Vitamin C or also known as Ascorbic Acid is a water soluble vitamin. It has many health benefits including: boosting the immune system, lowering hyper tension, treatment of the common cold, treatment of cancer, curing cataract, preventing stroke, maintaining the elasticity of the skin, healing wounds and the list goes on and on.
That’s why vitamin C is very important for the body. Since the human body doesn’t produce vitamin C, we must receive it through food and other supplements.
When we hear vitamin C, the first thing that comes to our minds is of course oranges. That’s fine because oranges are indeed packed with vitamin C. More precisely, a small orange contains about 50 mg of vitamin C.
If we know that the recommended daily dose of vitamin C for adult women is 75 mg and for adult men the dose is 90 mg that means that if you consume only two oranges a day would be enough. But you need to be careful when consuming too much vitamin C, because the body can only store for about 2000 mg of vitamin C a day.
However, if you are not into oranges or you want to eat something different every day, here is a list of 18 fruits and vegetables which contain more vitamin C than oranges.
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Kiwi
The kiwifruit originated from China and is now grown in tropical regions around the world. A cup of sliced, green kiwifruit provides you with 167 mg of vitamin C. You would have to eat nearly 1 ¾ cups of sliced oranges to get the amount of vitamin C that you’ll get in one cup of sliced kiwi.
Guava
A cup of sliced guava contains 377 mg of vitamin C. Guava is also packed with dietary fiber. According to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, women should get 25 grams of fiber a day and men should get 38 grams. There are 9 grams of dietary fiber in a cup of sliced guava, which is three times more than the amount of fiber in a cup of sliced oranges.
Bell peppers
Both red and green bell peppers are rich in vitamin C. One medium red bell pepper contains 152 mg of vitamin C, while one medium green bell pepper contains 95.7 mg of vitamin C.
Broccoli
Broccoli is really healthy food. It’s packed with many vitamins and minerals important for your overall health. A cup of fresh chopped broccoli contains 81 mg of vitamin C.
Strawberries
Strawberries are not only delicious snack that you can include in many desserts they are also incredibly healthy food, rich in vitamins and low in calories.A cup of whole strawberries contain 85 mg of vitamin C.
Papaya
Known as the “fruit of angels”, papaya is in the list of fruits that are excellent source of vitamin C. Papaya also protects the digestive system. A small papaya contains 96 mg vitamin C.
Kale
Recently this leafy vegetable is more and more considered as a superhero in fighting and preventing many diseases. A cup of chopped kale contains 80 mg of vitamin C.
Brussels sprouts
Although not very delicious Brussels sprouts are one of the most nutritious vegetables. This should be a reason enough for you to try and serve them on your table as often as you can. Brussels sprouts are packed with vitamin C and vitamin K as well.
A cup full of Brussels sprouts contains 75 mg of vitamin C.
Chili peppers
If you can handle the heat, then chili peppers are another choice when it comes to filling your body with vitamin C. One tiny pepper contains 64 mg of vitamin C, which is almost the necessary dose per day. If you are up to the challenge eat two and you’ll get past the 75 mg mark.
Kohlrabi
This is an annual vegetable, which is stout cultivar of cabbage. You can eat kohlrabi either raw or cooked. 1.5 cups of cooked kohlrabi contains 133 mg of vitamin C.
Pineapple
This tropical fruit is also packed with vitamin C. One pineapple contains 114 mg of vitamin C. So next time you are preparing your smoothie don’t hesitate to add pineapple in it.
Mango
Mango is another fruit which is packed with vitamin C. One whole fruit contains 122.3 mg of vitamin C.
Cauliflower
A small head of cauliflower contains 127.7 mg of vitamin C, plus 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Roast it, steam it or mash it but make sure to include cauliflower in your everyday diet.
Lychee
The lychee is a fruit which is high in fiber and many nutrients. It also contains higher levels of vitamin C than the orange. A cup full of lychee fruit contains 136 mg of vitamin C.
Black currant
Who would have guessed that with its deep purple colour, black currant is rich in vitamin C. Yet, black currant contains 180 mg of vitamin C per serving.
Melons
A lot of melons contain vitamin C. A cup of cantelope contains approximately 67 mg of vitamin C, along with plenty of vitamin A and potassium. Furthermore, one serving of watermelon provides you with 112 % of your daily needs of vitamin C.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another food which is rich in vitamin C. Use sun-dried tomatoes because they are particularly concentrated in vitamin C. One serving of 100 g contains over 100 mg of vitamin C. This provides you with 170 % of your daily needs.
Fresh herbs
Many herbs such as basil, chives, cilantro, thyme and parsley are packed with vitamin C. Have some of these herbs in your kitchen and sprinkle them on every meal. One cup of fresh parsley contains over 130 mg of vitamin C. One cup of thyme contains 160 mg of vitamin C.
