Where did Vikings get vitamin C and avoid scurvy?

December 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Historically, scurvy was a feared disease that plagued sailors for centuries, yet Vikings managed to navigate the globe with surprisingly low incidences of this vitamin C deficiency. Where did Vikings get vitamin C, and how did their diet, adapted to northern climates, keep them healthy on long, arduous sea voyages?

Quick Summary

Vikings obtained vitamin C from a varied diet of wild berries, fresh meat, and fermented foods like cabbage, which helped prevent scurvy on their journeys. Their deep knowledge of local flora and preservation techniques was key to their long-term survival in harsh northern environments.

Key Points

Cloudberries and Wild Berries: Vikings used cloudberries, which are exceptionally high in vitamin C, and other wild berries like rose hips to prevent scurvy, preserving them in barrels for winter and sea travel.
Fresh Meat and Offal: While not a primary source, fresh meat and organ meats, when raw or lightly cooked, contained enough residual vitamin C to be beneficial, a fact supported by knowledge of Inuit diets.
Fermented Cabbage: Similar to sauerkraut, fermented cabbage allowed Vikings to store vegetables for extended periods while retaining a significant amount of vitamin C.
Foraged Herbs and Plants: The Vikings utilized plants like scurvy-grass and brewed spruce tea to obtain vitamin C, demonstrating a deep knowledge of medicinal and nutritional botany.
Frequent Landfalls: Unlike later explorers, Viking voyages often hugged coastlines or made regular landfalls, providing opportunities to replenish fresh food supplies and stave off deficiency.
Contrast to Later Explorers: The Vikings’ low incidence of scurvy contrasts sharply with later European seafarers who suffered massive casualties due to relying solely on vitamin C-deficient, preserved rations.

Sourcing Vitamin C from Wild and Foraged Flora

The Viking diet was heavily reliant on what could be foraged from the Scandinavian landscape, which, contrary to popular belief, was not devoid of vitamin C sources. Vikings displayed a deep, practical understanding of local plant life and its nutritional benefits, a wisdom centuries ahead of their time compared to later European explorers.

The Superfoods of the North

Cloudberries, often referred to as the 'gold of the forest,' were a prized resource. These small, potent berries grow in northern bogs and contain up to four times more vitamin C than oranges. Archeological evidence suggests that Vikings preserved these berries by storing them in barrels, allowing them to last through the harsh winters and on long sea voyages. This was a critical and effective strategy against scurvy.

Other berries also played a role. Wild strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and bilberries were harvested in abundance during the warmer months. Though some vitamin C is lost during drying, significant amounts can be retained, especially when preserved carefully. Additionally, rose hips, the fruit of the rose plant, were likely used to make teas or jams, providing another excellent source of vitamin C.

The Importance of Greenery

Beyond berries, Vikings consumed various wild and cultivated vegetables. Historical records and archaeological finds indicate they grew cabbage, peas, beans, and onions in home gardens. Wild herbs, such as scurvy-grass ($Cochlearia officinalis$), angelica, and spruce needles, also offered a direct, if somewhat bitter, source of vitamin C. Scurvy-grass was particularly noted for its antiscorbutic properties in medieval times. Brews made from spruce needles and wild herbs were likely a common remedy for deficiency.

Protein and Preservation: Unconventional Vitamin C Sources

While plants were vital, meat and preserved foods were also surprisingly important for maintaining vitamin C levels, especially during winter and on extended voyages. This challenges the modern notion that animal products are devoid of vitamin C.

Vitamin C in Fresh Meat and Organs

Most animals, unlike humans, produce their own vitamin C. While cooking significantly reduces the vitamin content, fresh meat and organ meats retain some. Vikings ate every part of the animal and, when on long voyages, would consume freshly caught fish and game, which provided a source of the nutrient. Indigenous Arctic peoples, for example, historically avoided scurvy by consuming raw or lightly cooked animal products, a practice that highlights the viability of fresh meat as a vitamin C source in harsh climates.

The Power of Fermentation

Fermented foods were a cornerstone of Viking preservation and nutrition. Fermenting cabbage, similar to modern sauerkraut, is known to preserve a substantial amount of its vitamin C content. This technique allowed Vikings to store vegetables for long periods without losing all their nutritional value. Fermented milk products, like the thick yogurt-like 'skyr,' were also prevalent and, while not a rich source of vitamin C, provided other essential nutrients for a balanced diet.

Comparison: Viking Diet vs. Later European Seafarers


Feature	Viking Diet (8th–11th Century)	Later European Seafarers (16th–18th Century)
Primary Vitamin C Sources	Wild berries, fresh game, fermented foods, foraged herbs	Salted meat and dry biscuits, with little to no fresh produce
Scurvy Prevention Strategy	A practical, empirical knowledge of local and preserved foods	Ignorance and false theories (like ptomaine poisoning)
Voyage Lengths	Often shorter, or with frequent landfalls for resupply	Extended voyages spanning months or years with no fresh food
Nutritional Understanding	Based on ancient folk wisdom and trial-and-error	Guided by flawed medical theories before vitamin discovery
Fresh Food Availability	Readily available through foraging and opportunistic hunting/fishing	Almost non-existent on long voyages, limited to preserved rations

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Vikings’ ability to thwart scurvy was not a result of luck but rather a testament to their remarkable resourcefulness and practical knowledge of their environment. By utilizing local, vitamin C-rich wild plants like cloudberries and scurvy-grass, alongside a diet that incorporated fresh meat and fermented foods, they ensured a consistent, albeit low, intake of the crucial nutrient. Their frequent landfalls on exploratory voyages also provided regular opportunities for fresh provisions, a stark contrast to the long, uninterrupted sea passages undertaken by later European explorers that led to devastating outbreaks of scurvy. The Vikings’ success in navigating the high seas, therefore, stands as an ancient example of how a balanced diet, even in the most challenging climates, is vital for long-term health and survival.

The Resurgence of Interest

Modern interest in the Viking diet is surging, driven by a desire for unprocessed, ancestral eating habits. The so-called "Nordic Diet," a modern interpretation, emphasizes seasonal, locally sourced whole foods, echoing the nutritional wisdom of the Vikings. While we have the luxury of citrus fruits year-round, understanding how a society thrived with limited resources offers timeless lessons on sustainable and healthy eating. You can read more about the nutritional science behind their success in the Men's Health UK article exploring the trend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scurvy is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, gum disease, joint pain, and bleeding under the skin. It was historically a major problem for sailors on long sea voyages.

Vikings preserved berries and vegetables by drying, fermenting, and storing them. Fermented foods, especially cabbage, retained much of their vitamin C content, while dried berries were a valuable winter treat.

No, Vikings did not have a high incidence of scurvy on their voyages, in stark contrast to later European explorers. This is largely attributed to their resourcefulness in finding and preserving vitamin C-rich foods and their sailing practices.

No, the concept of vitamins was unknown during the Viking Age. Their ability to prevent scurvy was based on ancient folk wisdom, practical experience, and trial-and-error, not modern nutritional science.

Yes, fresh meat, especially organ meat, contains enough residual vitamin C to prevent scurvy, particularly when consumed raw or lightly cooked. This practice was understood by northern peoples, including the Inuit.

Teas brewed from spruce needles were used as a herbal remedy for scurvy. This practice was noted among indigenous North Americans and later adopted by some European sailors, suggesting it was known in the wider northern hemisphere.

Later European explorers suffered from scurvy due to longer, uninterrupted voyages and reliance on preserved, dried rations that lacked vitamin C. They also held incorrect medical theories about the disease, overlooking the dietary solutions their predecessors had discovered.