This pandemic has caused empty racks of vitamin C supplements. So, I did a little research about natural and cheaper alternative source of vitamin C….
But first…what is vitamin C and what does it do?
> vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient in some foods. It acts as an antioxidant in the body to protect the cells from the damage caused by free radicals. It also helps in healing wound, improves absorption of iron and boosts immune system to protect the body from disease.
> vitamin C is sensitive to light, heat, and air and can be destroyed during food preparation (so I chose fruits that can easily be found in the market or at your/neighbor’s backyard so they can be served raw)
How much vitamin C do we need?
Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/
Here are some fruits and how much vitamin C you can get from them:
1. Banana – 16.45 – 30-27 mg/100g (Hapsari et al., 2016)
2. Guava – 29.8 – 208 mg/100g (Lim et al., 2006)
3. Kamias/Bilimbi – 20.82 – 60.95 mg/100g (Arroxelas et al., 2001)
4. Calamansi – 18.62 mg/100g (titration); 16.78 mg/100g (HPLC) (Najwa and Azrina, 2017)
5. Tomato – salad tomato 15-21 mg/100g, industrial tomato – ave. of 19 mg/100g (Abushita et al., 2000)
6. Guyabano – 10.45 mg/100g (Akomolafe and Away, 2015)
7. Papaya – 70 mg/100g (Miller and Robbins, 1936)
8. Mango – 8.28 – 18.53 mg/100g (Muhammad et al., 2014)
9. Pineapple – 7.01 – 11.32 mg/100g (Muhammad et al., 2014)
Note: I created this post to help people find an alternative source of vitamin C. Also, do not forget to eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water (8-10 glasses/day), exercise and get enough sleep (7-8 hours).
Disclaimer: I am not a registered nutritionist-dietitian nor a doctor. The information above is based on some literatures I found and should not take the place of medical advice.
*photos are not mine, credits to owners
**references – full article is available online, just search the author and the fruit
Agriwanderist PH 