Citrus fruits, such as oranges, aren’t the only vitamin C foods worth adding to your diet. In fact, there are many everyday fruits and vegetables that contain far more vitamin C than those sweet, round orbs – and chances are many of them are already in your weekly shopping basket.
This water-soluble vitamin cannot be stored in your body, so getting enough through your diet is vital to your health. Vitamin C is not only a powerful antioxidant – which means it protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals – but it also helps your body make collagen, absorb iron and boost your immune system. Also helps support the defense of
To help you make sure you’re hitting your quota, we’ve rounded up a great selection of vitamin C foods to boost your repertoire – and Sophie Medlin, registered dietitian and St. Asked the owner of Dietitians to talk to us about the benefits of choosing food sources.
Vitamin C Foods: Easy Ways to Get Your Daily Dose
Thanks to the abundance of readily available vitamin C foods, it’s never been easier to meet the recommended daily intake through your diet – according to the World Health Organization, currently 45mg per serving for adults 19 years and older. It’s day. In addition to preventing scurvy, getting enough vitamin C has many health benefits.
“Vitamin C is essential for good immune function,” Medlin says. ‘It also plays an important role in chemical signaling in the brain and tissue repair. It has excellent antioxidant properties, which means it helps control tissue damage and some of the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles such as alcohol consumption and smoking.’
Include the following vitamin C foods in your diet every day to improve your overall health:
1. Papaya
Each 100 gram portion of this exotic fruit contains 60.9 mg of vitamin C. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A, an antioxidant vitamin that is vital for eye health.
2. Guava
With a bumper 228.3mg of vitamin C per 100g portion, it’s no wonder guavas are sometimes called a ‘superfruit’. It is also a rich source of gut-healthy soluble fiber.
3. Chili Pepper
One chilli pepper contains 6.6 mg of vitamin C. Regular consumption of these fiery fruits can prolong your life, and reduce your risk of death from all causes by 25 percent.
4. Tomatoes
This humble salad filler packs a respectable 13.7mg of vitamin C per 100g portion, plus loads of lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant with proven cancer-fighting abilities.
5. Broccoli
Although broccoli contains 89.2 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, cooking can reduce this amount, so it’s always best to steam or microwave the vegetable for maximum nutritional benefits.
6. Mustard Greens
Belonging to the same family of vegetables as Brussels sprouts, mustard greens contain vitamin C – 70 mg per 100 gram serving.
8. Red, Yellow and Green Peppers
Surprisingly, the vitamin C content of each variety varies slightly. Your average yellow pepper has 183.5mg, while a red pepper of the same size has 153.2mg, and a green pepper has only 96.5mg.
9. Strawberries
With 58.8 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, these sweet, tangy summer fruits contain super-healthy anthocyanins – the flavonoid antioxidants responsible for their deep red color.
10. Kale
This nutrient-dense leafy green contains 93.4mg of vitamin C per 100g portion, as well as a bucket load of lutein – another carotenoid antioxidant with anti-cancer properties.
11. Grapefruit
Your average grapefruit contains 96.1mg of vitamin C – double your daily requirement – and is a rich source of the insoluble fiber pectin, which boosts your digestive health.
12. Brussels sprouts
These small vegetables contain 85 mg of vitamin C per 100 g portion. Studies show they’re also packed with choline, an essential nutrient that helps prevent dementia.
13. Pineapple
One slice of pineapple contains 26.8 mg of vitamin C, so you only need to chew a few rings to meet your daily quota. It is a rich source of an enzyme called bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
14. Potato
Believe it or not, the humble tater tot is a rich source of vitamin C. It contains about 20.5mg per medium potato, plus more than a third of your daily iron needs.
15. Peas
Each 100g serving of peas contains 40mg of vitamin C, which is more than your daily recommendations, plus plenty of fiber and a surprising amount of protein (5.4g).
16. Kiwi Fruit
Eat just one kiwi and you’ll meet your daily needs and then some, with 56mg in each tiny fruit. Impressively, seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
17. Mango
Each mango packs 76.4mg of vitamin C, along with a quarter of your daily needs for folate, which helps your body make red blood cells. Unfortunately, we can’t make it easy to cut.
18. Cauliflower
One medium head of cauliflower contains 283.4 mg of vitamin C. It is also rich in sulforaphane, a natural plant compound that fights inflammation.
19. Honeydew Melon
Each 100 gram slice of fresh honeydew melon contains 18 mg of vitamin C, plus a potent dose of electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.
20. Cabbage
Another surprising source of vitamin C, cauliflower contains 36.6 mg per 100 grams. You’ll also benefit from gut-friendly insoluble fiber and powerful polyphenol antioxidants.
21. Lychees
These tiny fruits are packed with vitamin C, one lychee contains 7.2 mg.
22. Bean sprouts
Crunchy bean sprouts provide more than just texture, with 13.2 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. They’re also a source of resistant starch, which nourishes your colon cells for a healthy gut.
