Many people reach for a glass of orange juice when they’re trying to increase their vitamin C intake. There are 93 milligrams in a three-fourths cup of orange juice, which is more than 100% of the recommended daily value (DV) for both men and women. However, there are other citrus juices that have even more vitamin C per serving.
Everyday better to do everything you love / Getty Images
- Vitamin C content: 483 milligrams
- Serving size: 1 fluid ounce (30 grams) of acerola cherry juice
Acerola cherries, sometimes called Barbados cherries or West Indian cherries, grow in tropical climates such as Brazil and India. They are one of the richest sources of vitamin C in the world.
There are 483 milligrams of vitamin C in just one fluid ounce of acerola cherry juice—if you drank a whole cup, you’d get a whopping 3,870 milligrams of vitamin C. That’s 52 times more vitamin C than what women need daily, and 43 times more than what men need daily.
Experts don’t necessarily recommend that, though. Regularly consuming more than 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day can give you an upset stomach and increase your risk for kidney stones.
To reap the vitamin C benefits of acerola cherry juice (without overdoing it), try taking one-ounce “shots” or mixing small amounts of acerola cherry juice with water in a larger glass.
Everyday better to do everything you love / Getty Images
- Vitamin C content: 376 milligrams
- Serving size: 1 cup (165 grams) of fresh guava fruit
The U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t provide information on the standard amount of vitamin C in guava juice specifically. However, whole guava fruit is well-known as an easy way to add vitamin C to your diet.
A one-cup serving of guava contains 376 milligrams of vitamin C, which is over 3.5 times more than what’s in an equivalent serving of fresh oranges.
Pure guava juice can be hard to find in stores. It’s often sold as a blend alongside other juices, or you’ll see guava nectar instead—this is a processed beverage usually made with guava pulp and sugar, plus it has less vitamin C.
To get the most vitamin C out of your guavas, you can try making your own guava juice at home. The process usually involves blending guava, water, and some kind of natural sweetener, then straining the beverage before drinking. The amount of vitamin C will vary based on how much guava you use.
Sunlight_s / Getty Images
- Vitamin C content: 128 milligrams
- Serving size: 6 fluid ounces (a three-fourths cup) of canned tomato juice
Most people reach for fruit juices when they’re trying to increase their vitamin C, but don’t forget about tomatoes—they’re technically a fruit, plus they’re packed with vitamin C.
In fact, a 6-ounce glass of tomato juice has 35 more milligrams of vitamin C than a 6-ounce glass of orange juice.
If the idea of drinking tomato juice doesn’t thrill you, try using it in your kitchen in other ways. Tomato juice can be added to smoothies, mixed with other juices, or used as a base in soups or sauces.
kuppa_rock / Getty Images
- Vitamin C content: 130 milligrams
- Serving size: 1 golden kiwi
Golden kiwi can be a bit trickier to find, and golden kiwi juice isn’t usually sold on stores shelves. These fruit have a yellow interior, and taste either sweet and tropical or a bit more tangy, depending on the variety.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t have information about the amount of vitamin C that’s found in a standard serving of golden kiwi juice. However, just one golden kiwi contains 130 milligrams of vitamin C, which is about 47 milligrams more than what’s in one orange. Plus, kiwis are about half the size of an orange.
If you don’t feel like snacking on a whole kiwi, you can make your own golden kiwi juice at home. Blend the kiwis with water and a sweetener if you prefer, then strain it to remove any seeds or pulp. Kiwi skins are particularly nutritious and can be added to your juice as well, though they may change its consistency.
The body can’t make vitamin C on its own, so people have to get it through diet or supplements. Men need 90 milligrams of vitamin C each day, and women need 75 milligrams.
Your body uses vitamin C to strengthen your immune system, make collagen (which helps tissues grow and heal), and reduce cell damage. It also helps your body better absorb plant-based forms of iron.
Here are some healthy ways to get more vitamin C in your diet:
- Don’t forget the veggies: Most people think of fruit when they think of vitamin C. But there are several vegetables that are high in vitamin C too, including broccoli, red and green peppers, spinach, and tomatoes.
- Choose whole fruit when possible: Although fruit juices are an easy way to get the vitamin C you need, they also usually have higher sugar levels than whole fruit. Plus, juice doesn’t have as much fiber as fresh fruit.
- Avoid heating up vitamin C-rich foods: If you can, try to eat vitamin C-rich foods raw—vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so cooking can lower a food’s vitamin C content.
- Take a supplement: Though it’s best to get your daily dose of vitamin C through your diet, you can take vitamin C supplements to close the gap. Many multivitamins also contain vitamin C. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements, especially because vitamin C supplements can interact with certain medications or cause side effects if you take too much.
