Foods & Juices That Have Vitamin C

Eating fruits, vegetables and juices with vitamin C can satisfy your daily nutritional requirement. Vitamin C's technical name, ascorbic acid, comes from its ability to cure scurvy. By the mid-1700s, sailors knew that lemons prevented this disease, which if left untreated can cause lethargy, jaundice and death. Although the majority of animals are able to manufacture vitamin C, humans are not able to do so. Consult a registered dietitian if you have nutritional questions.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it is not stored in the body but excreted in your urine. Every day you need to consume foods or dietary supplements containing vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for the proper functioning of brain chemicals that affect mood. It has a major role as an antioxidant, a natural element that shields molecules and cells from damage. You also need vitamin C to produce collagen, a component of strong bones, blood vessels and connective tissue, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Vitamin C deficiency can bring on infection, anemia and bleeding gums and can make it difficult for cuts and wounds to heal.

Fruit and Fruit Juices

Pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, limes, lemons, cantaloupe and kiwi all boast of considerable vitamin C, with citrus fruit as the best source. If you are adventurous, try exotic fruits such as passion fruit, papaya, mangoes, goji berries, Asian pears and star fruit. Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is a tropical fruit that possesses 20 times more vitamin C than orange juice, writes Dr. Deepak Chopra in his 2000 book "The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook." Juices made from fruits such as guava, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines have abundant amounts of this vitamin.

Vegetables and Vegetable Juices

All the peppers, including hot chili and sweet red peppers, are storehouses of vitamin C. Saute chopped Swiss chard, bok choy or spinach with olive oil and fresh garlic for a delicious and quick side dish replete with this vitamin. Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, Brussels sprouts, okra, peas and jicama also are good sources. Vitamin C shows up in a big way in tomatoes and their sour, hard cousins, tomatillos. Tomato juice and vegetable juice cocktail also offer valuable amounts of vitamin C.

Daily Requirements

Your daily required amount of vitamin C as determined by the U.S. government will vary depending on your age, sex and circumstances. Men and women over the age of 19 need 90 mg and 75 mg, respectively. If you are pregnant, you require between 80 and 85 mg. Breastfeeding increases your requirement to between 115 and 120 mg.

Preparation and Storage

Vitamin C can be leeched from food by improper storage and excessive cooking, according to Sandra Bastin at the University of Kentucky . Prepare or cook fruits and vegetables as soon as possible after purchase. Bastin recommends cooking fruits and vegetables with the skin on because most nutrients reside just under the outer protective layer.