When you think of foods high in vitamin C what’s the first food you think of? If you are like most people, orange juice probably comes to mind. Americans have a mindset that says, “I’ve got to drink my orange juice to get my vitamin C.” Nearly everybody drinks orange juice and considers it essential for good health. In this health article we take a look at the facts and fiction behind food high in vitamin C including orange juice.
Where it began – the big scurvy scare
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries it was commonly recorded in ship logs that many of the sailors were developing a horrible disease – scurvy. This disease could turn your skin black, create ulcers, rot gum tissue, cause night blindness, muscle weakness, bleeding under the skin, and bone problems. Scurvy has afflicted people around the world for centuries. Those who were most prone were soldiers in war, sailors and explorers.
The reason for this was the limited diet, devoid of fruits and vegetables that was available to them on their journeys. For example common sailors in the British navy were fed salted fish and beef and rye crackers. Apparently the officers had access to a greater variety of food and so did not suffer the consequences of vitamin C deficiency that resulted in scurvy.
Finally it was discovered that the problem was resolved by feeding the sailors lemons and oranges. Once this was discovered the sailors were sent on their voyages with rations of lemon juice to drink.
Doesn’t that prove we need orange juice for good health?
The lemon juice worked until the sailors started boiling it to make it “pure.” Once it was cooked, the lemon juice was no longer a food high in vitamin C. Unbeknownst to the sailors, their heating the juice destroyed the very nutrient their bodies needed. A similar problem occurred in the late 1800’s when pediatricians in
America
told mothers to boil milk before giving it to their babies. Babies started getting scurvy because the boiling destroyed the vitamin C in the milk.
Interestingly enough, not all sailors and explorers suffered from scurvy. Vikings did not suffer from scurvy because of the sauerkraut they ate. The truth is that scurvy is prevented and reversed with very small doses of vitamin C. So one would have to eat a very limited diet, like the British sailors ate, of salted fish and rye crackers, for 3 months to a year in order to develop the disease.
Caveat emptor – buyer beware
The orange juice advertising companies have convinced us that orange juice is the best source of vitamin C. When in reality packaged orange juice contains only about 10% of the vitamin C present in an orange, with half the fiber. When orange juice is processed, pasteurized and consequently heated most of the vitamin C is destroyed. Because of the heat sensitive nature of vitamin C 20%-60% of it is lost during the cooking process, depending on the method.
As consumers we would do well to remember the motto “caveat emptor” – buyer beware. After all, juice manufacturers are in the business of selling orange juice not good health.
Foods High in Vitamin C
“What about fresh oranges?” you might. We love our
Florida
oranges, but even they are not necessarily the best source of vitamin C as some would have you believe. When compared to green bell peppers, the green pepper is far superior in vitamin C content. One green pepper has 291% of the RDA of Vitamin C versus an orange which boasts only 116% of the RDA of vitamin C. So you can see, fresh oranges are a good source of vitamin C, but not necessarily the best source.
Other foods high in vitamin C are broccoli (205%), brussels sprouts (161%), and strawberries (136%). Remember raw is best because cooking destroys vitamin C and other phytonutrients. Also, studies have shown that raw fruits and vegetables offer you the greatest protection against cancer than any other food.
In conclusion...
We’ve probably said it before, but it bears repeating. Don’t get your nutritional information and health education from advertisements. They are selling a product, pure and simple, and often are exploiting the benefits of a single nutrient to make a pitch to get you to buy their product. Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and you won’t have to worry about nutritional deficiencies - especially vitamin C.
