Vitamin C is one of the critical 13 vitamins. It is key to maintaining and growing most tissues in our body, like collagen, required for wound healing and healthy connective tissue. Vitamin C helps our body function, and it also helps teeth and bones to stay strong. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that also improves absorption of nonheme iron and is also necessary to make protein metabolism and certain neurotransmitters. Our immune system mainly relies on vitamin C. This vitamin is also known as L-ascorbic acid. Because of water-soluble vitamins, you need to replace your vitamin C daily because your body cannot store it.
Most animals can produce their own vitamin C, but humans cannot do it, so they need to get it from other sources. You can get vitamin C from various things like fresh vegetables, fruits, and dietary supplements. There are plenty of goods that are high in vitamin C. Here we will discuss some wealthiest sources. Always remember that if you want to stay healthy, you need to balance all vitamins, proteins, minerals, and other nutrients in your body. Vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins, so you need to consume it in sufficient amounts. Let’s discuss the foods that contain high amounts of vitamin C.
Contents
What Does Vitamin C Do?
Vitamin C is involved in the function and development of various body parts. It helps our body to produce essential compounds like neurotransmitters, collagen, and L-carnitine that help our heart, brain, nerves, and muscles function. Vitamin C is also helpful for boosting the immune system and producing white blood cells. Furthermore, it helps restore antioxidants, which helps prevent cell damage and decrease diseases in our body. In addition, vitamin C helps our body absorb iron and metabolize protein.
At the age of 20 to 65, you must consume 40 mg of vitamin C daily. It can be possible only if you add the right foods to your daily diet. The deficiency of vitamin C leads to a disease that is called scurvy. The symptoms of scurvy are:
- Severe Joint Leg Pain
- Blue Or Red Spots On Your Skin
- Fatigue
- Skin Bruising Easily
- Irritability And Sadness, Etc.
Everything suits our body in a sufficient amount; if we have too much, it also causes problems. If you have too much vitamin C, it causes digestion issues and stomach pain.
Strawberries
Strawberries are juicy, sweet, and full of vitamin C. One cup of strawberry halves or slices provides you 89 to 98 mg of vitamin C. This fruit contains many essential sources like fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Strawberries are an excellent snack, and you can also add them to your breakfast in yogurt, oatmeal, and cold cereal. Strawberries have high antioxidant content that helps prevent dementia, cancer, vascular disease, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. It is helpful for your heart and brain health. So add strawberries to your diet and make yourself healthy.
Broccoli
It is a cruciferous vegetable, and it is one of the vegetables high in vitamin C. One cup of cooked broccoli provides you 51 mg of vitamin C and 30 calories. Broccoli helps reduce oxidative stress, risk of heart diseases, and improve your body’s immunity system. It also reduces the risk of inflammatory illness.
Kakadu Plums
It contains 100 times more vitamin C than oranges. And one single plum gives you 530% of the daily value. It is also a source of vitamin E, antioxidants, lutein, and potassium. In addition, it gives you the benefit of keeping your eyes healthy.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are abundant in vitamin C. Even after cooking, one cup contains more than vitamin C (49 mg) required in one day. It is also an excellent vitamin K and A source, fiber, folate, magnesium, and potassium, like cruciferous vegetables. You can use it in salad or slaw recipes, but it is mainly cooked and served as a side dish. It helps you improve your bone function and health, reducing 33% risk of osteoporosis, and 26% of hip fractures. It also helps you to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Orange Juice
Orange is also a good source of vitamin C. It provides 70 mg vitamin C in one medium size glass. So with one-half glass of orange juice, you can get the required value of vitamin C in a day. It is also full of vitamin A, potassium, folate, and lutein source. And when you eat oranges directly, it is also a good source of fiber.
Kiwi
Kiwi is a good source of vitamin C, and one medium kiwi provides you 71 mg of vitamin C. It is also a source of fiber but low in calories, potassium, vitamin K and E, and copper. Kiwi provides you with plenty of benefits like reducing oxidative stress, improving immunity, lowering cholesterol, improving digestion system, keeping the heart healthy, preventing heart diseases and stroke, maintaining blood pressure level, etc.
Guava
Guava has a higher vitamin C than other citrus fruits available in the market. One guava contains 126 mg of vitamin C, equal to 140% of the daily value. Having a guava per day helps you reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Tomato Juice
It is another ascorbic food. Having eight ounces of tomato juice helps you get more than 120 mg of vitamin C in one time which covers 74% of your daily value. A raw tomato is also the source of vitamin C. Tomato juice is an excellent source of lycopene, vitamin A and B, potassium, and antioxidants. It helps you reduce the risk of heart diseases, cancer, and lower inflammation. You can also get plenty of vitamin C if you use tomato juice in your recipes.
Cauliflower
It is a delicious, crunchy, and good source of vitamin C vegetables. Cauliflower is also a source of vitamins like B6 and K, folate, antioxidants, fiber, minerals like manganese, calcium, and potassium. From every 100 gram cauliflower, you can get 48 gm vitamin C. It is beneficial for healthy bones and teeth. You can serve raw cauliflower with a light veggie dip or a salad.
Cabbage
By having one-half cup of cooked cabbage, you can get 30 mg vitamin c at one time. It is also full of vitamin K and B6, potassium, manganese, fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and folate. Cooked cabbage gives you more vitamin C than raw cabbage. With one cup of cooked cabbage, you can get an equal amount of vitamin C, which you get from two cups of cabbage. It helps you to lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, improve digestion, and keep your heart healthy.
Conclusion
Vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins. It helps you improve your immune system, heart, blood vessels, and connective tissues. Therefore, not having enough vitamin C has adverse effects like health issues. Citrus fruits are mainly famous for being excellent sources of vitamin C. By eating or adding the above fruits and vegetables to your diet, and you can get sufficient amounts of vitamin C and keep yourself healthy and strong.
