According to National Institutes of Health research, vitamin C may play an important role in lowering your risk of heart disease and even improving the quality of life for cancer patients. Another intriguing benefit of eating vitamin C is that it improves your absorption of plant-based iron, which can help you avoid conditions like anemia. So, pair those lentils, spinach, or tofu with vitamin C-rich plant-based foods. Fortunately, getting your daily dose of vitamin C is simple; simply consume the following high-vitamin C foods throughout the day.
Lychee
The fragrant, tropical aroma of these bite-sized fruits is reason enough to include them in your diet, but they also contain a lot of vitamin C (136 milligrams per cup, to be exact).
Bruxelles Sprouts
Brussels sprouts resemble tiny brains, and their high vitamin C content (75 milligrams per serving) may help improve brain health. For a surprising crunch, roast them in the oven or shred them into a salad.
Blackcurrants
If you like the refreshing sharp taste of blackberries, try blackcurrants, which have nearly seven times the vitamin C content at 203 milligrams per serving.
Mango
Conveniently, some of the sweetest fruits available not only transport you back to your favorite beach vacation, but they are also extremely nutritious. For example, one mango contains 75 milligrams of vitamin C.
Green Bell Pepper
If you don't like the sweeter taste of red bell pepper, its green counterpart contains 120 milligrams of vitamin C per serving.
Cauliflower
One small head of cauliflower contains a whopping 128 milligrams of vitamin C, whether you dip florets in ranch or rice it up in a stir-fry. It's also high in fiber, which makes it filling.
Oranges
There's a reason why you think of oranges when you think of vitamin C: A single medium-sized fruit contains 70 milligrams of antioxidant. Their high flavonoid content has also been linked to lower rates of macular degeneration and cardiovascular disease.
Grapefruit
Do you have orange fatigue? Grapefruits are a more powerful disease-fighting option. With 88 milligrams of vitamin C per medium fruit, this zesty, tangy citrus is a great way to change things up.
Tomato Juice
One cup of 100% tomato juice has a whopping 174 milligrams of vitamin C. Permission to slurp Bloody Mary mixture? Granted. ( Simply choose the low-sodium variety to help your blood pressure.
Cantaloupe
With its pretty color and fruit salad vibes, refreshing cantaloupe is a surprisingly good source of vitamin C, with 48 milligrams per serving.
Red Bell Pepper
These vegetables are colorful, crunchy, and low in calories—a half-cup of chopped peppers contains 95 milligrams of vitamin C.
Papaya
Every cup of papaya contains 88 milligrams of vitamin C. As an added bonus, the fruit is high in vitamin A and fiber.
Guava
Nothing says summer like a tropical fruit—especially one with 377 milligrams of vitamin C per cup. That's five times your daily allowance!
Broccoli
Make this your go-to green not only for the C content (81 milligrams per cup of chopped broccoli), but also for the protein (nearly three grams!).
Strawberries
One cup of sliced strawberries contains 98 milligrams of vitamin C. (So strawberry shortcake is definitely boosting my immune system, right?)
The Yellow Kiwi
When you see SunGolds in the store, grab them. These beauties have 130 milligrams of vitamin C per fruit, which is twice as much as the traditional (and more familiar) green-fleshed fruit.
Green Chili Peppers
You know what they say about not being able to take the heat...
A single pepper contains 109 milligrams of vitamin C. Furthermore, studies show that spicing up your foods can increase your
Kohlrabi
Are you unfamiliar with this vegetable? It's cabbage, but the texture is crisp and crunchy, similar to jicama (not leafy). One cup contains 84 milligrams of vitamin C.
Mustard Greens
Dietitians always preach eating a variety of foods to get a variety of nutrients, so if you haven't cooked with zippy-tasting mustard greens before, now is the time. Two cups (which wilts down into a manageable portion once sautéed) provide 78 milligrams of vitamin C.
Pineapple
Tropical fruit triumphs once more. One cup of pineapple chunks contains 79 milligrams of vitamin C and is high in the mineral manganese.