Vitamin C: recommended values and daily sources

Vitamin C comes from food, so daily sources of this nutrient can be part of a varied diet. Recommended values depend on the institution’s approach and a person’s characteristics. The guidelines below apply to adults and are not a personal prescription.

What the evidence says

NHS in the UK states that adults aged 19 to 64 need 40 mg of vitamin C per day. This is a population-level guideline for the relevant age group, not an individual recommendation for every person.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets the reference value for vitamin C at 110 mg per day for men and 95 mg per day for women. The difference between these values and the NHS guideline is related to the institutions’ different approaches to defining reference values.

These figures help assess the general needs of the population. They do not take into account every personal circumstance, including dietary patterns, health status, or a healthcare professional’s recommendations. The fact that the guidelines differ does not mean that you should combine them yourself or adjust your diet according to a formula.

What this looks like in practice

For daily vitamin C intake, you can build your diet around a variety of plant-based foods. Rather than focusing on one food, it can be helpful to regularly add several different sources to your meals.

• add fresh vegetables, fruit, or berries that suit you to your meals;
• combine sources of vitamin C with different food groups so that your diet remains varied;
• spread plant-based foods throughout the day if this makes it easier to follow your usual routine;
• choose fresh, frozen, or other available options according to your own preferences and circumstances;
• check supplement labels if you are considering them, and do not view a supplement as an automatically necessary part of your diet.

What to consider

The NHS and EFSA guidelines are not personal prescriptions. They describe the needs of adults at a population level, rather than determining how much vitamin C a particular person should get in every situation. If you have specific dietary restrictions, prolonged changes in how you feel, or questions about supplements, it is appropriate to discuss them with a qualified professional.

There is no need to assess your diet based on a single day or a single food. A more practical approach is to look at the overall variety of your diet and the regular presence of plant-based foods. Food choices may depend on the season, availability, taste preferences, and usual eating pattern.

In brief

• NHS gives adults aged 19 to 64 a guideline of 40 mg of vitamin C per day.
• EFSA sets 110 mg per day for men.
• EFSA sets 95 mg per day for women.
• Institutional recommended values are population-level guidelines, not personal prescriptions.
• Daily sources of vitamin C are best found in a varied diet with the regular inclusion of plant-based foods.

This is general information about nutrition and habits, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or have a chronic condition, discuss dietary changes with your doctor.