By : Josh Axe
Top 10 Vitamin C Foods
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in maintaining the health of the body’s connective tissue as well as acting as an antioxidant.
A severe vitamin C deficiency will result in scurvy, a disease resulting from the breakdown of collagen.
Scurvy is rarely seen today, as only a very small amount of vitamin C is needed to prevent it.
But even mild vitamin C deficiency symptoms include: easy bruising, bleeding gums, slow wound healing, dry splitting hair, nosebleeds, and dry red spots on the skin, where blood has leaked out of the capillaries.
Benefits of consuming vitamin C rich foods include:
- Promotes healthy glowing skin and collagen formation
- Improves mineral absorption
- Fights free radical damage
- Boosts immunity fighting colds and flu
- Improves health of gums and teeth
- Vital for circulation and heart health
The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women. The Daily Value is 60 mg.
Top 10 Vitamin C Foods List
- Oranges
1 large: 82 mg (over 100% DV) - Red peppers
½ cup chopped, raw: 95 mg (over 100% DV) - Kale
1 cup: 80 mg (134% DV) - Brussels sprouts
½ cup cooked: 48 mg (80% DV) - Broccoli
½ cup cooked: 51 mg (107% DV) - Strawberries
½ cup: 42 mg (70% DV) - Grapefruit
½ cup: 43 mg (71% DV) - Guava
1 fruit: 125 mg (over 100% DV) - Kiwi
1 piece: 64 mg (33% DV) - Green peppers
½ c chopped, raw: 60 mg (100% DV)
Following this vitamin C foods list can help you maintain optimal levels of vitamin C. Try and consume 2-3 of these vitamin C foods sources daily.
Top Health Benefits of Vitamin C
Healthy Immune Function
Vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and helps these immune cells to function properly. Vitamin C, since it is an antioxidant, helps protect white blood cells from oxidative damage and therefore keeps them functioning properly.
Although it is commonly believed that vitamin C will boost the immune system to help fight off colds, the studies regarding its ability to prevent or reduce illness have been inconclusive.
Skin health
Higher vitamin C intakes have been connected to a decrease in the appearance of wrinkles and skin dryness. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which can help reduce the effect oxidative damage caused by pollution, stress, or poor diet.
Free radicals formed by oxidative damage speed up the aging process, but adequate intakes of vitamin C may help slow it down, especially on the appearance of the skin.
Reduced Risk of Stroke
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition featured a study that found those with high levels of vitamin C in their blood had almost a 50% decreased risk of stroke.
The exact reason is still unclear and researchers are unsure if it is just the high consumption of fruit and vegetables from the diet that lowers the risk of stroke.
