It’s that time of year when many of us are trying to ward off the colds by increasing our vitamin C intake. But which foods are rich in it and what are the benefits to our health?
Vitamin C is not only associated with a healthy immune system; it is also involved in the formation of collagen (helping to maintain healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage) and improves cell health and wound healing. It is important to remember that Vitamin C is water-soluble so is not stored in the body: this means that we need to ensure that we get an adequate amount each day.
The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for adults is 40mg per day- which you should be able to get from your diet. Being water-soluble, some vitamin C is lost during the cooking process, so you need to bare this in mind.
So, here are the top ten Vitamin C rich foods:
1. Blackcurrants – 160mg per 80g serving (handful)
2. Red pepper – 100mg per 80g serving (½ large pepper)
3. Kiwi fruit – 47mg per 80g serving (1 fruit)
4. Guava – 126mg per 55g serving (1 fruit)
5. Green pepper – 96mg per 80g serving (½ large pepper)
6. Orange – 73mg per 140g serving (1 fruit)
7. Strawberries – 47mg per 80g serving (7 strawberries)
8. Papaya – 94mg per 80g serving (½ small papaya)
9. Broccoli (raw) – 63mg per 80g serving (handful)
10. Kale (cooked) – 57mg per 80g serving (handful)
(Based on a BBC Good Food article from 26th April 2019)
