Which fruits are high in vitamin C, and how much is in each?

Among the selected fruits in this article, guava has the most vitamin C: 100 g of raw guava has 228 mg in the US Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central database. Kiwifruit follows at 92.7 mg, then longan, lychee, pomelo, papaya, strawberries and orange at about 50 to 85 mg per 100 g, and pineapple and mango at about 35 to 50 mg. In a 2006 study, cut fruit kept at 5°C lost 5% or less to 25% of its vitamin C after 6 days, depending on the fruit. The Thai Reference Daily Intake (Thai RDI) for vitamin C is 100 mg a day, so a fruit's milligrams per 100 g read directly as a percentage of the daily reference amount.

In short:

• Highest per 100 g (selected fruits): guava, kiwifruit, longan, lychee, pomelo, papaya, strawberries, orange
• Lower: banana, watermelon, jackfruit, tamarind
• Thai studies: Thai guava varieties, Indian gooseberry (makham pom) and ripe cashew apple
• Storage: cut fruit at 5°C lost 5% to 25% of its vitamin C in 6 days, depending on the fruit
• Daily amount: Thai RDI 100 mg

This article lists the vitamin C in fruit. For the forms of vitamin C in products, see What forms does vitamin C come in, and how do they differ?

Which fruits are high in vitamin C?

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), part of the US National Institutes of Health, says fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C, and that humans, unlike most animals, cannot make vitamin C, so it has to come from the diet. The UK's NHS adds that vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.

Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system and contributes to increasing iron absorption. For how it relates to iron in meals, see Which foods are high in iron, and what helps absorption?

For vitamin C and collagen formation, see How is vitamin C related to skin?

Vitamin C per 100 g of fruit

The figures below come from the US Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central database (SR Legacy), per 100 g of selected raw fruits unless stated. Because the Thai RDI is 100 mg, the second column also reads as a share of the Thai RDI.

"Raw" in the table means not cooked or processed. Fruits that FoodData Central lists only in canned form, such as rambutan and mangosteen in syrup, are left out, because canning changes the values.

Fruits measured in Thai studies

The database values above are mostly for fruit grown outside Thailand. Several Thai studies have analysed local fruit.

• A study from Chulalongkorn University, published in 2011, compared two Thai guava varieties and measured 130 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g of fresh fruit in white guava (Pansithong) and 112 mg in red guava (Samsi).
• A 2013 study from the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, analysed three indigenous fruits collected in two conservation areas in Kanchanaburi. Indian gooseberry (makham pom, Phyllanthus emblica) had the highest vitamin C, at 575 ± 452 mg per 100 g. The large ± shows that the samples varied widely.
• A 2015 study from the same institute analysed 15 indigenous vegetables and fruits from southern Thailand and found 178.34 mg of vitamin C per 100 g in ripe cashew apple, the fleshy fruit that carries the cashew nut.

Why do figures for the same fruit differ?

Guava shows the point clearly: 228 mg per 100 g in FoodData Central, but 130 mg and 112 mg in the two Thai varieties above. Each figure describes the variety and the samples that were analysed, and the wide range in the gooseberry study shows how much samples of one fruit can vary. A table value is therefore a guide to which fruits are high or low, not an exact amount for the fruit on your plate.

How much vitamin C is in a usual serving?

The ODS table lists vitamin C per typical serving, based on FoodData Central. It uses US foods, so it includes fewer tropical fruits, but it shows how one piece or half a cup compares. The last column compares each serving with the Thai RDI of 100 mg.

Vitamin C per serving

Source: ODS vitamin C fact sheet, Table 2 (US servings). The share of 100 mg is our comparison with the Thai RDI.

Fruit and vegetables together

The ODS notes that citrus fruit, tomatoes and potatoes are major contributors of vitamin C to the American diet, and that red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries and cantaloupe are other good sources. In the per 100 g table, guava (228 mg), papaya (60.9 mg) and pomelo (61.0 mg) have more vitamin C than orange (53.2 mg).

Does vitamin C drop after cutting or storing fruit?

Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and to long storage, but cutting fruit and keeping it cold changes it less than many people expect.

Cut fruit kept at 5°C

A 2006 study led by researchers in Spain cut pineapples, mangoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, strawberries and kiwifruit, stored the pieces in air at 5°C for up to 9 days, and compared them with whole fruit prepared on the day of testing. Vitamin C losses after 6 days were:

Light exposure during storage lowered vitamin C in kiwifruit slices. The researchers concluded that, in general, cut fruit looks spoiled before any significant nutrient loss occurs. The study used fruit and storage conditions from one laboratory, so it shows the pattern rather than exact figures for Thai fruit kept at home.

Heat and long storage

The ODS says vitamin C is water soluble and destroyed by heat, so prolonged storage and cooking can reduce the vitamin C in food, and steaming or microwaving may lessen cooking losses. It adds that many of the best sources, such as fruits, are usually eaten raw.

How much vitamin C do Thai people get from food?

A 2018 study from the Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, looked at 250 workers in Bangkok, including construction and office workers, divided into five groups by work and lifestyle. Using a single 24-hour diet recall, it found median vitamin C intakes of 7 to 27 mg a day across the five groups, with outdoor workers at the top of the range. The main food sources were oranges, guava, papaya, tomatoes and cabbage.

One day's recall does not capture a person's usual diet, and the study covered workers in one city, so the figures show a pattern rather than national values. The figures are below the Thai RDI of 100 mg.

How much vitamin C do you need a day, and is there an upper limit?

The Thai RDI for vitamin C is 100 mg a day, for the general population aged 3 and over.

Upper limits

The ODS says vitamin C has low toxicity, and that high doses can lead to diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramps and other digestive discomfort.

Who should talk to a doctor or pharmacist?

People who take regular medication

The ODS says vitamin C supplements can interact with some medicines. If you take medication regularly, ask a doctor or pharmacist before adding vitamin C.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking any dietary supplement, including vitamin C.

Dietary supplements are not intended to prevent, treat or cure any disease.