Top 10 foods richest in vitamin C

Who would've believed that ? Oranges may be a fruit rich in vitamin C, but they are at the end of the top 10 foods for the most concentrated of this essential resource for strengthening the immune system and ensuring a good diet.

Oranges no longer surprise anyone because of their very concentrated character in vitamin C. Just like lemons and all other citrus fruits. Most people know this, because after all, most orange juices and multivitamins emphasize their high vitamin C content. But are oranges really the richest?

Yes and no: despite their supply of nutrients, oranges are at the bottom of the ranking of foods richest in ascorbic acid, in other words in vitamin C. Indeed, other fruits and vegetables contain much more, and you may not have known it.

Vitamin C is excellent for our health

Why should you consume more vitamin C? In addition to constituting a excellent protection for your immune system, this nutritional contribution helps to trap excess free radicals present in the body, which accelerate cellular aging.

The National Agency for Health, Food, Environment and Occupational Safety (ANSES) recommends consuming 110 mg / day for both men and women. It may sound like a lot, but in reality if you eat fruits and vegetables every day, you will quickly have absorbed the recommended amount and voila!

Nutritional references (recommended nutritional intake)

Nutritional reference in vitamin C in mg per day (1)
Infant50
Children from 1 to 3 years old60
Children from 4 to 6 years old75
Children from 7 to 9 years old90
Children from 10 to 12 years old100
Adolescents from 13 years old and adults110
Pregnant women120
Lactating women130
The elderly120
Smokers130 to 140

(1) For athletes who train more than 3 hours per week, an additional intake of 50 to 100 mg per day is recommended, in order to neutralize the toxic free radicals produced by muscle work.

Source: Doctissimo, Vitamin C or ascorbic acid by Florence Daine (2018)

Good to know : vitamin C turns out to be very sensitive to air, to the heat, to the light et al'water. Therefore, try to eat the foods in question as fresh as possible and avoid storing them for a long time.

In addition, eat raw vegetables such as peppers and carrots. Cooking quickly removes vitamins from food, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of them!

What are the benefits of vitamin C?

Besides its nutrient supply and its role in your immune defense, vitamin C increases the assimilation of iron from plant sources. She also has a antioxidant action and therefore prevents against cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, cataracts and neurodegenerative diseases. So many benefits for so little effort!

Ascorbic acid also helps in the production of dopamine, of noradrenaline (the source of adrenaline) as well as collagen and carnitine (uses fat for energy). In other words, to be in good shape and ensure the proper functioning of your body, vitamin C is essential!

What happens if you lack vitamin C?

Vitamin C deficiency can induce the scurvy, an exceptional disease nowadays, after one to three months without consuming it. This deficiency can be linked to a lack of vitamin C intake or to increased needs in certain situations. Scurvy manifests as edemas and hemorrhages (especially oral) and can be fatal over a few months if left untreated. Like sailors in the past, this disease generally affects the elderly or those in precarious situations.

On the other hand, a disability is more commonbecause vitamin C is not stored in the body and is quickly eliminated in the urine. It results in fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Also avoid the excess of zest, finally zeal! In the same way that lack remains harmful, excess should also be avoided. Usually the excess is eliminated in the urine. However, there is a safe limit dose, set at 1000 mg in addition to the recommended intake, for example, 1110 mg per day for a non-smoking and non-athletic adult. Too much could promote the formation of kidney stones and cause digestive problems.

Tablets as an alternative to foods rich in vitamin C?

When a cold approaches, are you one of those people who take an extra serving of vitamin C with tablets? But is it really effective? Unfortunately no. Indeed, our body evacuates too much ascorbic acid and tablets provide limited action. In addition, the body reacts differently to food supplements. It is therefore more difficult for the body to process this chemical vitamin C and is not sufficient to ensure a good nutritional balance.

Along with this essential vitamin, fruits and vegetables also contain other vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health (and not to lack energy!). You are advised to follow ANSES recommendations when eating two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day.

Top 10 foods rich in vitamin C

The winners are quite exotic:

  • The plum from Kakadu (Australia) contains 2300 to 3100 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.
  • Camu-camu (Amazon rainforest) provides 2000 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.
  • The cherry from Barbados (South America), or the cherry from the West Indies, contains 1700 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.


However, local fruits and vegetables do not have to be ashamed of their nutritional performance either. With so many varieties, you can meet all of your daily vitamin C requirements with just one serving.

So that you can do it effortlessly, we have listed you 10 foods with particularly high ascorbic acid content. You will see that they are not only found in delicatessen or specialty stores, you can easily find them in any market.

Top 10 Vitamin C Rich Foods You Should Eat Daily:




© iStock

See also: foods rich in vegetable protein

Video by Clemence Chevallet

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