Vitamin C is found in a lot of different foods, including foods you probably already eat every day. Oranges may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of vitamin C.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy.
Vitamin C is especially plentiful in citrus fruits (oranges, yes, but also grapefruit, lemons, etc. ) and vegetables (especially cruciferous vegetables, which we’ll explain in a moment).
Devon Peart, RD, MHSc, a registered dietitian, talks more about vitamin C-rich foods and gives you tasty ideas for adding them to your diet.
Tuna is one of the most popular fish consumed around the world. It’s rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, one nutrient that tuna does not naturally contain is vitamin C.
Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is an essential water-soluble vitamin. It acts as an antioxidant in the body and is involved in many vital functions including immune health, collagen production, iron absorption, and more. Many people are curious whether tuna provides any vitamin C.
An Overview of Vitamin C in Different Tuna Varieties
Skipjack, albacore, yellowfin, and bluefin tuna are the most common types sold in stores. Let’s look at the vitamin C content in these tuna varieties:
-
Skipjack tuna – This is the most widely fished tuna in the world. A 4 oz serving of canned skipjack tuna contains around 1.1 mg of vitamin C which is quite low.
-
Albacore tuna – Also known as white tuna it is milder in flavor compared to other tuna. Albacore tuna has no natural vitamin C content.
-
Yellowfin tuna – Yellowfin is considered superior quality tuna. A 4 oz serving of fresh yellowfin provides around 1.1 mg of vitamin C.
-
Bluefin tuna – The most expensive and sought-after tuna variety. Like albacore tuna, fresh bluefin tuna has no vitamin C naturally.
As you can see, most tuna fish do not contain significant amounts of vitamin C. The trace amounts found in some tuna varieties occur due to vitamin C-containing additives added during processing or canning.
So why does tuna lack this important vitamin? Let’s understand more.
Why Tuna Lacks Vitamin C
Vitamin C is not naturally present in significant amounts in meat and fish. It is primarily found in fruits and vegetables.
Tuna are large pelagic fish that live in deep seas. As carnivores, they survive mostly on other fish, squid, and crustaceans that do not provide dietary vitamin C.
Moreover, being water-bound creatures, tuna fish do not need vitamin C for its role in producing collagen. Collagen provides structure and strength to connective tissues in land animals. Since fish live in water, collagen is not so vital for their survival.
Additionally, vitamin C is very easily lost and leached out from tissues into water. As tuna live in water, any small traces of vitamin C obtained from food may also leach out into the surrounding water.
Therefore, the lack of both dietary sources and physiological need has resulted in tuna not storing or accumulating vitamin C within its tissues.
Getting Vitamin C from Tuna Dishes and Meals
Now that we know tuna itself does not have vitamin C, you may be wondering how to add this essential nutrient to your tuna meals. Here are some tips:
-
Add fruits and veggies – Mix in fruits and vegetables like orange, bell pepper, kiwi, broccoli, tomato, etc. which are all excellent sources of vitamin C.
-
Make tuna salad – Whip up tuna salad with mayonnaise and toss in diced tomatoes, onions, shredded cabbage or greens like spinach. This provides vitamin C.
-
Use citrus dressings – Drizzle lime or lemon juice over your tuna steak or salad. The citrus will give a tangy flavor and dose of vitamin C.
-
Try ceviche – Make tuna ceviche by marinating raw tuna in lime or lemon juice. As the fish cures, it absorbs the vitamin C from the citrus juice.
-
Add peppers to tuna melts – Peppers are a tasty addition to tuna melts and provide extra vitamin C too.
-
Use citrus marinades – Marinate tuna in orange, lemon or lime juice before cooking to infuse vitamin C into the flesh.
With a few simple tweaks, you can easily pack a punch of this vital nutrient into your tuna-based meals and get all the benefits it has to offer.
Health Benefits of Pairing Tuna with Vitamin C-Rich Foods
Combining vitamin C-containing foods with tuna not only makes your meal more nutritious but also provides specific health advantages:
-
Enhanced iron absorption – Vitamin C improves the absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods. Tuna provides heme iron so vitamin C-rich sides optimize iron utilization.
-
Immunity boost – Vitamin C supports immune cell function. Enjoying tuna along with vitamin C helps strengthen your immune defenses.
-
Reduced heart disease risk – Omega-3 rich tuna and antioxidant vitamin C together may help lower heart disease risk factors like high LDL cholesterol.
-
Healthier skin – Vitamin C is required for collagen production and skin health. Together with the skin-strengthening protein in tuna, it promotes youthful, wrinkle-free skin.
-
Aid in calcium absorption – The calcium present in canned tuna is better absorbed in the presence of vitamin C for building strong bones and teeth.
-
Muscle function support – Vitamin C helps in muscle growth and repair. Coupled with tuna’s protein, it provides comprehensive support for muscle function.
The Takeaway
While most tuna fish lack vitamin C naturally, incorporating vitamin C-rich fruits, veggies, juices, dressings, etc. can easily provide this vital nutrient. Not only does it make tuna meals more nutritious but also provides many synergistic health benefits. So don’t shy away from getting creative and adding a squeeze of citrus or crunchy veggies to your next tuna dish!
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tuna_annotated1-c1a8a08c5be445ef9329d33e5315f84f.jpg)
More ways to get your fill of vitamin C
To get enough vitamin C, you don’t have to eat a kale stalk or drink a glass of orange juice. Peart shares more easy tips for getting your daily dose of this vitamin in tasty, easy-to-prepare ways:
- Get strategic about breakfast. Sautéed spinach and other veggies are perfect additions to omelets. Peart also loves adding frozen wild blueberries to yogurt or protein pancakes as a simple topping. She says, “Just heat them up in a pot on low heat until they’re saucy.”
- Be a smart snacker. You can snack on fresh fruits and vegetables. Have yogurt, hummus, or salsa on hand to dip them in. Peart also recommends freezing grapes for a refreshing summer snack. But they don’t have as much vitamin C as some other fruits. Still, they’re always a good choice because they’re full of good things for you.
- Blend it up. In a blender, mix half a cup of frozen greens (like spinach and kale) with fresh or frozen fruit. This meal has one serving of vegetables and two servings of fruit. The vegetables won’t even taste good! “If vegetables are your thing, try a green smoothie made mostly of vegetables blended with yogurt, milk, or water,” Peart suggests. ).
- Choose vitamin C-rich sides. “For a Mediterranean feel, serve grilled chicken with pinwheel-shaped orange or grapefruit slices as a side dish,” says Peart. “Or make mango chutney as a tropical side dish for dinner.” In the winter, you can add pomegranates, pears, or persimmons to salads. In the summer, you can add berries or citrus fruits.
- Freeze fruit for later. Make a puree of fruit and vegetables and freeze it in ice cube trays so you can use it in muffins. Frozen berries can be used to make muffins and cereal, and one-inch pieces of peeled banana can be frozen to put in smoothies.
Aren’t you “orange” glad you know all of these ways to get vitamin C? Your body will thank you, and no doubt your taste buds will too.
Learn more about our editorial process.
Learning about your relationship with food can help improve your eating behaviors and patterns
With a sweet, tangy flavor, this tropical fruit is super versatile and high in antioxidants
Raisins are good for you when you eat them, but raisin water probably won’t do much for you.
Full of antioxidants and nutrients, apricots may boost your eye, skin, digestive and overall health
These tiny but mighty seeds can help fight cancer and inflammation and support thyroid health
Its health benefits are impressive, but it’s still liquid sugar, so be sure to consume honey in moderation
A change in diet won’t cure COPD — but getting to or maintaining a healthy weight will help
There isn’t enough evidence yet to say for sure that these trendy fungi are good for your brain, heart, and gut.
Your metabolism may torch 1,300 to 2,000 calories daily with no activity
A gentle touch in all the right places may help drain your sinuses
Pump up your iron intake with foods like tuna, tofu and turkey
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
Being an essential nutrient means that your body needs it but can’t make it itself. Instead, you have to get vitamin C from the foods you eat — namely, fruits and vegetables.
“For peak freshness and nutrients, choose fruits and vegetables that are in season where you live,” Peart advises. “Frozen fruits and vegetables are also a good choice, especially if you live in a place where seasonal food is hard to find.” ”.
But why do you need vitamin C in the first place? Good question. It protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are molecules that are harmful to cells. It also helps your body make and keep connective tissue like skin and bones.
Let’s start with what you already know: Yes, oranges are a great source of vitamin C. But they’re certainly not the only citrus fruits that deliver on this important nutrient.
There are many things that affect how much vitamin C is in citrus fruits, such as the type, size, and ripeness of the fruit. But here are some estimates of the vitamin C content in common citrus fruits:
- Orange: 70–90 milligrams (mg).
- Grapefruit: 80–100 mg.
- Lemon: 30–40 mg.
- Lime: 20–30 mg.
“Just one orange or grapefruit can fulfill your daily required dose of vitamin C,” Peart says.
How to enjoy them: Here’s a vitamin C-rich recipe you probably haven’t tried yet: Quinoa orange and pistachio salad gives you 100% of your daily vitamin C and A needs.
You already know that green vegetables are good for you, but you might be surprised to learn that they also have a lot of vitamin C. Cruciferous vegetables all have flowers that look like crosses, and many of them give you all or most of your daily vitamin C needs:
- Broccoli (1 cup, chopped): 80 mg.
- Kale (1 cup, chopped): 80 mg.
- Brussels sprouts (1 cup): 75 mg.
- Red cabbage (1 cup): 50 mg.
- Cauliflower (1 cup, chopped): 48 mg.
“These veggies are all nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich,” Peart says. “They are also known to reduce inflammation, which can help lower the risk of long-term diseases like arthritis and heart disease.” ”.
A word of warning: if you have hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), talk to your doctor before eating or juicing a lot of cruciferous vegetables because they can stop your body from making thyroid hormone.
How to enjoy them: Sick of eating salads and raw vegetables all the time? Try adding cruciferous vegetables to your diet in new ways with recipes like
If someone has told you that these carbs can’t be part of a healthy lifestyle, it’s time to change the story.
A medium-sized russet potato (the standard waxy brown variety) has about 2017 mg of vitamin C, which is about 2035 percent of your daily value. They’re also a good source of potassium and vitamin B6.
How to enjoy them: It’s best to skip the French fries and tater tots. Peart says, “The key to healthier potatoes is not to fry them in oil or put a lot of butter and salt on top of them.” “You can boil or roast them, or if you want them really crunchy, put them in the air fryer with a little heart-healthy olive oil on top.” ”.
The classic baked potato is also a good choice; just add broccoli and cheese. If you want to try something new, try making walnut zucchini potato pancakes.
Peppers are kind of like the opposite of traffic lights. When it comes to this crunchy garden veggie, red means go: Red bell peppers have 1. 5 times more vitamin C than their green counterparts.
“A medium red pepper has more than 150% of your daily recommended vitamin C intake,” Peart confirms.
How to enjoy them: Red peppers make for a simple snack. Take out the core and seeds, then cut it into strips. Serve with hummus, muhammara, or cannellini bean dip. You can also roast red peppers to eat as a side or to add to salads and sandwiches. And sautéed red peppers are perfect atop pizza and pasta or added to omelets and or stir-fries.
One cup of strawberries has almost 150% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C. They also have a lot of fiber, folate, and antioxidants, which makes them a great food to add to your diet.
“Strawberries are a smoothie staple and a fantastic summer snack,” Peart says. “They’re also a good base for decadent desserts that won’t send your blood sugar skyrocketing. ”.
How to eat them: Try Strawberry Pretzel Squares or Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries and Mint for a new take on this simple fruit.
Petaluma, which is another name for papaya, is a soft, buttery fruit that tastes like a mix of mango and cantaloupe. And although it seems like it must be a melon, it’s actually a very large berry!.
One cup of fresh papaya has nearly 90% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C. “It’s also packed with dietary fiber, folate and vitamin A,” Peart says.
How to enjoy it: Eat fresh papaya by itself or mix it into Greek yogurt to take your taste buds to the tropics.
Guava has a lot of vitamin C. Depending on the type, a fresh guava can have anywhere from 73 mg to 247 mg of it. Most guavas will give you about 200% of your daily recommended vitamin C intake.
How to enjoy it: “Like any fruit, you can eat it on its own,” Peart says. Not sure what to do with this tasty tropical fruit? “Wash it, cut it in half, and use a spoon to get the juicy, soft meat inside.” You can also add it to fruit salad or smoothies. ”.
Cameloupe is sometimes called a “filler fruit,” but it really fills you up with nutrients like fiber, vitamins C and A, and potassium. One cup of diced cantaloupe, in a fruit salad or by itself, will give you about 2058 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, according to Peart’s notes.
Cantaloupe and tomato salad is a tasty side dish that is high in vitamin C. Jalapenos, lime juice, and pumpkin seeds add acidity, heat, and a little crunch. It’s low in calories and high in nutrients.
Your favorite garden veggie (errr, fruit) gives you about 17 mg of vitamin C, although the amount in each tomato depends on its size, variety and other factors. That’s about 28% of your daily recommended intake, not to mention other nutrients like potassium, folate and vitamin K.
Ways to enjoy them: You probably already have a few favorite tomato recipes, but because they’re so versatile, you can use them in a lot of different ways. This Four-Ingredient Tomato Sauce is quick, easy, and tasty. It makes plain pasta taste better without all the added sugar and chemicals that come in canned sauce.
Want to get all of your daily vitamin C in one little fruit? Eat a kiwi for breakfast, and you’ll have taken in about 117% of the daily recommended amount, according to Peart.
Kiwi is also good for you because it has fiber, vitamin E, and potassium. If you eat it with the skin on, you’ll get even more of these health benefits.
For a change from your usual smoothie, try making a Creamy Kiwi-Lime Smoothie. It’s full of protein and tastes great. You’ll be all set on vitamin C for the day.
If You Eat Tuna Every Day For A Week This Will Happen To Your Body
FAQ
What vitamins is tuna high in?
What food is highest in vitamin C?
Is it okay to eat canned tuna every day?
What are the benefits of eating tuna?