Vitamin C and heat

[BillyBB]

Common knowledge seems to be that Vitamin C breaks down quickly at 70` or above. Wikipedia claims that only temperatures of 190` will destroy this vitamin. Does anybody know for sure?
I understand that boiling vegetables dissolves away vitamins but does hot water destroy the Vitamin C in Ribena? (I always add cold first)

[Skreecheeboy]

Dunno but staying awake all night worrying about it rots your brain! Only kidding man, I wasn't aware of that but the directions on the bottle say dilute 1 part ribena to 4 parts water and unless your cup is hot when you pour the hot water in then it's going to nearly be down to 70 degrees already isn't it? If only I had a digital thermometer like my mum used at Christmas to check the turkey was done! Arggg, how will i ever get to sleep tonight without knowing the answer!

[Ice.Maiden]

By dreaming about the 2 ladies.......!!!!!
No, Billy, I doubt adding hot water to cold, to mix Ribena'll destroy any vitamin C in it, as it has to boil for a while, I understand. Even cooked vegatables don't lose all of it. Is it of particular importance to you?

[Skreecheeboy]

He's probably tripping Ice Maiden, vit c has a brilliant calming influence on you if things are seeming a bit too unreal and intense for you when you're out of it on acid or mushrooms, peyote on the other hand has a different affect, you actually need to add vit c to the mixture to take the mescaline out of the cactus and into the water that you have to try and drink to be able to feel it but then if boiling it for 2 hours would kill the vitamin c then what's the point of doing it coz it woudn't do anything wait a minute I'm rambling and I should have stopped some time ago, maybe I should have stuck to my guns and gone to sleep after I said goodnight. Tell you what, i'll do it just now! night! 2 women....

[Ice.Maiden]

Lol Skreech - and just when I thought you might join in with the "At what point" thread!!!!
You're also very knowledgeable about vit. C and those...erm...other things. Perhaps i should employ you when I go and stamp on all those funny mushrooms that spring up on my lawn around October time! Would you know what to do with them??? x

[wildwood]

Wikipedia claims a melting point of 190� which is not quite the same as the temperature where it will start to break down.

[gen2]

Wikipedia correctly states "boiling it down to juice allowed easy storage but destroyed the vitamin (especially if boiled in copper kettles)"