nutrient

Vitamin C

A water-soluble vitamin required for collagen formation, antioxidant recycling and non-haem iron absorption.

Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status

Vitamin C is supplied by foods, fortified products and supplements. Humans cannot make it, and absorption falls as a single dose becomes larger.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Orange bell pepper, raw	158 mg	143.64–166.32%
Strawberries, raw	59.6 mg	54.18–62.74%
Navel orange, raw	59.1 mg	53.73–62.21%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	28.1 mg	25.55–29.58%
Grape tomatoes, raw	27.2 mg	24.73–28.63%

Show 11 more foods

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Spinach	26.5 mg	24.09–27.89%
Orange sweet potato, peeled and raw	14.8 mg	13.45–15.58%
Banana, ripe, raw	12.3 mg	11.18–12.95%
Russet potato, raw	10.9 mg	9.91–11.47%
Pie pumpkin, raw	10.1 mg	9.18–10.63%
Blueberries, raw	8.06 mg	7.33–8.48%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	3.9 mg	3.55–4.11%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)	3.7 mg	3.36–3.89%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	2.4 mg	2.18–2.53%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	2.2 mg	2–2.32%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	1.5 mg	1.36–1.58%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 95–110 mg/day. The percentage range reflects different adult reference groups.

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Healthy European adults; women / men. Population reference intake: 95–110 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

How it works

What it does

Vitamin C is required to make collagen, L-carnitine and some neurotransmitters. It acts as a physiological antioxidant and can regenerate alpha-tocopherol. It also improves absorption of non-haem iron in a meal.

Where it comes from

Fruit and vegetables are common sources, while cooking and storage can reduce vitamin C in some foods. The amount absorbed and retained depends on intake pattern and body status, so a supplement label is not a direct measure of tissue status.

Worth knowing

Non-haem iron absorption. Vitamin C can enhance non-haem iron absorption in the same meal.
Absorption changes with a larger dose. The percentage of vitamin C absorbed falls as a single oral dose becomes larger. That makes dose size and timing relevant when comparing a food amount with a supplement label.

A closer look

Supplement context

High supplemental intakes can cause gastrointestinal effects and may matter with some medicines or conditions. The relevant amount is the total from food, fortified products and supplements, not an isolated ingredient name.

Heat and water change food amounts

Vitamin C dissolves in water and is sensitive to heat. Prolonged storage and cooking can lower the amount in food; steaming or microwaving may reduce cooking losses. This is why raw and cooked food records should stay separate.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.

Take it into the kitchen

Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.

Black bean pepper skillet · 22 min →

Chicken pepper couscous · 20 min →

Paprika chicken potato pepper pan · 25 min →

Compare meals by vitamin c →