The Physicians’ Health Study II, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of more than 14,000 male physicians, found a modestly reduced risk of new gout cases in men who took vitamin C supplements of 500 mg daily for up to 10 years. [6] Other short-term trials have found that vitamin C may lower blood levels of uric acid, a substance that can lead to gout if there is too much in the body. Food Sources Chaudhary SMD, Wright RM, Patarroyo-Aponte G. Role of vitamin C in critically ill patients with COVID-19: is it effective? Acute Crit Care. 2020;35(4):307-308. doi:10.4266/acc.2020.00416 Endurance athletes. While vitamin C supplements have not been shown to prevent colds in the general healthy population, some research suggests benefits during periods of intense exercise among endurance athletes. That’s not all papaya has to offer, though. Research shows that your body absorbs the many antioxidants found in papaya better than the antioxidants found in other fruits and vegetables. Papaya is particularly high in lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been linked to reduced cancer risk.

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, which means your body needs it but can’t make it on its own. Instead, you have to get vitamin C from the foods you eat — namely, fruits and vegetables. Douglas RM, Hemila H, Chalker E, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007:CD000980. Because it’s a relatively large capsule, it may be difficult for some to swallow, so grab a big glass of water to help. Different sources say different things amount the amount of vitamin C one mango provides. ALL of them, however, say it provides the recommended daily serving of vitamin C that adults need. That, plus calcium, vitamin A, potassium, and folate (which makes this great for pregnant women). Again, the pulp provides ample fiber which we all need for regularity.Mármol I, Sánchez-de-Diego C, Rodríguez-Yoldi MJ, et al. Therapeutic applications of rose hips from different rosa species. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(6):1137.

Your favorite garden veggie (errr, fruit) gives you about 17 mg of vitamin C, although the amount in each tomato depends on its size, variety and other factors. That’s about 28% of your daily recommended intake, not to mention other nutrients like potassium, folate and vitamin K. If you’re not a fan of orange juice, go for grapefruit instead, which happens to have 156% of your RDA for vitamin C in one cup. 2. Tomato juice Each serving of Emergen-C contains 1,000 mg of vitamin C, which is much more than the RDA of 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women ( 1, 3).The best sources of vitamin C include fruits like oranges, strawberries, kiwi, and cantaloupe as well as vegetables such as bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Because these are very common foods, vitamin C deficiency is relatively rare in the United States. However, “individuals that don’t eat many fruits and vegetables, smoke, or have certain gastrointestinal issues may benefit from a supplement,” says Stark. Another tropical fruit that’s loaded with vitamin C is mango. In fact, one cup of mango juice provides 64% of the RDA for vitamin C. Absorption does not differ if obtaining the vitamin from food or supplements. Vitamin C is sometimes given as an injection into a vein (intravenous) so higher amounts can directly enter the bloodstream. This is usually only seen in medically monitored settings, such as to improve the quality of life in those with advanced stage cancers or in controlled clinical studies. Though clinical trials have not shown high-dose intravenous vitamin C to produce negative side effects, it should be administered only with close monitoring and avoided in those with kidney disease and hereditary conditions like hemochromatosis and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation near the brain, spine, and nerves (altogether known as the central nervous system) can increase the risk of dementia ( 28). Eating a fiber-rich diet: Fiber is a food source for your gut bacteria. When bacteria consume fiber, they produce compounds like butyrate that fuel colon cells and keep your intestinal lining healthy and strong ( 31, 32, 33).

One of the main reasons people take vitamin C supplements is to boost their immunity, as vitamin C is involved in many parts of the immune system. While the Immune Plus variety of Emergen-C gives a slightly higher dose of 10 mg per serving, this still falls short of the therapeutic doses used in research studies ( 19). 4. Vitamin D Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron, and some healthcare professionals recommend taking vitamin C supplements with iron tablets to improve absorption in people with iron deficiency anemia. Experts believe that oxidative stress may be a factor in both conditions, so any benefit may be due to vitamin C’s antioxidant activity. Diabetes Some research has found that supplementing with vitamin C can shorten the duration of a cold and may help prevent and treat other infections, such as tetanus and pneumonia. But more human studies are needed ( 4).It may be a little harder to find than some of the other juices on this list, but Blanca Garcia, RDN at MIDSS, says it’s well worth seeking out due to its high vitamin C content. Specifically, one cup contains 72 milligrams, which is almost the RDA for this nutrient — making it undoubtedly one of the best vitamin C drinks. Juraschek SP, Gaziano JM, Glynn RJ, Gomelskaya N, Bubes VY, Buring JE, Shmerling RH, Sesso HD. Effects of vitamin C supplementation on gout risk: results from the Physicians’ Health Study II trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2022 Sep;116(3):812-9. Research on vitamin C supplements in helping prevent or treat chronic diseases is inconclusive. Studies show a role of vitamin C in treating cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes; however, there is not enough evidence to support taking high dose supplements or aiming to get more than the adequate amount. Research does support eating more fruits and vegetables to prevent and manage chronic disease, so reach for an extra serving of produce before you grab supplements. Who May Not Benefit from Vitamin C Supplements It’s a well-known fact that vitamin C keeps your immune system in tip-top shape, helping to ward off those pesky colds and other illnesses. But this powerful nutrient has many other benefits as well — like helping your body to absorb iron, healing wounds, and making collagen. Not only that, but vitamin C is also considered an antioxidant, meaning it can protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Because your body doesn’t produce this vitamin on its own, you need to get plenty through your diet. Fortunately, these best vitamin C drinks can easily be found at your local supermarket. How to enjoy it: For two great sources of vitamin C in one tasty side dish, whip up a Cantaloupe and Tomato Salad — they work great together, we swear! Jalapenos, lime juice and pumpkin seeds add acidity, heat and a little bit of crunch, all with very few calories and quite a few nutrients. Tomatoes

Sorice, A., et al. (2014). Ascorbic acid: Its role in immune system and chronic inflammation diseases [Abstract].The amount of vitamin C in citrus fruits varies depending on a lot of factors, including the type, size and ripeness of the fruit itself. But here are some estimates of the vitamin C content in common citrus fruits: