Foods High In Vitamin C

Vitamin C, scientifically known as L-Ascorbic Acid, is a high source of antioxidants and maintaining a diet high in this nutrient prevents the body from going into oxidative stress. In easier words, vitamin C helps the body survive unfavourable oxidative conditions. Vitamin C cannot be human made, thus, it has to be obtained through natural diets. The main functions of this Vitamin, apart from being an antioxidant, include maintaining and repairing the damaged tissues, strengthening blood vessels and absorbing calcium to make it available to the bones and teeth. One of the important functions of this nutrient is to absorb iron and prevent a condition called anemia. But one must always remember that Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body and needs to be replenished. So, how will you know when you lack Vitamin C? Poor wound healing, frequent colds and lung infections are the most common symptoms. What do you eat to replenish your Vitamin C levels is given ahead.

Vitamin C Foods

The most obvious are oranges. A single orange contains about 34mg of Vitamin C, which is quite a bit considering it is made into juice and also eaten as a fruit.
1 cup of broccoli gives about 45mg of Vitamin C. An average intake for most people should be around 40mg.
Bell peppers are an excellent source of this vitamin and 1 cup contains 174mg. Red, yellow and orange have twice the amount as green.
Another vital (and arguably the richest) source of Vitamin C is gooseberries (locally called amla). It not only has antioxidant properties that helps the body boost its immunity but is also known to restore vitality among men and women alike.
Just half a papaya or mango sliced can provide 95mg of the antioxidant vitamin.
Fresh parsley contains about 110mg of vitamin C and what’s more surprising is that all this in just 2 tbsp of parsley!
Potatoes, the fattiest food of them all, contain about 25mg of the vitamin C in every unit. A small baked potato can provide the body with lots of ascorbic acid. It is important to note that potatoes are not typically eaten for Vitamin C, but large quantities can be quite useful in this case.
Kiwi fruit, from New Zealand, is a good source of Vitamin C giving the eater about 55mg of nutrients.
Strawberries! It is the most favourite snack of lots of people and healthy too. One cup of strawberries contains about 57mg of Vitamin C.
Tomatoes that are used in sandwiches have good effects after all! Don’t throw them away, because even that small piece contains about 25mg of Vitamin C.
You might not even realize while drinking it, but lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamins and contains about 52mg vitamin C per1/4ml.
Cucumbers also contain quite a large amount of Vitamin C when eaten with the peel. It can be grated into salads and makes palatable food too! 1 cup contains about 12mg.
It might not look very appetizing, but boiled cauliflower contains a whopping 57mg per cup of serving!
Most berries contain a moderate amount of Vitamin C. For example raspberries have about 15mg per cup of serving.
Green turnips, due to the colour, when cooked, contain about 41mg of this vitamin making it very healthy and help the body fight infections too!
Some of the ones that contain a lower amount of Vitamin C are avocado slices, corn, grapes, pear, yam etc.

Other Vitamin C rich foods include:

Blueberries
Mushrooms
Guava
Cranberries
Onions
Apples
Chillies
Bananas
Mango
Radishes
Mustard
Papaya
Leeks
Cabbage

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