Ascorbic acid and citric acid can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially citrus.
They are often confused with one another because of their similar names and origins. However, while the two share similarities, they have quite a few fundamental differences.
Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, an essential nutrient, and citric acid is a nonessential acid, though it has many uses. They each have their own benefits and functionality, with some overlap.
What Is Ascorbic Acid?
Ascorbic acid is simply a different name for vitamin C, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Our bodies cannot make their own vitamin C, but it is an essential nutrient and powerful antioxidant. Most adults are recommended to consume between 80 and 120 milligrams per day through food or supplements, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Vitamin C is associated with the prevention of a number of conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cancer, cataracts, and the common cold, according to Mayo Clinic.
Vitamin C can also increase collagen production, which may improve and help repair ligaments and tendons, according to a review published in June 2022 in Nutrients.
Aside from its direct health effects, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, antioxidants like vitamin C function as a preservative to prevent fats and oils in foods from becoming rancid and tasting bad, as well as to keep fresh fruit from turning brown.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, vitamin C preservative is commonly found in products like:
- Fresh meats
- Baked goods
- Frozen fish
- Fruits and vegetables
Ascorbic acid is also used to increase the vitamin content in products like fruit drinks and cereals, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
What Is Citric Acid?
Like ascorbic acid, citric acid is naturally present in a variety of different fruits and vegetables, according to the International Food Additives Council.
Citric acid is an antioxidant, according to the peer-reviewed book Antioxidants Effects in Health: The Bright and the Dark Side. Your body produces citric acid on its own, according to an article published in 2022 in Pharmaceutics.
It has not been studied as extensively as vitamin C for its health benefits, though there are a few emerging studies.
In the consumer market, citric acid mainly functions as a natural preservative and is manufactured and used in a number of ways, according to the International Food Additives Council. It is a very common additive used to preserve food and enhance taste.
It is also used in cleaning products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, according to a review published in February 2021 in Food Frontiers.
Citric Acid vs. Ascorbic Acid
Citric acid and ascorbic acid have similarities and differences.
Most obviously, they are both acids commonly found in fruits and vegetables. They both also have antioxidant properties and antimicrobial properties.
That said, citric acid and ascorbic acid should not be confused with one another. Unlike vitamin C, citric acid is not one of the recommended vitamins and minerals you need each day, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
While there is research exploring the benefits of both acids, vitamin C has been studied much more for its immune-boosting benefits, as well as its potential role in preventing a number of conditions.
