When flu season comes around, vitamin C-rich oranges start flying off the supermarket shelves as we prepare our immune systems to beat it. But, contrary to popular belief, vitamin C isn’t the miracle cure for the common cold.
Instead, this antioxidant acts to repair damaged tissues, promotes normal growth and development and is essential for good heart health. Vitamin C also assists in iron absorption, lowering cholesterol, is associated with healthier skin and a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C is between 45 mg for adults, while children should aim to get 35 mg of vitamin C daily. It sounds easy enough, especially when 100 g of oranges contains more than enough for a day’s intake. However, if oranges don’t float your boat, this list of foods that are high in vitamin C just might…
https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/beauty-and-health/combat-flu-and-common-colds-with-these-10-vitamin-c-rich-foods/
10 Vitamin C-rich Foods
1. Capsicums
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Red capsicums contain 242.5 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams. That’s around double the amount that green capsicums contain.
Try this Roast Spiced Capsicum Soup recipe.
2. Pineapple
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Fresh pineapple brings 47.8 milligrams of vitamin C for every 100 grams. Meanwhile, canned pineapple sits around 17 mg per 100 grams and contains a far higher sugar content, which is something to keep in mind when choosing fruit!
Try this Pork And Pineapple Salad recipe.
3. Persimmons
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Autumnal persimmons contain 66 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit. These heart-shaped fruits comes in two varieties and tend to stick around during winter. Look for the astringent persimmon when making jams and preserves. The sweeter, non-astringent persimmon is better for baking, like in our recipe below.
4. Broccoli
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Broccoli will give you 89.2 milligrams of vitamin C for every 100 grams, making it the perfect addition to everything from pastas and bakes to stir-fries and even soups!
Try this Pan-fried Gnocchi & Greens recipe.
5. Papaya
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A sweet melon-like fruit, papaya adds up to 60.9 grams of vitamin C for every 100 grams of fruit. It works equally well in sweet chutneys and fruit salads as it does in savoury dishes. Look out for it as the weather starts to warm up again.
6. Kiwi Fruit
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Kiwi fruit contains 92.7 milligrams per 100 grams. Scoop the flesh straight out of the skin as a healthy snack or add it to tarts and fruit salads.
7. Guava
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Guava contains a whopping 228.3 milligrams of vitamin C for every 100 grams, easily covering the recommended daily requirements.
8. Brussels Sprouts
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Brussels sprouts contain 85 milligrams of vitamin C for every 100 grams. They’re the perfect addition to family dinners, if you can convince the little ones to eat them, that is!
Try this Mixed Vegetable Crumble recipe.
9. Strawberries
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This one may be obvious but strawberries do give oranges a run for their money, containing 58.8 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams.
Try this Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt recipe.
These foods truly are packed full of vitamin C, making it oh-so-easy to up your intake!
However, do be wary you don’t overdo it. While there is no consensus on what is too much vitamin C, a prudent daily limit should sit around 1,000 mg. As always, if making significant changes to your diet, consult a medical professional or your GP first.
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly / Additional reporting: Sean Tan / Photos: Pixabay, 123rf.com
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