Article: Getting enough vitamin C in your diet is key to getting all its benefits. Vitamin C supplements are measured in micrograms—see part one for the required amounts of vitamin C for different people. Many foods contain vitamin C, and consuming these can help you increase your vitamin C intake. Raw pineapple has 16mg of vitamin C, asparagus has 31 mg, raw broccoli has 89 mg, sun-dried tomatoes in oil have 101 mg, and raw parsley has 133 mg. Citrus is an especially good source of vitamin C. One cup of grapefruit, for instance, provides an entire day's worth of vitamin C, while a glass of orange juice is the equivalent of 165 percent of your daily vitamin C intake. Fresh squeezed orange juice or a physical orange is better for you than processed orange juice. What's more, the vitamin C in citrus will help curb stress by lowering stress hormone levels and possibly by reducing blood pressure, boost your energy by helping you to absorb iron better, and provide other essential phytonutrients that work in tandem with vitamin C, some of which aid memory. Check out the nutritional chart produced by your government's health department with respect to recommended daily intake of vitamin C. You'll be surprised how easy it is to vary your diet to include plenty of vitamin C sources. In the United States, the National Institutes of health have some recommendations. Vitamin C does not last in storage, so it is steadily lost the longer it is stored.  As such, be prepared to eat your food as fresh as possible rather than leaving it to linger in the refrigerator or pantry. For example, leaving your broccoli in the fridge and then boiling it will reduce the vitamin C content considerably, compared to freshly picking the broccoli and steaming it that same day.  It's good to grow your own vegetables if possible, even if you just grow broccoli on a balcony or potatoes in a bag or barrel.  Wash fresh fruits and vegetables and then allow them to dry. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat them within a few days. Do not soak them or store them in water because the vitamin C dissolves out of the plant into the water. Vitamin C also leaches out in cooking water. Fresh food is the best source of vitamin C and most fruit and vegetables contain vitamin C. In particular, aim to eat food from the cabbage family, red and green peppers, potatoes, blackcurrants, strawberries, citrus fruit, and tomatoes. This includes broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and collard greens. Eat the vegetables raw or steam them, using only a small amount of water to maximize the amount of vitamins the vegetables retain. Have a salad with spinach leaves instead of lettuce. Spinach is a better source of vitamin C when eaten raw. Toss in green and red bell peppers and tomatoes for added vitamin C. Vegetables lose micronutrients when cooked. Potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C. In spite of what you may have heard, the skin does not have the highest concentration of vitamin C, but its fiber is good for you. When having a baked potato, be sure to also eat the skin. Juice is calorie dense and you lack the roughage and other benefits of eating the fruit when consuming it as juice. However, you can enjoy juice as a means of increasing your vitamin C intake by doing the following: Juice with pulp is better for you than juice without it because vitamin C is better absorbed if it is consumed in the presence of bioflavonoids, which are found mostly in fruit pulp. Make fresh squeezed orange juice or purchase frozen concentrate instead of premixed, ready-to-drink refrigerated cartons. Frozen concentrates have significantly more vitamin C in them because the pasteurization process destroys some of the vitamin C in premixed juices. Make your own vitamin C booster by making rosehip syrup. As an added bonus, this syrup is one that children will like.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get enough vitamin C in your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C. Eat citrus. Be aware of recommended vitamin C intake. Be aware of the shelf life of your vitamin C sources. Know which sources of vitamin C are the best. Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables. Add potatoes to your diet. Take care when counting juice as part of your vitamin C intake. Consume fresh juice.