• What are the benefits of taking Vitamin C? This essential nutrient delivers a variety of health benefits such as supporting your immune system, maintaining skin health, and aiding in collagen production
• The body does not store Vitamin C, so you need to replenish it every day
• Eating a nutritious, balanced diet which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables is your best source for obtaining your daily dose of Vitamin C
• Certain people—such as smokers and women who are pregnant or nursing—need an increased amount of Vitamin C
What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin C?
As mentioned above, Vitamin C is well known for supporting your immune system. But what about other Vitamin C benefits? This vital nutrient supports normal growth and development throughout the body. In addition, Vitamin C delivers antioxidant properties that help neutralize damaging free radicals. The body also needs Vitamin C to make collagen, a fibrous
protein in connective tissue that connects various systems in the body such as nervous, immune, bone, cartilage, blood, and others.
When Should You Take Vitamin C?
If you’re consuming Vitamin C through food (which you should), you can eat nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables any time of day. But if you’re taking a supplement, when should you take Vitamin C—morning or night? In general, it’s typically best to take vitamin supplements in the morning, as it allows the body to absorb nutrients throughout the day. Plus, digestion slows down during sleep, so taking a supplement late at night might not be the most efficient way for nutrient absorption.
In addition, it’s generally better to take water-soluble vitamins with food or a meal, so before you start your day, with breakfast, may be a good time to take your Vitamin C supplement. However, the most important factor is to take your supplement regularly, so if it works better for you to remember to take it at lunch, that’s fine, too.
What Has Vitamin C?
When it comes to incorporating key nutrients into your healthy lifestyle, what type of Vitamin C is best? As always, the best source of important vitamins and minerals comes from eating a variety of nutritious foods.
Wondering what food is highest in Vitamin C? Your best bet for Vitamin C-packed foods include a variety of fruits and vegetables. Here’s a helpful chart showing the foods that have Vitamin C and how much Vitamin C is in each food to help you make healthy eating choices.
| Vitamin C Source | Serving Size | How Much Vitamin C (mg) |
| Orange juice (frozen, concentrate) | 1 cup | 379.4 |
| Guava | 1 cup | 376.7 |
| Sweet red peppers (cooked) | 1 cup | 230.8 |
| Kiwifruit | 1 cup | 166.9 |
| Lemons | 1 cup | 112.4 |
| Pineapple juice | 1 cup | 109.5 |
| Grapefruit juice | 1 cup | 101 |
| Navel orange | 1 cup | 97.5 |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 89.4 |
| Papaya | 1 cup | 88.3 |
| Parsley (fresh) | 1 cup | 79.8 |
| Brussels sprouts (raw) | 1 cup | 74.8 |
| Broccoli (raw) | 1 cup | 69.4 |
| Mango | 1 cup | 60.1 |
| Grape tomatoes | 1 cup | 41.3 |
| Romaine lettuce | 1 cup | 26.7 |
| Kale (cooked) | 1 cup | 21 |
| Cantaloupe | 1 cup | 17.4 |
| Red onion (raw) | 1 cup | 16 |
| Banana | 1 cup | 14.1 |
| Bartlett pear | 1 cup | 10.1 |
| Peach | 1 cup | 7.09 |
| Nectarines | 1 cup | 4.15 |
| Carrots (frozen) | 1 cup | 2.2 |
| Figs (dried) | 1 cup | 1.79 |
How Much Vitamin C Should You Take?
You might think you need a lot of Vitamin C if you need to replenish your body’s supply every day. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C is 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for women (85 mg to 120 mg per day for pregnant or breastfeeding women). Also, add 35 mg of Vitamin C per day if you smoke to counteract the effect of nicotine. What does that look like in real life? One cup of strawberries, orange segments, or grapefruit juice each supply adequate Vitamin C for one day.
What happens if you get too much Vitamin C? The recommended daily amount of Vitamin C for adults is 65 to 90 mg per day, with the upper limit of 2,000 mg a day. Far exceeding that upper limit of Vitamin C might cause side effects such as abdominal cramps, headache, and heartburn.
Vitamin C (a.k.a. ascorbic acid) is an essential nutrient that delivers a variety of health benefits. What does Vitamin C do for your body? Among the many Vitamin C benefits, this nutrient supports the immune system, serves as an antioxidant powerhouse, supports healthy skin, and aids in collagen production. Because your body can’t make Vitamin C, you need to get a fresh supply every day through Vitamin C-rich foods and, if needed, supplementation. What has the most Vitamin C? As you see from the above chart, many fruits and vegetables contain plenty of Vitamin C. And just a one-cup supply of some of them (think kiwifruit or red peppers) can dish up your daily recommended dose.
References 1. Medline. “Vitamins.” February 26, 2021. 2. University of Maryland Medical System. “Boost the Immune System.” 2021. 3. University of Florida IFAS Extension. “Facts About Vitamin C.” September 2017. 4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Vitamin C.” March 2020. 5. Journal of International Medical Research. “A Combination of High-Dose Vitamin C plus Zinc for the Common Cold.” February 1, 2012. 6. The Washington Post. “Morning or night? With food or without? Answers to your questions about taking supplements.” February 5, 2019. 7. Harvard Health Publishing. “By the way, doctor: What’s the right amount of vitamin C for me?” April 3, 2019. 8. Mayo Clinic. “Nutrition and healthy eating: Is it possible to take too much vitamin C?” March 18, 2020. 9. National Institutes of Health. “Vitamin C.” March 22, 2021.
