Vitamin C is one of the 13 essential vitamins your body requires to stay healthy. Vitamin C can be found in several foods, however, the amounts vary considerably between different food items. A balanced and complete diet is the best way to ensure your vitamin intake, however.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for maintaining healthy blood vessels, teeth and bones, absorption of iron and calcium and production of hormones and immune factors. It also functions as an antioxidant and protects cells from free radicals. The daily recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C is, 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for adult women. Vitamin C is water-soluble vitamin and is not stored in your body. Thus, you should get vitamin C from your diet on daily basis to ensure adequate intake.
Fruits
Many fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C. Get your daily vitamin C allowance or more in 1 cup of fruits such as frozen peaches, 236 mg; orange juice, 124 mg; strawberries, 98 mg; slices of oranges, 96 mg; and slices of pink or white grapefruits, 94 mg. Fruits that provide 50 percent of your daily need and contain more than 45 mg of vitamin C in 1 cup include pineapple, cantaloupe melons, canned tangerines and mangoes.
Vegetables
Vegetables also differ in amounts of vitamin C. Some vegetables provide your daily recommended allowance or more in 1 cup. Sweet red peppers contain 190 mg, sweet green peppers 120 mg, cooked broccoli 100 mg and cooked Brussels sprouts 97 mg of vitamin C in one cup. Vegetables that provide at least 50 percent of your daily allowance in 1 cup include sweet potatoes, cabbage, kale and cauliflower.
Other Foods
Some fortified cereals can provide over 50 percent of your vitamin C need in 1 cup. These include Kellogg's All-Bran and General Mills Total, which have 60 mg of vitamin C in a cup. In addition, canned tomato products are high in vitamin C; 1 cup of tomato paste contains 57 mg.
Considerations
Vitamin C deficiency can cause several health conditions including bleeding gums, poorly healing wounds, dry skin, sore joints and increased infections. However, over-consumption of vitamin C is not recommended and can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, stomach cramps and increased incidence of kidney stones. The recommended upper dietary intake for vitamin C is 2,000 mg per day for adults, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
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