Food supplements based on vitamins have invaded our daily lives. Perceived by many as rapid and effective support for the immune system, simply dip a tablet in a glass of water, or swallow it directly, to theoretically replenish our body’s deficiencies in a multitude of minerals. Paf, in no time, our body would have stocked up on zinc, iron, vitamins and other elements whose name – and so-called necessity – we often discover on the packaging.
A very specific vitamin is particularly highlighted, elevated to the rank of almost a superhero: vitamin C. The latter is known to strengthen immunity and improve general health. Many food supplements even only offer it in small capsules, supposed to provide you with the dose of vitamin C necessary for the proper functioning of your body. Tantalizing.
We don’t tell you anything, but vitamin C is not produced in the laboratory: it is present in nature and in particular in many fruits. The best known is undoubtedly orange! A mine of nutrients, it is also full of calcium, fiber and… vitamin C. Enough to compete with highly concentrated food supplements?
Orange versus supplements, the match
The question is simple: and if we stopped ingesting these famous food supplements tomorrow, how many oranges would we have to consume per day to replace their vitamin C intake? Let’s do a little calculation.
In pharmacies, you will find very concentrated vitamin C food supplements. In general, a standard tablet contains 500 to 1,000 mg of vitamin C. Conversely, a large orange, say 150 grams, contains around 70 mg of vitamin C.
You would therefore have to eat on average seven to eight oranges in one sitting to reach the 500 mg of vitamin C contained in a standard supplement; and up to fourteen to fifteen oranges for a particularly loaded supplement, with 1,000 mg of vitamin C. A good pack of oranges.
On paper, the match is close. It remains relatively complicated to stuff eight oranges a day. From there to certify a victory by knockout of food supplements? Not so fast. We missed one small point: it is completely useless to consume 1,000 or even 500 mg of vitamin C per day.
One or two oranges a day and that’s it!
In France, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) recommends a daily vitamin C intake of 110 mg per day for adults. So, one or two oranges daily are more than enough to cover your needs. Exceeding this daily dose will not make you healthier. Beyond 1,000 mg, the body no longer absorbs vitamin C as effectively and the excess is excreted in the urine.
Note that orange juices don’t really fit into the equation. Particularly easy to consume, oranges in juice form lose most of the fiber and do not contain much of nutritional value, apart from sugar.
What if you don’t like oranges? Don’t panic, the range of fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C is wide, there is something for everyone! In addition to different citrus fruits, such as grapefruit or lemon, peppers, tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) are excellent sources of vitamin C. And if you want to hit the top of the basket, you will have to turn to… acerola, which contains 1,500 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams! Food supplements just have to be careful.
Everything is around us to find a natural and easy supply of vitamin C, without going to the pharmacy. Food supplements can ultimately be an option for those who consume little fruit and vegetables… or who smoke. Smokers actually need an additional 35 mg, because smoking impairs the body’s ability to absorb vitamin C. And presto, one more orange in the basket.
