What ingredients are high in vitamin C?

January 7, 2026 •

4 min read

The human body cannot produce its own vitamin C, making dietary intake essential for good health. Understanding what ingredients are high in vitamin C is key to ensuring you meet your daily requirements for this vital nutrient, which supports everything from immune function to collagen synthesis.

Quick Summary

This article explores the best food sources of vitamin C, covering a wide range of common and surprising fruits and vegetables. Find out how to incorporate these ingredients into your meals to maximize your daily intake for optimal wellness.

Key Points

Diverse Sources: Don't rely solely on citrus; many other fruits and vegetables like peppers, kale, and strawberries are excellent vitamin C sources.
Antioxidant Power: Vitamin C functions as a powerful antioxidant, protecting your cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Maximize Absorption: Eat vitamin C-rich foods with iron sources, as the vitamin enhances iron absorption, especially from plant-based foods.
Cooking Matters: Raw and lightly cooked foods retain more vitamin C; boiling can significantly reduce content due to heat and water.
Daily Intake: The body doesn't store vitamin C, so it is important to include sources in your daily diet to meet the recommended intake.
Immunity and Health: This nutrient is crucial for immune function, wound healing, and collagen production, benefiting skin, bones, and blood vessels.

Unlocking Nature's Pantry: A Guide to High Vitamin C Ingredients

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant that plays a critical role in many bodily functions. It is essential for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues, including wound healing, the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth, and for iron absorption. While citrus fruits often come to mind, many other ingredients are packed with this essential vitamin, sometimes even more so than oranges.

The Top Tier: Fruits with Exceptional Vitamin C Levels

Some fruits are so rich in vitamin C that a single serving can provide a significant portion of your daily needs. These are excellent choices for anyone looking to maximize their intake.

Kakadu Plums: An Australian native, this superfood boasts the highest known concentration of vitamin C of any food, containing up to 2,907 mg per 100 grams.
Acerola Cherries: These small red cherries are another potent source, delivering 1,650 mg of vitamin C in just a half-cup serving.
Guavas: A single guava contains 125 mg of vitamin C, which is well over the recommended daily value.
Rose Hips: The small, tangy fruits from rose plants, rose hips provide 426 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams.
Black Currants: A half-cup of these berries offers 102 mg of vitamin C and is also rich in antioxidants.

Vitamin C Powerhouse Vegetables

It's not just fruits that are excellent sources. Many vegetables can contribute significantly to your daily vitamin C needs.

Sweet Yellow Peppers: As peppers mature, their vitamin C content increases. One large yellow bell pepper can provide 342 mg of vitamin C.
Chili Peppers: Both green and red chili peppers are high in vitamin C, with a single green chili providing 109 mg.
Kale: This leafy green is a cruciferous vegetable loaded with nutrients. A 100-gram portion of raw kale provides 93 mg of vitamin C.
Brussels Sprouts: A half-cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains 48 mg of vitamin C.
Broccoli: A versatile and common vegetable, a half-cup of cooked broccoli provides 51 mg of vitamin C.
Mustard Spinach: One cup of raw, chopped mustard spinach provides a whopping 195 mg of vitamin C.

Everyday Ingredients Rich in Vitamin C

Beyond the most concentrated sources, many common fruits and vegetables can help you consistently meet your vitamin C goals throughout the day.

Oranges: A medium orange provides about 83 mg of vitamin C, making it a reliable and classic source.
Strawberries: One cup of sliced raw strawberries contains 97 mg of vitamin C.
Kiwis: One medium kiwi packs 56 mg of vitamin C.
Papayas: One cup of papaya provides 88 mg of vitamin C.
Cantaloupe: This melon is a good source of both vitamin A and vitamin C. One cup of sliced cantaloupe contains about 17 mg.
Tomatoes: A medium raw tomato provides about 17 mg of vitamin C.
Potatoes: A medium baked potato with the skin provides 17 mg of vitamin C.

Cooking and Preparation Tips for Retaining Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and is sensitive to heat, meaning its content can be reduced during cooking. To maximize your intake from foods, consider these tips:

Eat Raw: The highest concentration of vitamin C is found in raw fruits and vegetables. Incorporate salads, fruit bowls, and smoothies into your diet.
Steam or Microwave: If you must cook vegetables, opt for steaming or microwaving rather than boiling to minimize nutrient loss.
Shorten Cooking Times: Quick cooking methods help preserve vitamin C content. Stir-frying for a short period is better than prolonged simmering.
Add Later: When making soups or stews, add vitamin C-rich ingredients, like bell peppers, towards the end of the cooking process.
Pair with Iron: Combining vitamin C-rich foods with iron sources (especially nonheme iron from plants) can increase iron absorption. A spinach salad with strawberries and bell peppers is a perfect example.

Comparison of Common Vitamin C Sources


Food (Serving Size)	Vitamin C (mg)	Notes
Sweet Red Pepper (½ cup, raw)	95	Higher than an orange.
Orange Juice (¾ cup)	93	Fortified versions can increase content.
Orange (1 medium)	70	A reliable, common source.
Kiwifruit (1 medium)	64	Contains more than an orange per serving.
Sweet Green Pepper (½ cup, raw)	60	Still a strong source, but less than red.
Broccoli (½ cup, cooked)	51	Cooked content is slightly lower than raw.
Strawberries (½ cup, sliced)	49	Perfect for salads and snacks.
Brussels Sprouts (½ cup, cooked)	48	Excellent source among cruciferous veggies.

Conclusion

While oranges are a famous source, a diverse diet rich in other fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure a consistent and sufficient intake of vitamin C. From bell peppers to strawberries, and leafy greens to cantaloupe, many ingredients offer this crucial nutrient. By prioritizing fresh, raw, and lightly cooked produce, and pairing it with iron-rich foods, you can easily meet your daily needs and support overall health and immune function. For more detailed information on vitamin C's role in health, you can consult the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cooking, particularly boiling or prolonged high-heat methods, can significantly reduce vitamin C levels because it is a water-soluble and heat-sensitive vitamin. Steaming or microwaving vegetables for a shorter duration helps preserve more of the nutrient.

While oranges are a popular and good source of vitamin C, they are not the best. Some vegetables like sweet red peppers and fruits like guavas or acerola cherries contain significantly higher concentrations per serving.

Supplements contain ascorbic acid, which is equivalent in bioavailability to natural vitamin C, but whole foods offer additional vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A diverse diet of fruits and vegetables is generally the best approach for overall health.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg for adult men and 75 mg for adult women. People who smoke require an additional 35 mg per day.

Simple methods include adding fresh strawberries or kiwi to breakfast cereal, incorporating bell peppers into salads or stir-fries, and snacking on cantaloupe or other high-vitamin C fruits.

Vitamin C enhances the absorption of nonheme iron, the type found in plant-based foods. Pairing iron-rich foods like spinach with vitamin C sources, such as bell peppers, can increase the amount of iron your body absorbs.

It is difficult to consume excessive amounts of vitamin C from food alone. However, taking more than 2,000 mg of supplements per day can lead to side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.