Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential vitamin – this means you need it for normal functioning, but your body can’t manufacture it, so it’s vital to include it in your diet.
Your body requires vitamin C for everything from synthesizing collagen and certain neurotransmitters, to metabolising protein, absorbing iron from plant-based foods, and helping your body fight free radicals – enabling your immune system to function, which is vital during the pandemic. A study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found ascorbic acid improved recovery from mental stress, low mood and anxiety.
The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 for men, and its best in natural food form. It’s easy to get enough from the sources below, and many others. But if for some reason you can’t (perhaps you have allergies or a digestive disorder), there are numerous supplements available. Just don’t overdo them. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so you mostly pee out any excess, says Gauteng dietitian Debby Watkins. But megadoses (more 2 000 mg) may cause digestive upsets, nausea, diarrhoea, and in the long term, kidney stones.
Foods that are high in vitamin C
1. Blueberries
A cup of fresh blueberries packs 14.6 mg of vitamin C, and has only about 86 calories (360 kilojoules), according to the USDA. Popping with flavour, these berries are also high in potassium, important for nerve and muscle function and heart health. Relish them in smoothies, salads, or with yoghurt, oatmeal or cereal.
2. Oranges
An orange is such a simple snack, but packs 82 mg of vitamin C, along with nearly 4 g of fibre, and has only about 72 calories (301 kilojoules). Just peel and tuck in. Or add it to fruit salad, fruit kebabs, lettuce and walnut salad, and chicken and salad wraps. You can also make orange lemonade – combine freshly squeezed orange juice and lemon juice, water, sugar to taste, and orange and lemon slices, and chill. Serve over ice.
3. Strawberries
A cup of sliced strawberries packs around 97 mg of vitamin C and 3 g of fibre, with only 53 calories (222 kilojoules). Strawberries are a luscious juicy snack in season, and out of season, frozen ones can be as healthy. Instead of serving with sugar and cream, try them with a little black pepper to bring out their natural flavour. Or savour them with balsamic vinegar and basil. They’re also delectable dipped in low-fat yoghurt or fat-free fromage frais.
4. Broccoli
A cup of broccoli has about 89 mg of vitamin C, along with vitamin A and folate, and only 31 calories (130 kilojoules). The stalks are as nutritious as the florets – grate them and use them in slaw, as you would cabbage. Lightly steam broccoli to lock in the nutrition and colour. You can also add it to soups, casseroles, stir-fries, pastas, frittatas, omelettes and quiches, but just for the last minute or two of cooking, as heat degrades vitamin C.
5. Bell peppers
Finally, a cup of chopped green bell peppers contains a whopping 120 mg or more of vitamin C and just 30 calories (125 kilojoules). Most varieties change from green to yellow to red, and when yellow may contain the most vitamin C. Add them to salads or slice them and dip them in hummus to make the most of their crispy, sweet crunch. They’re great in many cooked dishes too, and lightly sautéing them in olive oil may help you absorb more vitamin A from them, but will diminish their vitamin C. So eat them raw sometimes, cooked at other times.
Also read: Vitamin supplements: Do you need them, or not?
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