For education only, not medical advice. Ask your doctor before you change your diet or any medication.

Vitamin C in Plant Based Foods

2,037 plant foods ranked by Vitamin C per 100 g. Search a food, pick a food group or keep whole foods only.

  • 2,037 plant foods with vitamin C data
  • Source: USDA FoodData Central
  • Units: mg vitamin C per 100 g
  • RDA: 75 mg/day (women) · 90 mg/day (men)

Top 50 of 651 whole foods (2,037 with the switch off), per 100 g unless marked.

# Group
1 Peppers, sweet, red, freeze-dried Vegetable Products 1,900
2 Acerola, (west indian cherry), raw Fruits 1,677.6
3 Chives, freeze-dried Vegetable Products 660
4 Spices, coriander leaf, dried Spices and Herbs 566.7
5 Peppers, hot chili, green, raw Vegetables 242.5
6 Guavas, common, raw Fruits 228.3
7 Jujube, Chinese, fresh, dried Fruits 217.6
8 Peppers, sweet, yellow, raw Vegetables 183.5
9 Litchis, dried Fruits 183
10 Currants, european black, raw Fruits 181
11 Peppers, sweet, green, sauteed Vegetables 177
12 Mango, Ataulfo, peeled, raw Fruits 168.1
13 Peppers, sweet, red, sauteed Vegetables 162.8
14 Kiwifruit, ZESPRI SunGold, raw Fruits 161.3
15 Thyme, fresh Spices and Herbs 160.1
16 Peppers, bell, orange, raw Vegetables 158.3
17 Parsley, freeze-dried Vegetable Products 149
18 Peppers, hot chili, red, raw Vegetables 143.7
19 Brussels sprouts, raw Vegetables 142.9
20 Peppers, bell, red, raw Vegetables 141.7
21 Drumstick pods, raw Vegetables 141
22 Peppers, bell, yellow, raw Vegetables 138.8
23 Orange peel, raw Fruits 136
24 Pokeberry shoots, (poke), raw Vegetables 136
25 Parsley, fresh Vegetables 133
26 Mustard spinach, (tendergreen), raw Vegetables 130
27 Lemon peel, raw Fruits 129
28 Peppers, poblano, seeded, raw Vegetables 128.4
29 Peppers, sweet, red, raw Vegetables 127.7
30 Spices, parsley, dried Spices and Herbs 125
31 Peppers, jalapeno, raw Vegetables 118.6
32 Leeks, (bulb and lower-leaf portion), freeze-dried Vegetable Products 118
33 Peppers, banana or Hungarian wax, seeded, raw Vegetables 112.1
34 Vinespinach, (basella), raw Vegetables 102
35 Peppers, bell, green, raw Vegetables 99.5
36 Taro, tahitian, raw Vegetables 96
37 Peppers, serrano, seeded, raw Vegetables 94.6
38 Kale, raw Vegetables 93.4
39 Kale, raw Vegetables 93.4
40 Broccoli, leaves, raw Vegetables 93.2
41 Broccoli, flower clusters, raw Vegetables 93.2
42 Broccoli, stalks, raw Vegetables 93.2
43 Peppers, hungarian, raw Vegetables 92.9
44 Kiwifruit, green, raw Fruits 92.7
45 Broccoli, raw Vegetables 91.3
46 Peppers, jalapeno, seeded, raw Vegetables 89.9
47 Collards, raw Vegetables 89.4
48 Broccoli, raw Vegetables 89.2
49 Cauliflower, green, raw Vegetables 88.1
50 Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), leafy tips, raw Vegetables 88

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Everyday foods rich in Vitamin C

Whole foods with their own page, per 100 g; spices and dried herbs left out.

Good to know

Iron synergy tip

Vitamin C dramatically increases plant iron absorption (non-heme iron). Including a vitamin C-rich food at iron-rich meals (lemon juice on lentil soup, bell peppers with bean dishes) increases iron absorption by 2–6 times. This is the most practical nutrition synergy for plant based eaters. See the Iron Ranking Tool for plant based iron sources.

Questions

How much vitamin C do I need per day?

The RDA is 75 mg/day for women and 90 mg/day for men. One serving of bell peppers, kiwifruit, guava, or broccoli easily meets this. Many nutrition researchers suggest 200–500 mg/day optimises tissue saturation and maximises antioxidant protection. A whole-food plant based diet rich in vegetables and fruits typically provides well above the RDA.

Does vitamin C enhance iron absorption from plant foods?

Yes — vitamin C (ascorbic acid) converts non-heme iron from plant foods into the more readily absorbed ferrous form and also neutralises absorption inhibitors like phytate and polyphenols. Including a vitamin C-rich food at iron-rich plant meals can increase iron absorption by 2–6 times. A squeeze of lemon on lentil soup, bell peppers alongside bean dishes, or kiwifruit with an iron-rich grain bowl makes a meaningful practical difference.

Does cooking destroy vitamin C in plant foods?

Vitamin C is heat-sensitive and water-soluble, so cooking reduces it — by 15–25% with steaming or microwaving, and up to 50% with prolonged boiling. Boiling leaches vitamin C into cooking water, which is then often discarded. The solution: steam or microwave vegetables briefly, include some raw high-vitamin-C foods daily, and use vegetable cooking water in soups and sauces.

Related tools

Recipes with the most Vitamin C

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