Surprising Sources of Vitamin C

Vitamin C’s benefits include a stronger immune system and lower levels of damaging free radicals in your body, which make the antioxidant important for disease prevention. In fact, vitamin C may play a vital role in reducing your risk of heart disease—and even improve quality of life for cancer patients, suggests research from the National Institutes of Health. Another interesting perk of eating your vitamin C: It helps you maximize your absorption of plant-based iron to ward off conditions like anemia.

Raise your hand if you start going hard on the OJ the second you get the sniffles. Yep, same. If oranges aren’t your jam, though, there are plenty of other foods high in vitamin C in the produce aisle. Can they single-handedly wipe out a cold, though? Probably not so much.

But, if you thought the only way to get vitamin C is to eat an orange or take a supplement, you’re missing out! Dig up that Vitamin C playlist we know you’ve got hidden on your Spotify playlist and try surprising sources of vitamin C for a healthy dose of this important nutrient sure to keep you, your bones, and your gums happy!

Tomatoes and Tomato Juice

Tomatoes aren’t just for spaghetti sauce anymore. This powerhouse fruit is great on a sandwich but also packs a vitamin C punch. In just 3/4 cup of tomato juice, there is a whopping 33 mg of vitamin C.

So, mix yourself up a virgin bloody mary for a dose of health.

Spinach

We all know leafy greens are good for us but spinach, in particular, is pretty high in vitamin C. It brings 9 mg of C to every half cup of leaves. In one salad plate, you could be looking at around 54 mg of vitamin C in the spinach alone.

Black Currants

Those who love blackberries are in luck because this is an alternative that will give you all the taste you love with seven times more vitamin C than blackberries.

These little berries have 203 mg of C per serving.

Brussels Sprouts

I’m sure your mother always told you to eat your Brussels but did you know they are also a vitamin C powerhouse? They pack in 73 mg per serving.

For those who don’t think they like Brussels sprouts try them roasted. They get sweeter, nuttier, and simply delicious.

Green Bell Peppers

These sweet and lovely peppers aren’t just giving you a satisfying and healthy crunch. A serving of bell pepper contains 120 mg of vitamin C per serving.

Add them on top of a spinach salad for an ultra-healthy lunch.

Cantaloupe

While this melon may have you living for summer memories of your childhood it’s also a great source of the magical C. A serving of cantaloupe has over 40 mg of vitamin C along with all the sweetness of nature.

Cauliflower

This wonderful headed vegetable can be made into all sorts of mock carbs. Mashed cauliflower, cauliflower rice, the sky is the limit. Plus in every cup of cauliflower, you’ll find over 50 mg of vitamin C.

Green Beans

When you are thinking of how to boost your C levels we are pretty certain green beans didn’t come to mind. But in a cup of cooked green beans, you’ll find just under 20 mg of vitamin C.

Maybe mom really was onto something when she said to eat your greens.

Okra

Those in the south know just how delicious okra can be and super good for your gut with all that fiber. But, okra also contains over 20 mg of vitamin C per cup.

Papaya

The surprising winner for vitamin C content is the tropical fruit, papaya. Just one cup of this island’s deliciousness will get you 377 mg of vitamin C.

Looks like I’m grabbing papaya the next time I feel a cold coming on.

Turn to Fruits and Vegetables When You’re Sick to Feel Better Faster

When you’re feeling sick and have a cold it can be tempting to eat all the comfort food and take all the medicine. But, if you turn your diet to a more whole foods approach and include lots of vitamin C packed fruits and veggies your body will be on the mend way faster.

When you get up the energy to eat make sure you’re getting the most nutritional bang for your buck with every bite.

Looking for more ways to incorporate healthy vitamins into your diet? Need to have your annual physical that you’ve been putting off? Contact our offices now. We will be happy to see you.