Ascorbic acid is more commonly known as vitamin C. Fruits, especially citrus fruits, are good sources of vitamin C. Your body can't produce vitamin C, so you must obtain a sufficient amount from your diet. If you don't, you might develop scurvy, which used to be common among sailors who spent a long time away from fresh fruits. Vitamin C also helps grow and repair your body tissues.
Considerations
Fruit juices can be good sources of vitamin C, but freshness is important. Vitamin C degrades over time, so you get the highest dose if you drink freshly squeezed juice. Fresh-frozen juice -- such as frozen concentrate you mix with water -- also is a good source because fruit suppliers freeze the juice before the vitamin C can degrade much.
Ready-to-Drink Juice
Ready-to-drink juice, such as you might find in the refrigerated section or juice aisle in a supermarket, might not provide as much vitamin C. Vitamin C degrades due to oxidation, so heat, light and oxygen all increase the rate of degradation. Not long after you open it, the juice might turn visibly darker and the flavor might taste off. Adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations for storage and consume the juice before its expiration date to maximize the vitamin C content.
Fortified Juice
Some manufacturers fortify juice with vitamin C to compensate for degradation or to improve normally poor sources of vitamin C. For example, apple and grape juices don't have much vitamin C if they're not fortified. Just 3/4 cup of a fortified juice can provide up to 40 percent of your adequate daily intake of vitamin C, according to the Ohio State University Extension.
Considerations
Check product labels to determine what percentage of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C different juices provide. Orange juice is an effective choice. A 3/4 cup serving of orange juice reconstituted from frozen concentrate contains 75 mg of vitamin C. That's roughly 83 percent of what most men need in a day and 107 percent of what most women need, according to the university. Other options include cranberry, grapefruit and fortified juices. Choose low-sugar juices if you're concerned about keeping your calorie intake low.
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