Vitamin C is best consumed raw. The best way to consume vitamin C for optimal absorption is to supplement it with iron. That's why it's common to drink orange juice with cereal. The iron in cereal helps to better absorb vitamin C in orange juice.
As soon as these active transports are overwhelmed, passive diffusion is responsible for absorbing the rest of the vitamin C (which is a rather inefficient process). The truth is that absorption is not as easy as it seems, and the fact that ascorbic acid seems to have an absorption limit can make it difficult to obtain the full benefits of higher-potency formulas (if they include the form of ascorbic acid). Vitamin C is best taken raw, as heat and light can destroy the amount of vitamin in a particular food. Cooking vitamin C-rich foods for a long time at high temperatures can break down the vitamin.
In addition to that, cooking in water can also cause the vitamin to seep into the liquid, and when the liquid isn't consumed, you may not get the vitamin. Sautéing or blanching are the best ways to preserve the vitamin. Also, try to eat fruits that are ripe, as they contain the maximum amount of vitamin C. The main way vitamin C is absorbed is by taking it orally or by mouth.
In his book, Nutrition Almanac, nutrition writer John D. Kirschmann points out that vitamin C is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, stomach, and upper small intestine. He adds that the higher the dose, the less it will be absorbed, such as an absorption rate of 80 percent when taking less than 250 mg, but only 50 percent when taking more than 250 mg and up to 2 g. Unabsorbed vitamin C is excreted in the urine.
Vitamin C is a nutrient needed for a variety of functions, including fighting free radical damage, producing collagen, and stimulating a healthy immune system.
