Vitamin C foods: the best sources and how much vitamin C each has
By Vita · fact-checked against NIH ODS
The richest everyday sources of vitamin C are colorful fruits and vegetables eaten fresh: red and green bell peppers, citrus fruits and their juice, kiwifruit, strawberries, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin your body uses to build collagen, defend cells as an antioxidant, support normal immune function, and absorb iron from plant foods, and because humans cannot make it or store much of it, you need a little from food every day. It comes almost entirely from produce, split across two families: vitamin-rich vegetables like peppers and broccoli, and fruits like oranges, kiwi, and berries. One quirk sets vitamin C apart from most nutrients: it is fragile, so heat, light, air, and long storage steadily degrade it, which is why fresh and lightly cooked produce delivers the most. The per-serving amounts in the table below come from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and USDA data, so you can see how quickly a single serving covers a full day.
Most adults need about 90 mg of vitamin C a day, and the safe upper limit is 2,000 mg. Before stacking supplements, run your dose through the free Safety Checker.
Best food sources of vitamin C
| Food | Vitamin C per serving |
|---|---|
| Red bell pepper, sweet, raw | 95 mg per 1/2 cup |
| Orange juice | 93 mg per 3/4 cup |
| Orange | 70 mg per 1 medium fruit |
| Kiwifruit | 64 mg per 1 medium fruit |
| Broccoli, cooked | 51 mg per 1/2 cup |
| Strawberries, fresh, sliced | 49 mg per 1/2 cup |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked | 48 mg per 1/2 cup |
Amounts from the NIH ODS Vitamin C fact sheet. Serving sizes vary; treat these as typical, not exact.
Why vitamin C matters
Vitamin C does several jobs at once. It is required to make collagen, the structural protein that holds together skin, blood vessels, tendons, and gums and that your body needs to heal wounds, which is why a long-term shortage causes scurvy, with bleeding gums, easy bruising, and slow healing. It also works as an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage, supports normal immune defense, and helps regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E. One of its most practical roles is boosting the absorption of non-heme (plant) iron: eating a vitamin C source in the same meal as beans, lentils, tofu, spinach, or fortified cereal can markedly increase how much of that iron you take up, which is especially useful for vegetarians and vegans. People who smoke need an extra 35 mg a day because smoking lowers vitamin C levels, and anyone eating few fruits and vegetables is at higher risk of running low. Because vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, you keep the most of it by eating produce raw or lightly steamed rather than boiled for a long time, choosing fresh or frozen over long-stored, and cutting fruits and vegetables close to when you eat them.
Read the full Vitamin C guide › — what it does, how much you need, and how much is too much.
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Vitamin C foods FAQ
How much vitamin C do I need per day?
The recommended dietary allowance is 90 mg per day for adult men and 75 mg per day for adult women, and people who smoke need an extra 35 mg per day because smoking depletes vitamin C. A single medium orange (about 70 mg) or half a cup of raw red bell pepper (about 95 mg) already covers most or all of a day.
Which foods are highest in vitamin C?
Raw red bell pepper leads the everyday sources at about 95 mg per half cup, followed by orange juice at 93 mg per three-quarter cup, a medium orange at about 70 mg, kiwifruit at 64 mg, cooked broccoli at 51 mg per half cup, sliced strawberries at 49 mg per half cup, and cooked Brussels sprouts at 48 mg per half cup. Almost any brightly colored fruit or vegetable contributes, so variety more than any single food is what keeps your intake high.
Does cooking destroy vitamin C?
It can. Vitamin C is water-soluble and sensitive to heat, light, and air, so boiling, prolonged cooking, and long storage steadily lower the amount in food. To keep the most, eat fruits and vegetables raw or lightly steamed, use the cooking water in soups or sauces, and cut produce close to when you plan to eat it. Frozen produce is a solid option too, because it is usually picked and frozen at peak freshness.
Can vitamin C help me absorb iron?
Yes, and it is one of the simplest nutrition wins. Vitamin C markedly improves absorption of non-heme (plant) iron, so pairing a vitamin C food with an iron source, such as squeezing lemon over lentils, adding bell peppers to a bean dish, or having citrus with fortified cereal, helps your body take up more iron. This pairing is especially valuable for vegetarians and vegans, who rely on plant iron.
Can you get too much vitamin C?
It is very hard to overdo it from food, because your body simply excretes what it does not use. From supplements, though, the tolerable upper intake level for adults is 2,000 mg per day, and going above it can cause diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. Very high doses may also raise the risk of kidney stones in susceptible people, so meeting your needs through fruits and vegetables is the safest route.
Do I need a vitamin C supplement?
Most people do not, because a varied diet with several servings of fruits and vegetables easily supplies more than the daily requirement, and vitamin C from whole foods comes packaged with fiber and other beneficial plant compounds. If you smoke, eat very little produce, or have a condition that limits absorption, talk with a clinician, since high-dose supplements can interact with some medications and cancer treatments.
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Educational, not medical advice. Per-serving amounts are typical values from the NIH and vary with brand, preparation and portion. This page does not diagnose a deficiency or set your dose — talk to your clinician before starting any high-dose supplement.