When it comes to loading up on foods with vitamin C, most people’s first thought is to eat an orange or drink a tall glass of orange juice. Although oranges often get all the credit for being loaded with the nutrient (an orange contains 83 mg of vitamin C), there are a number of other fruits and vegetables that contain even more of the much-needed vitamin. Knowing what foods are rich in vitamin C can help keep your diet nourishing and exciting… and open up your options beyond oranges.
So why eat a diet rich in vitamin C? The nutrient is responsible for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body, helping to improve your skin, heal wounds and fight cell damage.
Additionally, consuming vitamin C with meals when iron-rich foods are present can increase iron absorption. This is important to note since millions of Americans have iron deficiencies, and according to the American Medical Association “more than one-third of women under 50 are iron deficient.”
If you want to include more vitamin C in your diet without eating citrus at every meal, try one of the following 10 foods that have more vitamin C than an orange.
One cup of the sweet fruit contains 97.6 mg of the vitamin. And strawberries don’t just have to be eaten plain or as part of a dessert. Add them to your salads for a sweet twist. Although, if you want to make these cheesecake stuffed strawberries, you can use vitamin C as an excuse.
No matter the color, bell peppers are a great choice when it comes to loading up on vitamin C. For example, one medium red bell pepper contains 142 mg, while one medium green one contains 99.5 mg. Skip the onion rings and try these bell pepper oven fries, or make these cheesy, colorful stuffed bell peppers for a light and healthy dinner.
This leafy green kicks butt when it comes to its vitamin content. Just one cup of kale contains 80.4 mg of vitamin C, making an abundant kale salad a great option for your health. Pair your kale salad with this lemon salad dressing for a sunny kick.
Who needs an orange when you’ve got a mango? One whole fruit contains 122 mg of vitamin C. Make this pineapple-mango “nice cream” to enjoy double the benefits of vitamin C from two fruits on this list.
Mom wanted to serve you this vegetable for a reason. One serving of the cruciferous vegetable has 89.2 mg of vitamin C. Did you know that eating broccoli provides many health benefits and can lower the risk of many types of cancers, as well as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and asthma? Try adding miso butter to your broccoli to take it to the next level. Miso contains manganese, B vitamins, copper and vitamin K, making miso butter a great topping for your veggies.
It may be a small fruit, but one serving of kiwi contains 167 mg of vitamin C. Aside from eating kiwi straight (and did you know even the fuzzy outer skin of a kiwi is edible and has more nutrients than the inner fruit?), try kiwi in salads, on fruit tarts and baked into muffins and breads.
Brussels sprouts don’t deserve the bad reputation they were likely branded with during your childhood. Prepare them simply with salt, pepper and oil and roast them to a crispy, golden brown (and maybe add a dash of maple syrup at the end of their oven time) and they are nothing less than delicious… and nutritious! One cup of Brussels sprouts contains 96.8 mg of vitamin C. Still not convinced to add this veggie to your meals? Here are five secrets for making Brussels sprouts taste better, and these bacon ranch Brussels sprouts will make anyone a fan.
Carina is a health and wellness journalist based in Los Angeles. When she’s not writing, doing yoga, or exploring mountains and beaches, she spends her time cooking and creating recipes for her healthy food blog, Kale Me Maybe. Carina is also an ongoing writer for Bustle, Reader's Digest, FabFitFun, and more.
