




Finally, vitamin C can increase a person's absorption of ironfrom plant foods; and persons who have health problems related to excess free iron in their cells may want to consider avoiding high supplemental doses of vitamin C. It is important to remember that all of the above toxicity-related issues involve vitamin C in supplemental form, not as it naturally occurs in food.
Vitamin C also has important interactions with other vitamins. Excessive intake of vitamin A, for example, is less toxic to the body when vitamin C is readily available. Vitamin C is involved in the regeneration of vitamin E, and these two vitamins appear to work together in their antioxidant effect.| World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of: vitamin C | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Serving Size | Cals | Amount (mg) | DV (%) | Nutrient Density | World's Healthiest Foods Rating |
| Bell peppers, red, raw, slices | 1 cup | 24.8 | 174.80 | 291.3 | 211.1 | excellent |
| Parsley, fresh | 2 tbs | 2.7 | 9.97 | 16.6 | 110.8 | excellent |
| Broccoli, steamed | 1 cup | 43.7 | 123.40 | 205.7 | 84.8 | excellent |
| Cauliflower, boiled | 1 cup | 28.5 | 54.93 | 91.5 | 57.8 | excellent |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 43.2 | 81.65 | 136.1 | 56.7 | excellent |
| Lemon juice, fresh | 0.25 cup | 15.3 | 28.06 | 46.8 | 55.2 | excellent |
| Romaine lettuce | 2 cup | 15.7 | 26.88 | 44.8 | 51.4 | excellent |
| Mustard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 21.0 | 35.42 | 59.0 | 50.6 | excellent |
| Brussel sprouts, boiled | 1 cup | 60.8 | 96.72 | 161.2 | 47.7 | excellent |
| Papaya | 1 each | 118.6 | 187.87 | 313.1 | 47.5 | excellent |
| Kale, boiled | 1 cup | 36.4 | 53.30 | 88.8 | 43.9 | excellent |
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 28.8 | 39.46 | 65.8 | 41.1 | excellent |
| Grapefruit | 0.50 each | 36.9 | 46.86 | 78.1 | 38.1 | excellent |
| Kiwifruit | 1 each | 46.4 | 57.00 | 95.0 | 36.9 | excellent |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 56.0 | 67.52 | 112.5 | 36.2 | excellent |
| Oranges | 1 each | 61.6 | 69.69 | 116.2 | 34.0 | excellent |
| Cabbage, shredded, boiled | 1 cup | 33.0 | 30.15 | 50.3 | 27.4 | excellent |
| Tomato, ripe | 1 cup | 37.8 | 34.38 | 57.3 | 27.3 | excellent |
| Swiss chard, boiled | 1 cup | 35.0 | 31.50 | 52.5 | 27.0 | excellent |
| Collard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 49.4 | 34.58 | 57.6 | 21.0 | excellent |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 60.3 | 30.76 | 51.3 | 15.3 | excellent |
| Asparagus, boiled | 1 cup | 43.2 | 19.44 | 32.4 | 13.5 | excellent |
| Celery, raw | 1 cup | 19.2 | 8.40 | 14.0 | 13.1 | excellent |
| Spinach, boiled | 1 cup | 41.4 | 17.64 | 29.4 | 12.8 | excellent |
| Cucumbers, slices, with peel | 1 cup | 13.5 | 5.51 | 9.2 | 12.2 | very good |
| Fennel, raw, sliced | 1 cup | 27.0 | 10.44 | 17.4 | 11.6 | excellent |
| Pineapple | 1 cup | 76.0 | 23.87 | 39.8 | 9.4 | excellent |
| Watermelon, diced | 1 cup | 48.6 | 14.59 | 24.3 | 9.0 | excellent |
| Green beans, boiled | 1 cup | 43.8 | 12.13 | 20.2 | 8.3 | excellent |
| Cranberries | 0.50 cup | 23.3 | 6.41 | 10.7 | 8.3 | excellent |
| Summer squash, cooked, slices | 1 cup | 36.0 | 9.90 | 16.5 | 8.3 | excellent |
| Cloves, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 14.2 | 3.56 | 5.9 | 7.5 | very good |
| Winter squash, baked, cubes | 1 cup | 80.0 | 19.68 | 32.8 | 7.4 | very good |
| Basil, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 7.5 | 1.84 | 3.1 | 7.3 | good |
| Cayenne pepper, dried | 2 tsp | 11.2 | 2.72 | 4.5 | 7.3 | good |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 81.2 | 18.86 | 31.4 | 7.0 | very good |
| Carrots, raw | 1 cup | 52.5 | 11.35 | 18.9 | 6.5 | very good |
| Garlic | 1 oz-wt | 42.2 | 8.85 | 14.8 | 6.3 | very good |
| Apricots | 1 each | 16.8 | 3.50 | 5.8 | 6.3 | very good |
| Calf's liver, braised | 4 oz-wt | 187.1 | 35.16 | 58.6 | 5.6 | very good |
| Sweet potato, baked, with skin | 1 each | 95.4 | 17.06 | 28.4 | 5.4 | very good |
| Plum | 1 each | 36.3 | 6.27 | 10.4 | 5.2 | very good |
| Green peas, boiled | 1 cup | 134.4 | 22.72 | 37.9 | 5.1 | very good |
| Onions, raw | 1 cup | 60.8 | 10.24 | 17.1 | 5.1 | very good |
| Oregano, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 9.2 | 1.52 | 2.5 | 5.0 | good |
| Chili pepper, dried | 2 tsp | 25.5 | 3.84 | 6.4 | 4.5 | very good |
| Leeks, boiled | 0.50 cup | 16.1 | 2.18 | 3.6 | 4.1 | good |
| Potato, baked, with skin | 1 cup | 133.0 | 15.74 | 26.2 | 3.6 | very good |
| Yam (Dioscorea species), cubed, cooked | 1 cup | 157.8 | 16.46 | 27.4 | 3.1 | good |
| Banana | 1 each | 108.6 | 10.74 | 17.9 | 3.0 | good |
| Apples | 1 each | 81.4 | 7.87 | 13.1 | 2.9 | good |
| Beets, Boiled | 1 cup | 74.8 | 6.12 | 10.2 | 2.5 | good |
| Shiitake mushrooms, raw | 8 oz-wt | 87.2 | 5.98 | 10.0 | 2.1 | good |
| Pear | 1 each | 97.9 | 6.64 | 11.1 | 2.0 | good |
| Grapes | 1 cup | 61.6 | 3.68 | 6.1 | 1.8 | good |
| Corn, yellow, cooked | 1 cup | 177.1 | 10.16 | 16.9 | 1.7 | good |
| Avocado, slices | 1 cup | 235.1 | 11.53 | 19.2 | 1.5 | good |
| World's Healthiest Foods Rating | Rule | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| excellent | DV>=75% | OR | Density>=7.6 | AND | DV>=10% |
| very good | DV>=50% | OR | Density>=3.4 | AND | DV>=5% |
| good | DV>=25% | OR | Density>=1.5 | AND | DV>=2.5% |