What Is A Good Source For Ascorbic Acid?

Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin that most animals, with the exception of humans, apes and guinea pigs, are able to manufacture. Because your body doesn't make its own vitamin C, you must obtain this important water-soluble nutrient in your diet. Many foods contain good amounts of ascorbic acid.

Spectrum of Sources

Ascorbic acid is present in many food sources, both plant and animal. Fruits and vegetables, which produce vitamin C from carbohydrates, are commonly regarded as the best sources of vitamin C. Leaves and fruits contain the highest levels of vitamin C. Organ meats, such as liver and kidney also provide good amounts of the water-soluble vitamin. Chicken liver contains about 2.7 mg in 3.5 oz. Muscle meats contain very little.

Vegetables

Bell peppers top the vegetable charts for ascorbic acid content, with 190 mg in one cup. Green bell peppers contain 120 mg per cup. Parsley has 5 mg of ascorbic acid in just 1 tbsp. Other vegetables high in vitamin C include jalapeno peppers, with 109 mg per pepper; kale, with about 130 mg per 3.5 oz. serving; and broccoli leaves and flowers, with 93 mg per 3.5 oz.

Fruits

Fruit sources of ascorbic acid are plentiful. Acerola cherry contains 80 mg of vitamin C in one cherry and 1.7 g in a 3.5 oz. serving. A 3.5 oz. serving of black currants contains as much as 215 mg, blueberries provide 16 mg and guava contains 183 mg. Rose hips, which some manufacturers use to extract vitamin C for supplement production, contain between 1 g to 2.5 g. One average-size orange provides 70 mg, and one kiwi contains 74 mg.

Recommended Intake

Experts vary on the ideal daily intake for vitamin C. The United States recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 60 mg, which is the amount that most multivitamin supplements include. For optimal health, Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute suggests a minimum of 400 mg of vitamin C per day, half of which can be obtained in five servings, or about 2.5 cups of fruits and vegetables. Many vitamin C supplements contain 500 mg. If you choose to supplement with vitamin C, take it in divided doses to ensure optimal absorption.