Acerola juice: 1,600 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), and what that buys

Taking vitamin C every day did not prevent colds in the general population. A Cochrane review of placebo-controlled trials found a risk ratio of 0.97 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.00) in 10,708 community participants, and in those trials regular intake shortened colds by 8 percent in adults and 14 percent in children. Those trials used supplements of at least 0.2 g a day, not juice, and they say nothing about how much juice is safe for a child. In a separate meta-analysis of 10 randomized double-blind trials, 1 g a day or more made colds 15 percent less severe (95% CI 9 to 21). USDA lists raw acerola juice at 1,600 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), about 18 times the Daily Value, from a single record with no spread, and the content shifts with ripeness and storage. That puts 3.5 oz (100 g) of juice above the lowest NIH upper limit for vitamin C, 400 mg a day, and close to the highest, 2,000 mg, which depend on age. This page holds no card saying which limit applies to which age, so it cannot call any amount of this juice safe for a child. We found no trial of acerola juice itself on colds.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• USDA lists raw acerola juice at 1,600 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), about 18 times the daily value. — one USDA SR Legacy record Evidence E source
  Vitamin C 1600 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) = 1778% DV

What your body absorbs

• In healthy young Japanese men, diluted acerola juice with 50 mg vitamin C led to less urinary loss of vitamin C than the same dose of pure ascorbic acid. — healthy young Japanese male subjects, single 50 mg dose, 6-hour sampling Evidence C source
  Urinary excretion significantly lower at 1, 2 and 5 h; plasma AUC tended to be higher (not significant)
• A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs with 1,381 females and children found vitamin C-rich fruits or juices with meals raised serum ferritin by 9.39 ug/L and hemoglobin by 1.34 g/L, without a clear rise in iron absorption. — females aged 15-74 y and children, 15 RCTs (n = 1381) Evidence A source
  Ferritin MD 9.39 ug/L (moderate certainty), hemoglobin MD 1.34 g/L (moderate), iron absorption MD 3.36% (P = 0.07, low)

What it does to your health

• A Cochrane review of 29 trial comparisons in 11,306 people found regular vitamin C did not prevent colds in the general population (RR 0.97) but shortened adult colds by 8%. — 11,306 participants in placebo-controlled trials, at least 0.2 g/day vitamin C (n = 11306) Evidence A source
  Incidence RR 0.97 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.00); duration -8% adults (3% to 12%), -14% children
• A meta-analysis of 10 randomized double-blind trials found at least 1 g a day of vitamin C cut common cold severity by 15%. — people in good health at baseline, 15 comparisons from 10 trials, at least 1 g/day oral vitamin C (n = 10 trials) Evidence A source
  Severity -15% (95% CI 9-21%)

Safety, limits and interactions

• Among users of vitamin C supplements in 4 observational studies, men had higher odds of kidney stones than women (OR 1.62). — men and women in 4 studies of ascorbic acid supplements (n = 4 studies) Evidence C source
  OR 1.62 (95% CI 1.09 to 2.42) men vs women
• NIH sets the upper intake level for vitamin C at 400 to 2,000 mg a day depending on age, and high doses can cause diarrhea, nausea and cramps. — — Evidence E source
  UL 400-2000 mg/day by age

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize the claim that acerola is a major dietary source of antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative damage. — — Evidence E source
  Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In hemodialysis patients with hemoglobin below 11 g/dL, ascorbic acid added to standard care raised hemoglobin by 0.9 g/dL in a meta-analysis of RCTs. — adult hemodialysis patients with baseline hemoglobin below 11 g/dL, 3 pooled RCTs (review of 6 studies, 326 patients) (n = 326) Evidence A source
  Hemoglobin WMD 0.9 g/dL (95% CI 0.5-1.2); rHuEPO dose -17.1 U/kg/wk

The bottom line

Vitamin C rich fruits or juices eaten with meals raised serum ferritin by 9.39 ug/L in 7 trials with 762 people and hemoglobin by 1.34 g/L in 12 trials with 1,141, in a meta-analysis of randomized trials in women and girls aged 15 to 74 and in children. Measured iron absorption rose by 3.36 percent, which did not reach significance, and fruits and juices were pooled, so acerola was not tested on its own. Whether acerola's vitamin C behaves differently from a tablet is unsettled. In healthy young Japanese men given a single 50 mg dose, less vitamin C was lost in urine after diluted acerola juice than after pure ascorbic acid, and the level in blood tended higher without reaching significance. The comparison was not randomized, and the abstract does not say how many men took part. The EU refused the claim that acerola is a major source of antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative damage, which means the evidence fell short when it was assessed. Who should be careful: the NIH upper limit for vitamin C runs from 400 to 2,000 mg a day depending on age, and high doses can cause diarrhea, nausea and cramps. By the USDA figure, 100 g of this juice holds 1,600 mg. Among people taking ascorbic acid supplements, four observational studies found men had higher odds of kidney stones than women (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.42). That compares men with women rather than users with non-users, so it does not show that stone risk is low for anyone, and these were supplements, not juice. In hemodialysis patients with hemoglobin below 11 g/dL, three randomized trials found ascorbic acid added to standard care raised hemoglobin by 0.9 g/dL (95% CI 0.5 to 1.2). Those trials were small and short and did not measure oxalate, so on dialysis vitamin C is a matter for the care team. We hold no card on pregnancy, on the upper limit for each age of child, on iron overload or on drug interactions.

Sources

1. acj-daily-r7-01 · USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, dataset
   Acerola juice, raw (FDC 171687, SR Legacy, Fruits and Fruit Juices): vitamin C 1600 mg per 100 g = 1778% DV; copper 0.086 mg = 10% DV; riboflavin 0.06 mg = 5% DV; Foundation samples 0, CoFID match none
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 171687 · checked 2026-10-02
2. acj-daily-r7-02 · clinical comparison
   In plasma, the AUC value of ascorbic acid after ingestion of acerola juice tended to be higher than that from ascorbic acid alone. In contrast, the urinary excretion of ascorbic acid at 1, 2 and 5 h after ingestion of acerola juice were significantly less than that of ascorbic acid.
   Biol Pharm Bull, 2011 · checked 2026-10-02
3. acj-daily-r7-03 · meta-analysis
   After screening 2594 unique records, 15 RCTs (n = 1381; 806 interventions, 575 controls) met inclusion criteria. Including ascorbate-rich fruits in meals had a positive impact on serum ferritin [7 trials, n = 762; mean difference (MD) = 9.39 μg/L; P < 0.001; moderate certainty], hemoglobin (12 trials, n = 1141; MD = 1.34 g/L; P = 0.01; moderate certainty)
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
4. acj-daily-r7-04 · Cochrane review
   Twenty-nine trial comparisons involving 11,306 participants contributed to the meta-analysis on the risk ratio (RR) of developing a cold whilst taking vitamin C regularly over the study period. In the general community trials involving 10,708 participants, the pooled RR was 0.97 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94 to 1.00). ... In adults the duration of colds was reduced by 8% (3% to 12%) and in children by 14% (7% to 21%).
   Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013 · checked 2026-10-02
5. acj-daily-r7-05 · meta-analysis
   Fifteen comparisons from 10 trials which reported both mild and severe symptoms were identified. All trials were randomized and double-blind. Compared to placebo, vitamin C significantly decreased the severity of the common cold by 15% (95% CI 9-21%).
   BMC Public Health, 2023 · checked 2026-10-02
6. acj-daily-r7-07 · meta-analysis
   The kidney stones incidence was significantly higher in men than women with AA supplements (OR= 1.62; 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.42; P=0.02).
   Urol J, 2019 · checked 2026-10-02
7. acj-daily-r7-08 · fact sheet
   However, high doses of vitamin C can lead to diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and other gastrointestinal disturbances. ... The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for vitamin C ranges from 400 to 2,000 mg, depending on age.
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-02
8. acj-daily-r7-09 · EU register
   POL-HC-6571 Acerola Acerola is a major dietary source of antioxidants Antioxidants from dietary sources contribute to the protection against free radicals which cause cell damage Contributes to the protection of cells and tissues from oxidative damage Help strengthen our bod Non-authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6571, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-02
9. acj-daily-r7-06 · meta-analysis
   Of 157 potentially relevant studies, 6 studies (n = 326 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Combining the 3 randomized clinical trials involving patients with baseline hemoglobin levels <11 g/dL, change in hemoglobin level was greater for ascorbic acid use compared with standard care (WMD, 0.9 g/dL; 95% CI, 0.5-1.2 g/dL).
   Am J Kidney Dis, 2009 · checked 2026-10-02