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The COVID-19 pandemic is causing shortages of important medical devices, foods and products. You may be hoping to boost your immunity with additional vitamin C.  It’s important to know that fruits and vegetables are still the best food sources of vitamin C.  Buy fresh (or even frozen) foods rich in vitamin C. Here’s what you need to look out for.

Facts

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, plays many important roles in the body.  This vitamin is key to the immune system, helping prevent infections and fight disease.

It is a water-soluble vitamin that’s found in many foods, mostly in  fruits and vegetables. Well-known for being a potent antioxidant,  it also has positive effects on skin health and immune function. Vital for collagen synthesis, connective tissue, bones, teeth and your small blood vessels.

chilies and vitamin c | Longevity LIVE

The human body cannot produce or store it. Therefore, it’s essential to consume it regularly in sufficient amounts.

The current daily value (DV) for vitamin C is 90 mg.

Here are the top foods that are high in vitamin C.

The list is sourced from MyFoodData.com who sourced the information from the U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central.

Top Vitamin C Foods by Nutrient Density (Vitamin C per Gram)

Food Serving Vitamin C
#1 Acerola Cherry
(Source)
100 grams 1864% DV
(1678mg)
#2 Dried Herbs (Coriander)
(Source)
100 grams 630% DV
(567mg)
#3 Rose Hips
(Source)
100 grams 473% DV
(426mg)
#4 Guavas
(Source)
100 grams 254% DV
(228mg)
#5 Sweet Yellow Peppers
(Source)
100 grams 204% DV
(184mg)
#6 Black Currants
(Source)
100 grams 201% DV
(181mg)
#7 Thyme
(Source)
100 grams 178% DV
(160mg)
#8 Red Chilies
(Source)
100 grams 160% DV
(144mg)
#9 Scotch Kale
(Source)
100 grams 144% DV
(130mg)
#10 Kiwifruit
(Source)
100 grams 103% DV
(93mg)

Other Vitamin C Rich Foods

Food Serving Vitamin C
#1 Litchis (Lychees)
(Source)
per cup 151% DV
(136mg)
#2 Green Chillies
(Source)
1 pepper 121% DV
(109mg)
#3 Kohlrabi
(Source)
1 cup 93% DV
(84mg)
#4 Parsley
(Source)
per cup 89% DV
(80mg)
#5 Starfruit (Carambola)
(Source)
per cup 41% DV
(37mg)
#6 Garden Cress
(Source)
1 cup 38% DV
(35mg)
#7 Jalapeno Peppers
(Source)
1 pepper 18% DV
(17mg)
#8 Saffron
(Source)
1 tblsp 2% DV
(2mg)

MyFoodData.com now releases the USDA data in a flat spreadsheet file format for public use. Find out more here.

Does cooking affect it?

According to Medical News Today, cooking may reduce the amount of the vitamin in fruits and vegetables. To optimize, the ODS recommends steaming or microwaving these foods.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin C is vital for your immune system, connective tissue and heart and blood vessel health, among many other important roles.

Not getting enough can have negative effects on your health.

Vitamin C

While citrus fruits may be the most famous source of this particular vitamin, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are rich in this vitamin and may even exceed the amounts found in citrus fruits.

By eating some foods suggested above each day, your immunity should be boosted.

Read this complete guide to boosting your immune system.

References:

What are vitamins and how do they work? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195878

Vitamin C in Disease Prevention and Cure: An Overview Shailja ChambialShailendra DwivediKamla Kant ShuklaPlacheril J. John, and Praveen Sharmacorresponding author

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783921/

Top Vitamin C Foods By Nutrient Density (Vitamin C Per Gram)

MyFoodData.com  and U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central

20 Best foods for vitamin C – Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325067#does-cooking-affect-vitamin-c

National Institute of Health: Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

20 Foods That Are High in Vitamin C – Healthline:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods

Gisèle Wertheim Aymes

Gisèle Wertheim Aymes

Gisèle is the owner of the Longevity brand. She is a seasoned media professional and autodidactic. Gisèle has a passion for sharing information on good health. You can follow her @giselewaymes on Twitter and Instagram or read her Linked-In profile for full bio details.

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