Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for:
- Keeping your skin and gums healthy
- Maintaining your immunity
- Helping your body absorb non-heme iron (a type of iron found in eggs and plant based foods)
Vitamin C is found in vegetables and fruit. A diet rich in vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. Check out Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and see how much vegetables and fruit you need to eat each day.
Your Daily Vitamin C Needs
2-3 years = 15 mg
4-8 years = 25 mg
9-13 years = 45 mg
Males 14-18 years = 75 mg
Females 14-18 years = 65 mg
Males 19+ years = 90 mg
Females 19+ years = 75 mg
18 years and under = 80 mg
19+ years = 85 mg
18 years and under = 115 mg
19+ years = 120 mg
Sources of Vitamin C
Excellent Sources of Vitamin C (at least 30 mg of vitamin C or 50% DV per serving)
Food Sources | Serving Size | Milligrams (mg) of Vitamin C | % Daily Value (DV) |
---|---|---|---|
Green pepper, cooked | 125 mL | 132 | 220 |
Sweet red pepper, raw or cooked | 125 mL | 100-121 | 170-200 |
Kale, raw | 250 mL | 85 | 140 |
Kiwi | 1 medium | 71 | 120 |
Orange | 1 medium | 70 | 120 |
Lychees | 10 | 69 | 120 |
Green pepper, raw | 125 mL | 63 | 110 |
Lemon juice | 125 mL | 59 | 100 |
100% fruit juice with vitamin C added | 125 mL | 33-58 | 60-100 |
Broccoli, boiled | 125 mL | 54 | 90 |
100% orange juice | 125 mL | 51 | 90 |
Strawberry | 125 mL | 45 | 80 |
Snow peas, boiled | 125 mL | 41 | 70 |
Pineapple | 125 mL | 39 | 70 |
Cantalopue | 125 mL | 31 | 50 |
Cabbage | 125 mL | 30 | 50 |
Health Canada’s Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide provides examples on how you can measure serving sizes.