Highest source of vitamin C is?

Appeared in: BSF Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

Amla (Indian gooseberry) is an exceptionally rich source of Vitamin C, containing approximately 600 mg per 100 grams.
This amount is substantially higher than that found in citrus fruits like oranges (around 30 mg/100g) and lemons (around 63 mg/100g).
Due to its high concentration, Amla is considered one of the most potent natural sources of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin C is crucial for immune function, collagen formation for wound healing, and acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Option A: While oranges are a well-known source of Vitamin C, their content (approx. 30 mg/100g) is significantly lower than that of Amla.
Option B: Lemons (and limes) contain more Vitamin C than oranges (approx. 63 mg/100g), but this is still about ten times less than the amount found in Amla.
Option D: Castor seeds are not a dietary source of Vitamin C. They are primarily used to produce castor oil and are toxic if ingested raw.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Nutritional sources of Vitamin C as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses should advise patients on reliable dietary sources of Vitamin C, especially for wound healing, recovery from illness, and improving iron absorption in anemic patients.
It's important to educate patients that Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and light, so consuming fruits and vegetables raw or lightly cooked preserves the vitamin content.
What if the patient is a smoker? Smokers have higher oxidative stress and require an additional 35 mg of Vitamin C per day on top of the regular RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance).

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of nutrition.
First, identify the key nutrient in the question: Vitamin C.
Next, recall or deduce the common food sources for this vitamin from the given options.
Compare the relative Vitamin C content of each option. Remember that while citrus fruits are famous for Vitamin C, other sources can be much richer.
Select the option that is known to have the highest concentration. Amla (Indian gooseberry) is famously potent in Vitamin C.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 155-157

E6 Nutrition Monika Sharma 3e p. 111-113

E6 textbook of Applied Biochemistry and Nutrition & DieteticsHarbans Lal (pp 26-464 of 479) p. 293-295

Practise the full BSF Staff Nurse - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.