Picture this: You are in the middle of doing your grocery shopping when you see come across the fruit section. With today’s focus on diet to strengthen immunity, you ask yourself what fruits you should buy. What are good sources of vitamin C? And what other healthy food items should you get? Read on to learn about food that should be on every grocery list.
More About Vitamin C
People usually take the C in this vitamin to refer to citrus fruits. However, it’s not just citrus fruits on the list of good sources of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that can be found naturally in many kinds of food, typically fruits and vegetables. You may also add it to your diet through dietary supplements.
This micronutrient is responsible for tissue growth, repair, and even wound healing in all regions of the body. It also aids in the production of collagen, a necessary protein for the formation of skin, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
Moreover, it works as an antioxidant, similar to vitamin E, beta-carotene, and many other plant-based minerals. These antioxidants reduce the damage produced by free radicals, which cause DNA damage.
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid offers both prevention and protection against the following health conditions:
Natural Sources of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is regarded to be most present in the following fruits and vegetables:
1. Citrus Fruits
This list would not be complete without the most common sources of vitamin C. Citrus fruits provide a high amount of vitamin C with oranges leading the charts. Other citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemons, and limes also have the capacity to help you meet your daily requirements of this vitamin.
A medium orange contains 70 milligrams of vitamin C, whereas half a grapefruit contains 40 milligrams.
2. Tomatoes
Like citrus fruits, tomatoes contain a significant amount of vitamin C. Sun-dried tomatoes have the highest content with roughly 40 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams.
3. Dark Green Vegetables
Vitamin C is abundant in dark green vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
Brussels sprouts contain over 75 milligrams of vitamin C, which is enough to meet your daily requirements. And 81 milligrams of vitamin C are found in one cup of chopped broccoli.
4. Kiwi Fruit
Kiwis are small fruits holding about 132 milligrams of vitamin C, a value that is twice as much as that in oranges.
5. Red, Green, and Yellow Peppers
Unknown to most people, peppers of different variants — red, green, or yellow — are packed with vitamin C.
There are 190 milligrams of vitamin C present in a cup of chopped red peppers, whereas the yellow kind provides 155 milligrams of vitamin C. Green peppers are no exception as they contain about 120 milligrams in a half-cup.
6. Other Fruits and Vegetables
Other fruits and vegetables that are also rich sources of vitamin C include:
- Cantaloupe
- Mango
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Berries (strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and blueberries)
- Watermelon
- Cauliflower
- Other green leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage)
- Potatoes
Key Takeaway
There are a variety of nutrients available in every slice of fruit or diced vegetable that lands on your plate. If you want to add more rich sources of vitamin C to your diet, go grab a few items on this list on your next trip to the grocery.
Learn more about Healthy Eating here.
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