Which of the following is a good source of Vitamin C?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2016

Explanation

Guava is an exceptionally rich source of Vitamin C, containing approximately 200-300 mg per 100 grams.
This amount is significantly higher than that found in other fruits like papaya, and vastly more than the negligible amounts in milk and fish.
Among the given choices, guava is the most potent source for meeting the daily requirement of Vitamin C.
Amla (Indian gooseberry) is another extremely rich source, but guava is also a top contender and readily available.

Option A: Fish contains negligible to no Vitamin C. It is primarily a source of high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Option C: While papaya is a good source of Vitamin C (around 45-60 mg per 100g), its content is substantially lower than that of guava.
Option D: Milk is a very poor source of Vitamin C. Its main nutritional contributions are calcium, Vitamin D (if fortified), and protein.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Dietary sources of Vitamin C as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses often provide dietary counseling. Knowing the best sources of Vitamin C is crucial for advising patients on wound healing (post-surgery), boosting immunity, and preventing deficiency.
For patients with poor wound healing or frequent infections, a nurse might assess their dietary intake of Vitamin C and recommend increasing consumption of rich sources like guava, amla, citrus fruits, and bell peppers.
What if? If a patient needs to increase Vitamin C but has an allergy to citrus fruits, a nurse can confidently recommend alternative excellent sources like guava, strawberries, or kiwi.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is to find the 'good source of Vitamin C' among the given options.
Recall or deduce the nutritional content of each food item listed: Fish, Guava, Papaya, and Milk.
Compare the relative amounts of Vitamin C in each. You might know that fruits are generally good sources, while animal products like fish and milk are not.
Between the two fruits, Guava and Papaya, recall that Guava is known to be one of the richest sources of Vitamin C, even more so than many citrus fruits.
Select the option with the highest concentration of the nutrient, which is Guava.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QrfC16wAjvUCGrfGoFj3Rt

E6 Nutrition Monika Sharma 3e p. 111-113

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

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 112-114

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