The DV for vitamin A is 5,000 International Units; the DV for vitamin C is 60 milligrams. Food labels list a percentage next to a nutrient, which is the percentage of the Daily Value of that nutrient in one serving. If we eat one cup of cube cantaloupe that contains 110 percent of vitamin A and one medium orange that contains 117 percent of vitamin C, we've gotten more than enough vitamin A and C in our diet for that day. The DV percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Our daily values may be higher or lower, depending on our calorie needs.
High Vitamin A and C Content
A food with a nutrient content of 20 percent or more DV is high in that nutrient. Foods high in vitamin A include cooked turkey, beef, liver and chicken, as well as skim and whole milk, cheddar cheese and egg substitute. Dark-colored fruits and vegetables like carrots, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, apricots, papaya, mango, peas, peaches, and all peppers are excellent sources for vitamin A. Other foods that contain lots of vitamin A include fortified cereals, citrus and vegetable juices, canned vegetables and chicken soups.
Foods high in vitamin C include fresh peaches, papayas, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, mangoes, pineapple, oranges, and fresh peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, potato, cabbage and tomatoes. Both fruit and vegetable juices are included. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with 25 percent DV of vitamin C.
Moderate Vitamin A and C Content
A food with a nutrient content of 6 to 19 percent DV contains moderate amounts of that nutrient. Foods moderate in vitamin A include watermelon, dried plums, peaches, nectarines, okra, spinach, green beans, leeks, parsley, red cabbage, celery, green leaf lettuce, all peppers, and asparagus. Canned fruit, condensed milk, cereals, and some assorted packaged foods are good sources in vitamin A.
Foods with moderate amounts of vitamin C include watermelon, pumpkin, peaches, strawberries, pears, bananas, plums, onions, snap beans, broccoli, cauliflower, white mushrooms, beets, and squash. Canned fruits and vegetables, citrus juices, cereals, and tropical trail mix also have moderate amounts of vitamin C.
Low Vitamin A and C Content
A food with 5 percent or less DV of a nutrient is low in that nutrient. Foods containing only low or trace amounts of vitamins A and C are cakes, breads, pastries, canned foods, packaged foods and fast foods.
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