Sep 11, 2012

Health Issue: Top sources of Vitamin C and their contents

As a mom, I always see to it that my kids meet their daily needs of Vitamin C to protect them against infectious diseases. But I realize that if I am already giving them some fruits, I need not give them Vit. C supplement anymore. This is because the fruits I am giving them may already suffice to meet the minimum requirements. If their meals also contain several vegetables, then they may already be getting adequate amounts of Vitamin C.
The USDA recommended dose of Vit. C that women should take daily is 75 mg while for men, it is 90 mg. For children, the requirements are lower (see below). To help you with the right servings and fruits, here are the top sources of Vitamin C and the corresponding contents.
fruits
Among the fruits in this list, the guava comes in first place where a half cup can give you more than twice your daily need. The red sweet pepper is also a rich source with 142 mg of Vit. C and one with very low amounts of calories, only 20. It is the best source for those who are cutting down their calorie intake. One medium-sized orange gives 70mg of the vitamin and about 62 calories. Green bell pepper is also a good source. Here are the RDA amounts for children:


Vitamin C RDA for children
Infants-up to six months old : 40 mg
7 months -1 year old           : 50 mg
1 to 3 year-olds                  : 15 mg
4 to 8                                 : 25 mg
9 to 13                               : 45 mg
14 to 18 (males)                 : 75 mg
14 to 18 (females)              : 65 mg
Source: livestrong.com


So if you have already served your kids 1 medium-sized orange in a day, that is already sufficient for the day (as far as Vitamin C requirement is concerned) based on the amount reflected in the this table below.
Vitamin C contents of fruits

2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I guess so, it shouldn't be very different right? I know this may be referring to the big red bell pepper that is more expensive in our supermarket. But the local one may have just about the same amount of Vitamin C. Thanks for dropping by Michy. :)

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