Cod is a lean white fish prized for its mild flavor and high-quality protein, but it is not a meaningful source of vitamin C. This Cod Vitamin C Calculator gives you a quick estimate of how many milligrams of vitamin C are in your portion — whether you are logging your meals, planning a balanced dinner, or comparing fish with vitamin-C-rich fruits and vegetables. Enter the weight, choose the unit, and pick a preparation method to see your result in milligrams, the per-100-gram basis, and the share of the recommended Daily Value.
The calculator uses USDA reference data for Atlantic cod and accounts for small nutrient losses during baking, broiling, poaching, and steaming. Because cod contains only about 1 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, most portions will supply less than 2% of the 90 mg Daily Value. That is useful context for anyone tracking micronutrients in a low-carb or high-protein diet. The tool is intended for educational meal planning, not medical diagnosis.
🐟 Cod Vitamin C Calculator
Estimate the vitamin C in your portion of cod, plus how much it contributes to the Daily Value.
Retention factors are approximate; cod's vitamin C is low regardless of method.
📊 Your Results
How to Use the Cod Vitamin C Calculator
Enter the weight of your cod portion using the number box and choose the unit that matches your food scale or recipe: grams, ounces, or pounds. Next, pick a preparation method from the drop-down menu. The calculator applies a small retention factor for baked, broiled, poached, or steamed cod because some vitamin C can be lost through heat and water contact. If you don't know the exact cooked weight, you can use the quick-fill buttons for common portions such as a typical 90 g fillet or a 200 g fillet dinner. Press Calculate Vitamin C to see your portion's vitamin C in milligrams, its percentage of the Daily Value, and a step-by-step breakdown showing how the number was derived.
How the Calculation Works
The calculator uses the USDA reference value of about 1 milligram of vitamin C per 100 grams of raw Atlantic cod. It first converts your portion into grams, then applies this per-100-gram concentration, then multiplies by a preparation factor to estimate retention. The general formula is:
Vitamin C (mg) = weight in grams × vitamin C per 100 g ÷ 100 × retention factor
For example, raw cod has a retention factor of 1.00. Baked or broiled cod is estimated at 0.90, and poached or steamed cod at 0.80, reflecting the fact that vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive. These factors are approximations meant for everyday meal tracking, not laboratory-grade analysis. The Daily Value is calculated against 90 mg, the FDA reference amount for vitamin C for adults and children age 4 and older. Because cod contains so little vitamin C, most single portions provide well under 1% of this target.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — Baked cod fillet, 150 g
Weight in grams: 150
Vitamin C per 100 g: 1.0 mg
Retention factor (baked): 0.90
Vitamin C = (150 × 1.0 ÷ 100) × 0.90 = 1.35 mg
Daily Value = 1.35 ÷ 90 × 100 = 1.5%
Example 2 — Raw cod portion, 4 oz (about 113 g)
Convert ounces to grams: 4 × 28.3495 = 113.4 g
Vitamin C = 113.4 × 1.0 ÷ 100 = 1.13 mg
Daily Value = 1.13 ÷ 90 × 100 = 1.3%
Reference Data: Vitamin C in Cod and Other Foods
To put cod's tiny contribution in perspective, compare it with foods that are actually rich in vitamin C. The table below shows approximate vitamin C per 100 g for several foods, based on USDA FoodData Central and NIH data.
| Food | Approx. Vitamin C per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Raw Atlantic cod | 1 mg |
| Cooked cod (baked/poached) | ~0.8–0.9 mg |
| Celery | ~3 mg |
| Apricots | ~10 mg |
| Orange | ~53 mg |
| Kiwifruit | ~93 mg |
| Raw yellow bell pepper | ~184 mg |
Daily Value reference: 90 mg. Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Vitamin C and USDA FoodData Central.
Why Cod Is a Poor Vitamin C Source (and What to Pair It With)
Fish and other animal foods generally contain little or no vitamin C. Unlike most mammals, humans cannot synthesize vitamin C, so we depend on dietary sources — but seafood is not where you should look. Cod does excel in other ways: a 100 g cooked portion provides roughly 20 g of high-quality protein, along with vitamin B12, selenium, and iodine, while staying low in saturated fat. If you are building a vitamin-C-rich plate, serve cod with a squeeze of lemon, fresh salsa, steamed broccoli, or roasted peppers. These sides add meaningful vitamin C without overpowering the fish's mild flavor.
For a side-by-side estimate of another low-vitamin-C food, try the Celery Vitamin C Calculator. To see how a fruit-based source stacks up, check the Apricot Vitamin C Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cooking destroy the vitamin C in cod? Yes, to a degree. Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, oxygen, and water. Baking and broiling retain more than poaching or steaming because less water-soluble vitamin C leaches into the cooking liquid. Even so, the differences are tiny because the starting amount is so low.
Is cod liver a better source of vitamin C? No. Cod liver is valued for vitamin A and vitamin D, not vitamin C. Like other animal tissues, it contains virtually no vitamin C.
Can I use this calculator for other white fish like haddock or pollock? Yes, as an approximation. Haddock and pollock have vitamin C values in the same very low range (about 0–1 mg per 100 g), so the result will be within a similar ballpark.
Should I use this calculator for medical decisions? No. It is an educational meal-planning estimate. The value in cod is so small that it will not meaningfully affect your vitamin C status. If you are concerned about deficiency or scurvy, consult a healthcare professional.