Foods That You Can Get Vitamin C From

When you hear vitamin C,  what probably comes to your mind first is a drug, a tablet, probably orange-colored and sweet. This is partially correct. Vitamin C is not a drug. It is an essential nutrient found in foods. It is also known as ascorbic acid. Its health benefits cannot be overemphasized. It plays a significant role in designing and maintaining cells and organs in the body.

According to research, the human body cannot produce vitamin C alone. Thus it has to depend on foods to get this vitamin. Apart from speedy healing of wounds, for which most people know vitamin C, it is also an essential vitamin that assists in boosting the immune system and supports the muscles and bones in the body. With sufficient vitamin C in the body, the organs in the body tend to function efficiently.

This is because it helps the body produce some essential compounds in the proper functioning of the body’s internal organs, like the liver, brain, and heart. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that stems oxidative stress and protects the cells against damage and death.

What Does Vitamin C Do in the Body?

When the cells in the body get damaged due to oxidative stress, the dead cells begin to get toxic to the body, especially when the body does not get rid of them. When they accumulate in the body, they might lead to severe health conditions like cancer.

What’s more? Just like vitamin D helps in the efficient absorption of calcium in the body, vitamin C also helps in iron absorption.

Since it is rare to get an overdose of vitamin C, you can eat as many vitamin C-rich foods as you want. However, in all, ensure that you eat them in moderation as too much of everything is bad. Excessive consumption of vitamin C can cause severe digestive issues. Thus as much as you consume vitamin C-rich foods, which are healthy, you also need to monitor how you consume them, to avoid overeating.

To prevent the excessive consumption of vitamin C-rich foods, experts have pointed out that taking the daily recommended dosage of vitamin C will help prevent vitamin C overuse and deficiency. According to them, adults aged 18 and above should take about 50 mg of vitamin C. Although vitamin C deficiency is rare. However, cases of vitamin C deficiency can lead  to a health condition known as scurvy, and this scurvy comes with the following symptoms;

• Swollen gums
• Swollen joints
• Bleeding gums
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Red spots on the skin
• The slow wound healing process

Meeting your body’s daily vitamin C requirements is healthy for your body, and you can get it from fortified foods, supplements, and natural foods. However, it is best to meet your vitamin C needs from foods. This is because, apart from their vitamin C contents, they are also packed with other nutrients that can improve health. Thus, as much as they meet your vitamin C needs, they also supply your body with other nutrients that can nourish your body.

Vitamin C Rich Foods

Orange

According to research, orange and other citrus fruits have proven to be the king of vitamin C-rich foods. Orange, for example, can meet almost all of your required daily intake of vitamin c. It contains about 75% of vitamin C. Of all the types of oranges, studies have shown that the sumo citrus contains more amounts vitamin C than the regular orange.

It provides up to 115% of the required daily intake value. You can either eat the orange fruit or make juice out of the fruit. In addition, if you prefer packaged fruit juice, ensure that you get a brand that contains 100% natural orange juice with no additives.

Guava

Guava is not just a tasty fruit. It is also a hub for different nutrients. In guava fruit, there is a burst of different minerals and vitamins, and one of the vitamins is vitamin C. Guava fruit is packed with a whopping 389 mg of vitamin C, which is multiple times higher than the daily recommended daily intake value of vitamin C.  Thus to consume vitamin C in moderation through guava fruit, you can consume one average sized guava per week.

Apart from eating guava fruit, you can also blend it and add it to your smoothies. Also, you can slice it up and add it to your fruit salad. Coupled with its vitamin C contents, guava is also packed with high amounts of protein. Thus, as much as you eat guava fruit to get vitamin C, you are invariably topping your body’s protein levels, which is a win-win.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a constituent of cruciferous vegetables. It is a rich source of numerous nutrients, including vitamin C. Studies have even shown that the vitamin C content in broccoli is almost the same as the vitamin C  in orange and other citrus fruits. You can blend broccoli and make a tasty cup of smoothie out of it. Apart from vitamin C, broccoli is also packed with other nutrients like;

• Potassium
• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Zinc
• Riboflavin
• Folate
• Niacin

These nutrients work hand in hand to protect the immune systems and preserve the internal organs.

Chilli Pepper

Of all the kinds of peppers, chili pepper, according to research, has the highest amount of vitamin C. This is because, when compared to other kinds of pepper, chili pepper has almost 35% higher amounts of vitamin C than other kinds of pepper. Studies have shown that chili pepper contains about 160 mg of vitamin C, which is about 120% of the required daily intake value of vitamin C.

Besides its vitamin C contents, chili pepper is also packed with other natural properties that studies have shown can reduce mortality to the barest minimum. Although, more research is still ongoing to explore all the benefits of chili pepper. However, chili pepper can supply more than the vitamin C content that your body needs.

Strawberries

The bright red fruit that grows outside of its skin is an amazing fruit with high amounts of vitamin C. Studies showed that strawberries have the second highest amount of vitamin C after oranges. This is because it can meet up to 97% of your required daily intake of vitamin C, while oranges, on the other hand, provide more than the required daily intake of vitamin C. Strawberries are not just tasty.

They are also stuffed with other nutrients that can improve health. They also have high fiber content that can protect and boost your gut health. What is more? Since strawberries are delicious, they are easy to add to fruit salads and smoothies. You can also take out the seeds of the fruit and blend them, and make nice juice out of the fruit.

Kiwi

Kiwi is another food that has high amounts of vitamin C. Despite the green color that makes it always seem like it is not the ripe year in, year out, it is packed with vitamin C. One average-sized kiwi fruit can meet up to 75% of your required daily intake of vitamin C. However, all kinds of kiwi fruit contain high amounts of vitamin C.

However, the golden kiwi fruit has more vitamin C content. Studies have shown that this kind of kiwi fruit can meet up to 100% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Kiwi fruits are delicious and can thus be enjoyed by eating as a fruit that it is or by adding to your fruit salad.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is not a very common fruit. However, people who know about it have an idea about how many health benefits they enjoy from the fruit. It is packed with high vitamin C content that can meet all your vitamin C needs.

Coupled with its vitamin C content, it is still a rich source of vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin in the protection of the eyes against vision loss and other eye health conditions, especially macular degeneration. Cantaloupe is also a rich source of fiber, which helps boost gut health and eliminate indigestion. Eating cantaloupe will not just meet your vitamin C needs. It will also provide you with fiber and enough vitamin A.

Conclusion

Vitamin C is undoubtedly an essential vitamin that also acts as a natural antioxidant. It is health benefits cannot be overemphasized. Since the body cannot produce this vitamin on its own, humans are expected to get these vitamins through foods and supplements. Some of the very rich vitamin  C food sources have been discussed above.