When you hear the words “Vitamin C”, what most people think of right away is relaxing in the summer sun, with a tall glass of ice-cold orange juice in hand. But the truth is that oranges don’t have monopoly on Vitamin C. There are other foods that contain just as much – or to be precise, more! – Vitamin C than the sweet fruit we love. I don’t know why we think ‘oranges’ when we think of Vitamin C, but it’s time to give credence to other foods that pack in even more of this vital nutrient. 

Vitamins are necessary for healthy growth and development. Many of them are found in our bodies and our day-to-day diet. Not all vitamins are downright essential, but a big group of them certainly are. This post is going to be a shortlist of top 5 foods containing Vitamin C. This is not the be-all and end-all of Vitamin C foods.

There are different ways of getting Vitamin C into your system. Even though citrus fruits are indeed the go-to (in the minds of many people, anyway – there’s more to C than Citrus.

Bell Peppers

Nutritious and delicious: red, green, yellow peppers.

Whether you favor red, green, or yellow, if peppers are a staple in your daily salad, you’re getting a good dose of Vitamin C.  Yellow peppers contain the highest percentage of Vitamin C – a whopping 183.5 mg per 100 grams, or 213% DV (Daily Value). Still, if you like crunching on sweet red peppers, or adding green peppers to your stir fry, have no fear: 100 grams of red pepper will give you 127.7 mg of Vitamin C, and 100 grams green pepper will give you 80.4mg – or more than double that amount, if you sauté them. By contrast, oranges “only” offer 53.2 mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams – still an impressive amount, but it’s clear who’s the winner here.

Strawberries

I mean, seriously, it’s no secret that most of us love strawberries. Even most kids who won’t touch anything slightly healthy will usually have a go at this sweet red fruit. 100 grams of strawberries will give you 58.8 mg of Vitamin C; slightly more than the same amount of orange will give you. Add strawberries to your morning cereal, blend them with low-fat yogurt and milk for a naturally sweet smoothie, or toss them, sliced, into your dinner salad for a taste of the summer that we miss so much. As far as Vitamin C foods go, this is a seriously popular option.

Broccoli

Broccoli is easily added to soups and dishes of all kinds.

They’re not quite as popular as strawberries (definitely not among kids, especially), but most of us are quite partial to some broccoli in our stir fry, soup, or pasta. With 89.2 mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams, this vegetable outdoes the brighter orange with almost double the amount of the vitamin. If your kids (or partner/SO) are not broccoli fans and won’t touch anything that looks like a tree, try sneaking them into veggie patties (anything fried or pan-fried will go), pureeing them in soup, or mashing them into a morning omelet with plenty of cheese.

Brussels Sprouts

Yep, we all know that Brussels sprouts are healthy, but you probably didn’t realize just how healthy. Aside from being an excellent source of Vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, and omega-3 fatty acids (among other nutrients), they pack in 85 mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams. They’re great for losing weight, as well – that same serving is only 43 calories, so they’re a welcomed addition to your lunch or dinner menu if you’re trying to shed a few pounds. When you diet, you’re cutting out certain foods and limiting others, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need. Eating only one cup of these cabbage cousins will give you more than enough Vitamin C for the day, so they’re an ideal way to receive the vitamin even when you’re counting the calories.

Kiwi

Known for its tangy taste, you might be lucky enough to have everyone in your family enjoy this fruit. While it can be too acidic for some, most of us will eat them with yogurt or in a fruit salad. They also make a great addition to a fruit platter or a smoothie, and 100 grams of this exotic-looking green fruit will give you 92.7 mg of Vitamin C. That’s almost double the amount that 100 grams of orange will give you, which is pretty impressive, considering that your average kiwi is around half the size of your average orange. Good things come in small packages, as they say.

Conclusion

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient – it’s needed for your skin, bones, teeth, and blood vessels, and is a powerful antioxidant that helps to fight against inflammation in the body. But there’s no reason to despair if oranges aren’t your thing – now you can add other foods to your diet that will ensure your body receives the vitamins it needs.

Whether you prefer your fruits or your veggies, there are easy ways to add Vitamin C into your diet – be it strawberries dipped in dark chocolate for a healthy, sweet treat, adding bell pepper slices to your chicken kebabs or mixing broccoli into your egg-fried rice, Vitamin C is one nutrient that we can all receive without too much effort. It’s not only about oranges anymore – Vitamin C might be an absolutely necessary nutrient but, luckily for us, nature is chock-full of it.

Take care of yourself, your body, your health, and make sure to get enough Vitamin C on a daily basis.