Determine Food Sources of ascorbic acid (vitamin c)?
Food sources of vitamin C include:
- Rich sources: Amla and guava.
- Good sources: Drumstick leaves, other leafy vegetables and fruits such as cashew fruit melons, berries, pine apple and tomatoes.
- Fair sources: Apples, banana, grapes.
Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits and juices are particularly rich sources of vitamin C but other fruits including honeydew melons, cherries, kiwi fruits, mangoes, papaya, strawberries, tangelo, tomatoes, and water melon also contain variable amounts of vitamin C. Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, bean sprouts, cauliflower, mustard greens, red and green peppers, peas, and potatoes may be more important sources of vitamin C than fruits, given that the vegetable supply often extends for longer periods during the year than does the fruit supply. The vitamin C content of food is strongly influenced by season, transport to market, and length of time on the shelf and in storage, cooling practices, and the chlorination of the water used in cooking. Cutting or bruising of produce releases ascorbate xidase. Blanching techniques inactivate the oxidase enzyme and help to preserve ascorbate, lowering the pH of a food will similarly achieve this, as in the preparation of sauerkraut (pickled cabbage). In contrast, heating and exposure to copper or iron or to mildly alkaline conditions destroys the vitamin, and too much water can leach it from the tissues during cooking.