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We apparently love vitamin C – it’s one of the most purchased supplements in the UK (ranking third after vitamin D and multivitamins), according to a recent survey by The Grocer magazine.
Vitamin C, found primarily in fruits and vegetables, is an antioxidant, meaning it helps protect our cells from damage, working to neutralize harmful molecules that are a byproduct of our metabolism, as well as environmental factors such as pollution.
Vitamin C also helps maintain our bones, cartilage, skin and blood vessels and plays a key role in wound healing and immunity. Some studies suggest that it may also play a vital role in keeping depression at bay, improving cardiovascular health, and slowing cognitive decline as we age.
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate vitamin C-rich kiwis had better improvements in mood, sleep, and activity levels than participants who took supplements.
Vitamin C is not manufactured or stored by the body, so we must consume it daily. But supplements may not be the best way to achieve this.
A recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition that compared the effects on mood, sleep and activity levels in people who received vitamin C-rich kiwi, supplements or a placebo every day, found that those who ate kiwi They reported greater improvements in just four days. People who took supplements experienced only marginal improvements in mood until day 12, when their vitamin C was at an optimal level.
“It’s always best to get vitamin C from food sources, because you’ll also get a lot of other beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals that you won’t find in a supplement,” says dietitian Clare Thornton. Wood, spokesman for the British Dietetic Association.
In the UK, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults is 40 mg of vitamin C per day, which can be obtained by eating a large orange.
This level was established in the 1940s, based on the findings of a UK study that aimed to establish the minimum amount of vitamin C that a wartime population needed to avoid scurvy.
Some experts believe that the recommended daily dose of vitamin C should now be up to 200 mg per day for real health benefits. “In the United States, the RDA is 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women, much higher than ours,” says Nichola Ludlam-Raine, dietitian and founder of nicsnutrition.com.
“Because it is water-soluble, any excess vitamin C that is not needed will be eliminated in the urine.”
Taking too much (the NHS says up to 1,000mg a day is unlikely to cause harm) in supplement form can cause stomach pain, diarrhea and flatulence in some people and has been linked to the development of kidney stones.
It’s not just about what foods we eat; The way we prepare them also matters. For example, when a food rich in vitamin C is boiled, up to 50 percent of the vitamin C content can be lost, says Nichola Ludlam-Raine.
“For optimal nutrient retention, choose fresh, frozen or canned products,” he adds. This is because frozen and canned fruits and vegetables often preserve quickly after harvest; just avoid anything that’s in salt water or sugary syrups.
He adds: “Avoid boiling or baking fruits and vegetables, and use methods that limit contact with heat and water, such as sautéing or steaming.”
To find the vitamin C you need, use our guide to learn about some of the best, often surprising, sources.
chestnuts
50g, 13mg vitamin C. 33% of the recommended daily amount.
Nuts typically don’t offer much vitamin C, but chestnuts are the notable exception.
They are also rich in gallic acid and ellagic acid, two anti-inflammatory compounds whose concentration increases when cooked. Fresh, seasonal versions, canned or vacuum-packed, can be used in fillings, sauces, or roasted and sprinkled on salads.
Try chestnut flour (which is gluten-free) for baking and thickening soups and stews.
Light spam
50g, 19.25mg of vitamin C. 48% of the recommended daily amount.
The antioxidant properties of vitamin C make it an excellent preservative, which is why you will often find generous amounts (often labeled as sodium ascorbate) in canned meat products such as spam and other types of deli meats or ham, where it helps maintain the pink color of the meat. and prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrites.
Red meat is also a good source of protein, but eating too much is linked to bowel cancer, so the NHS recommends limiting it to 70g of red and/or processed meat per day.
Yellow pepper
Half a pepper, 122 mg of vitamin C. 305% of the recommended daily amount.
Bell peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, but the content varies depending on color. Half a green pepper provides around 53 mg of vitamin C; half a red pepper, 94 mg; half an orange bell pepper, 105 mg, but half a yellow bell pepper will give you a whopping 122 mg of vitamin C, three times your recommended daily dose.
It is also a good source of fiber and vitamin A (for vision) which are beneficial for the intestine. Take as crudités with hummus; or remove the seeds, fill with rice and bake.
Fresh lemonade
200ml, 17.8mg of vitamin C. 45% of the recommended daily amount.
Citrus fruits are full of vitamin C and their juices offer a concentrated source. Vitamin C content can vary depending on how the fruit has been processed and how long the drink has been sitting on the shelf.
For the highest vitamin C content, try homemade lemonade (with lemon juice, water, and a little sugar), or look for fresh-squeezed lemonade in supermarkets and drink it within a few days of opening it.
The acid and natural sugars in lemon juice can damage your teeth, so drink water afterward.
Tomato soup
200g bowl, 15.6mg of vitamin C. 39% of the recommended daily amount.
Tomatoes (canned or fresh) provide useful amounts of vitamin C. Add roasted red peppers to your own recipe to increase the vitamin C content, and beans or lentils for more fiber.
The vitamin C in tomatoes will also help your body absorb the iron in beans and legumes.
Processed tomatoes are a particularly good source of lycopene, a plant pigment with powerful antioxidant properties, and a bowl of tomato soup will also count as one of your five dishes a day.
Mussels
75g, 10mg vitamin C. 25% of the recommended daily amount.
Protein-rich foods are rare sources of vitamin C, but mussels, clams, and oysters are exceptions. A 75g serving (a small bowl) of mussels provides 10mg of vitamin C, which is more per gram than some fruits.
Seafood is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, which are good for the heart, necessary for skin health, and are believed to work with vitamin C to support the immune system.
baobab powder
2 teaspoons, 26.6 mg of vitamin C. 67% of the recommended daily amount.
This ‘superfood’, available in large supermarkets, is made from the fruit of the baobab tree, which grows in Africa and Australia.
Studies show that baobab is high in vitamin C and is a good source of bone-building calcium and magnesium, as well as iron. The dried baobab fruit is ground into a powder, which contains almost 50 percent gut-friendly fiber.
Citrus powder can be mixed into smoothies, sprinkled on porridge and yogurt, or incorporated into stews and curries.
cauliflower rice
125g, 50mg vitamin C. 125% of the recommended daily amount.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, and cabbage are excellent sources of vitamin C.
Cauliflower rice is an easy way to include vegetables in meals. Make your own by grating raw florets or purchase ready-made cauliflower rice, available in most supermarkets.
Sauté or steam in a covered pan for five minutes to cook and serve in place of regular rice or mashed potatoes. One serving is low in calories and provides 6 percent of your daily fiber.
Baked red potato
One potato, 16.6 mg of vitamin C. 42% of the recommended daily amount.
Potatoes peeled before boiling, frying or baking can lose up to 45 percent of their vitamin C during cooking; Unpeeled baked potatoes lose about 7 percent. Just be sure to eat the skin to get as much vitamin C as possible.
The skin of some potatoes, especially those with brightly colored, red or purple skin, has been found to contain up to 12 times more antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin C, than the pulp.
Mango Sorbet
125g, 19.25mg of vitamin C. 49% of the recommended daily amount.
Freezing has been shown to be an effective way of preserving vitamin C levels in fruits and vegetables (a fresh fruit sorbet or pureed fruit popsicle can usefully contribute to daily vitamin C intake) and counts for intake of five a day.
Look for citrus fruits, mangoes, and berries, which are particularly good sources of vitamin C.
Because fruit is pureed or juiced (and often added sugar), it is best eaten as part of a meal or preserved as an occasional treat.