Our bodies thrive when we eat a diet full of nutritious foods. The vitamins and minerals in these foods are like little packets of medicine delivered through the bloodstream.
Vitamin C is one of those vitamins that does so much good for the body in so many different ways. It’s an antioxidant, so it protects cell damage in our bodies, and it strengthens our immune system (which is very important during this crisis).
Vitamin C keeps your bones strong by helping the body absorb iron, and it also plays a role in keeping our skin looking youthful.
The body can produce some vitamins and minerals on its own but not Vitamin C. That’s why we must eat plenty of foods that contain this essential vitamin.
For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of nine foods packed full of vitamin C. All these should be available at any of your local grocery stores to help you reach your daily dose easily.
Table of Contents
1. Chili Peppers
These spicy peppers do more than make our tongue burn. Their high vitamin C content makes them number one on this list.
Every color of chili peppers contains a different amount of vitamin C, with green taking the win at 109 mg of vitamin C per pepper.
The red has slightly more than half the amount of vitamin C as the green with 65 mg of vitamin C per pepper.
Chili peppers also provide extra medicinal benefits due to their capsaicin content. This chemical compound helps combat inflammation and pain and can help boost your metabolism.
2. Citrus Fruits
It’s common knowledge that citrus fruits contain a high amount of vitamin C. Most people consider oranges the best choice for a boost in vitamin C, but this isn’t so.
Grapefruit contains more vitamin C than an orange with 90 mg of vitamin C and 70 mg of vitamin C, respectively. Grapefruits are also low in calories and contain vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Oranges contain calcium and potassium as well.
Lemons and limes contain around 20 mg of vitamin C each. In medieval times, ship cooks stashed them on board to prevent the sailors from suffering from scurvy.
3. Guavas
This tropical fruit has an incredibly high content of our spotlight vitamin with 126 mg of vitamin C per fruit. These sweet fruits are also high in antioxidants, making them a great addition to our daily diet for a healthy immune system.
There’s evidence that guavas may help lower blood pressure. They can be a sweet treat for those who want to improve their blood pressure numbers.
4. Sweet Peppers
If you aren’t a fan of the kick that chili peppers come with, you can always substitute them with their less aggressive cousin, the sweet pepper.
As with the chili peppers, each color of sweet pepper contains a slightly different vitamin C content.
The green peppers contain 95 mg of vitamin C as well as vitamin A, K, and B6. The red peppers contain 117 mg of vitamin C and vitamin A, fiber, and several B vitamins. Yellow and orange peppers contain around 137 mg of vitamin C.
5. Strawberries
These popular summer berries are a great choice to nibble on when wanting to increase your body’s vitamin C intake. One cup of strawberries has 97 mg of vitamin C.
Eating strawberries will also boost your folate, potassium, magnesium, and fiber.
6. Blackcurrants
A ½ cup of blackcurrants has 101 mg of vitamin C. They are also high in anthocyanins — a flavonoid antioxidant used to help treat conditions of the blood vessels.
Anthocyanins are also proven to prevent cancer, diabetes, inflammation, and obesity. As if that wasn’t enough, they have antimicrobial properties and combat heart disease.
7. Mustard Spinach
This leafy green provides a different amount of vitamin C, depending on how you prepare it. One cup of raw mustard spinach contains 195 mg of vitamin C, while one cup cooked has 117 mg.
This healthy green is also high in vitamin A, manganese, fiber, folate, potassium, and calcium. It’s a natural multivitamin in a plant.
8. Kiwi
These fuzzy little green fruits contain 71 mg of vitamin C each. They also contain potassium, fiber, and are a great low-calorie food to help you slim down.
9. Broccoli
Just like the mustard spinach, broccoli contains more vitamin C raw than cooked. One cup of fresh broccoli has 81 mg of vitamin C. One cup of cooked broccoli has 50 mg of vitamin C.
Broccoli also provides the body with calcium, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin K.
How Much Vitamin C Should You Eat Every Day?
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C is different depending on age and gender and some particular circumstances. This list below outlines how much vitamin C each group should aim to eat every day.
- Children – 40 mg daily
- Teens
- Boys – 75 mg daily
- Girls – 65 mg daily
- Adults
- Men – 90 mg daily
- Women – 75 mg daily
- Special Cases
- Smokers – add 35 mg daily
- Pregnant or Lactating – 120 mg
Vitamin C Boosting Salad
Are you looking for a quick and easy recipe to boost your vitamin C intake?
This salad is rich in vitamin C and taste!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of mustard spinach cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup of baby spinach
- ½ cup of sliced strawberries
- ½ cut of sliced kiwis
- ¼ cup of orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
- 4 mashed strawberries
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Directions:
- Make the dressing with orange and lemon juice, olive oil, and mashed strawberries. Set aside.
- Combine the spinaches and fruit in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with dressing.
Easy and delicious!
Conclusion
Delivering a plethora of benefits, vitamin C is definitely not a vitamin you want to lack. When we make sure to hit our daily dose consistently, our bodies look and feel healthier.
Now that you know of some foods that will help you boost your vitamin C, you can incorporate them into your diet and reap the benefits.
Author Bio
Susie is our General Manager and has been with Copper Beech for ten years! Susie is a huge asset to our team. In Susie’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, her three boys, and her dog Gunner.
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