Oxygen and heat easily destroy vitamin C. Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, it can also leach out into cooking liquids.

Foods high in vitamin C include strawberries, citrus juices, red and green peppers, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and baked potatoes.

To get the most vitamin C from the foods you buy:

• Eat foods rich in vitamin C raw.

• Store vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator and cut just before using.

• Cut food into large, rather than small, pieces to minimize exposure to oxygen.

• Keep cooking times short and use a minimum amount of water in cooking. Steaming and stir-frying are good cooking methods to use.

• Leave skins on potatoes and use some potato cooking water when preparing mashed potatoes.

• Cook vitamin C-rich vegetables in casseroles.