Erinome: Hello dear friends! Welcome to our podcast. Today, Enceladus and I are going to chat about a question many people ask: Do non-sour foods have vitamin C? You know, most of us think only sour things like lemons are rich in vitamin C. Is that really true?

Enceladus: Oh, that’s interesting! I always put lemon in my water because I thought it’s the best for vitamin C. But maybe there’s more to it?

Erinome: Let’s start with what vitamin C is. Its real name in chemistry is “L-ascorbic acid”. So it is an acid, and it has a sour taste. But here’s a key point: it dissolves easily in water, not in oil. And guess what? It breaks down when there’s light or heat. Oh no, that means cooking might destroy it!

Enceladus: Wow, really? So if I boil vegetables, the vitamin C goes into the water?

Erinome: Exactly! So to get more vitamin C, maybe eat raw or drink the soup after cooking. You know that?

Enceladus: I didn’t! So lemons are sour and have vitamin C. How much do they have?

Erinome: About 100 mg per 100 grams of lemon pulp. But wait—red peppers have more! Even more than lemons. Surprising, right?

Enceladus: Red peppers? They’re not that sour. So non-sour foods can have vitamin C too?

Erinome: Yes! Like vegetables. Potatoes, for example: 100 grams of potato has 27 mg. Sweet potatoes have 26 mg. They’re not sour at all.

Enceladus: Oh, I eat potatoes often! Why aren’t they sour then? If vitamin C is an acid, shouldn’t they taste sour?

Erinome: Good question! The sour taste of food depends on two things: organic acids (like citric acid) and the “sugar-acid ratio”. If a food has more sugar and less acid, it tastes sweet, not sour. So even if it has vitamin C (which is sour), the sugar can cover that taste.

Enceladus: Oh, I see! So a sweet potato has sugar, so even with vitamin C, it’s not sour. That makes sense!

Erinome: Right! What about other foods? Do meat or fish have vitamin C?

Enceladus: I don’t think so. I’ve never heard of meat having vitamin C.

Erinome: You’re right! The article says meat, fish, and grains have very little vitamin C. So we need to get it from fruits and vegetables mainly.

Enceladus: What does vitamin C do for our body? I know people say it’s good for skin.

Erinome: It has two main jobs. First, it’s an antioxidant. Our body has “active oxygen” that can hurt cells, but vitamin C fights it. Second, it helps make collagen—you know, the protein that keeps skin and blood vessels strong. Without enough, you might get scurvy, a disease with bleeding gums.

Enceladus: Scurvy? Like old sailors had?

Erinome: Yes! Long ago, sailors didn’t have fresh fruits, so they got scurvy. But now, only 10 mg of vitamin C a day can prevent it.

Enceladus: So how much should we eat daily?

Erinome: The Chinese Nutrition Society says 100 mg for people over 12. That’s about 500 grams of vegetables and 200 grams of fruit. Easy, right?

Enceladus: What if I take more? Like 1000 mg? Will it be better?

Erinome: Haha, nice try! But our body can’t store extra vitamin C. It absorbs only up to 400 mg, and the rest goes out with urine. So no need to take too much.

Enceladus: Oh, so taking big vitamin C pills is useless?

Erinome: Yep! And it doesn’t stay in the body long. Its “half-life” is 16 days—so half of it is gone in 16 days. But don’t worry, missing it for a few days won’t make you sick.

Enceladus: I’ve heard people say “vitamin C cures colds”. Is that true?

Erinome: Good question! A scientist wrote a book about it once, but later studies found no. More vitamin C doesn’t make cold symptoms better.

Enceladus: Oh, that’s a myth then! So what other non-sour foods have vitamin C?

Erinome: Let’s see… tomatoes have 19 mg per 100 grams, carrots a little, and even some sweet fruits like papaya. They’re sweet but still have vitamin C.

Enceladus: So next time I eat a sweet potato, I can think, “This has vitamin C!” Cool!

Erinome: Exactly! And remember: meat, fish, and grains have almost none. So focus on fruits and veggies.

Enceladus: What about cooking? If I steam broccoli, will I lose vitamin C?

Erinome: A little, because it’s sensitive to heat. So maybe eat some raw veggies like salad, or cook lightly. And don’t throw away the cooking water—drink it!

Enceladus: Got it! So the key points: vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid, dissolves in water, breaks down with heat/light. Non-sour foods like potatoes, sweet peppers have it. Sour taste depends on sugar and acid ratio. Daily need is 100 mg, extra is wasted. And it can’t cure colds.

Erinome: Perfect summary! So next time someone says “only sour foods have vitamin C”, you can tell them about sweet potatoes and red peppers.

Enceladus: That’s fun! I learned so much today.

Erinome: Me too! Okay, dear friends, that’s it for today. Remember, non-sour foods can have vitamin C too. Thanks for listening, and let's talk again next time!