7 Surprising Foods High in Vitamin C

Yes, vitamin C is tucked away in more foods than you may imagine! Aside from citrus fruits, you can find loads of vitamin C in vegetables, herbs, plus some unusual fruits from afar that are catching on as superfoods.

Besides being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C benefits may include boosting skin health and your immune system, according to Healthline. This important vitamin aids teeth, bones, and connective tissue, plus it supports collagen synthesis.

Since you do not make your own vitamin C and you cannot store it, you need to have it daily. Although a few power-packed fruits on this list may not be available locally, they can be obtained as a powdered supplement at your health food store. Incorporating these seven surprising foods into your diet will help you get your daily value of 90 mg.

Peppers

Peppers are actually considered an herb and belong to the nightshade family; they include chili peppers, jalapeño, bell peppers, and many more.  One cup of peppers provides 160 percent of the daily value of vitamin C, according to Mindfood. If you want the highest concentration of vitamin C, choose yellow peppers, or red and green peppers.

Kale

Just one cup of chopped raw kale offers 80 mg of vitamin C. When you add a bit more, you are having your entire 90 mg serving of vitamin C for the day!

If you prefer to cook kale, it loses some of its vitamin C, offering 53 mg for one cup, according to Healthline. However, a study from Preventive Nutrition and Science reveals that steaming, boiling, and frying actually helps release more antioxidants than eating it raw. When you cook kale, you are packing more power into your meal.

Broccoli

This is another powerful vitamin C food that is not a fruit! When you eat 100 grams of broccoli, you will get 99 percent of your daily value, according to Mindfood. A cruciferous vegetable, the combined vitamins C and E, antioxidant, and carotenoid content of broccoli lower oxidative stress.

Brussel sprouts

Mom always told you to finish your brussel sprouts! She was right. Just half a cup gives you 54 percent of the daily value, not to mention the many vitamins and nutrients found in this healthy cruciferous vegetable, according to Mindfood.

The vitamins C and K in brussel sprouts support bone health, according to Healthline, with vitamin C helping to form collagen, a fibrous region in your bones. High intakes of vitamin C may also reduce the risk of osteoporosis and hip fractures, according to a study from the British Journal of Nutrition.

Thyme

Packed with vitamin C, sprinkle this tasty herb into your savory dishes. When you use fresh thyme, you are getting three times more vitamin C than in an orange, according to Mindfood. Just 28 grams of fresh thyme provides 45 milligrams, exactly half of the recommended daily value.

Kakadu plums

If you live in Australia, you will be familiar with this superfood. Kakadu plums contain 100 times more vitamin C than oranges, according to Healthline. This is the highest concentration of vitamin c known to be in a food!

Eating one kakadu plum offers 481 milligrams of vitamin C; that is a whacking 530 percent of the daily value. If you live outside of Australia, you can buy this as a freeze-dried powder in your health food store.

Camu camu

This large berry is in stiff competition with kakadu plums for having the highest concentration of vitamin C in the world, according to Dr. Axe. It is found in Brazil and Peru along the flooded regions of the Amazon rainforest.

It offers 60 times more vitamin C than an orange and 56 times more vitamin C than a lemon. If you have 100 grams of camu camu, you will get 2,145 milligrams of vitamin C, so best to take it in smaller doses. This healthy food is also good for gum, gut health, cardiovascular, and liver health. Camu camu also enhances mood.

It can be easily obtained in powdered form at the health food store and then added to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal. You may also find that camu camu is added to popsicles and frozen yogurts, while some places sell camu camu juice.