I cant believe that I am going to say this, but I actually feel the nights beginning to cool where I live. Oh, I am so-o-o-o not ready for winter and would extend a beautiful Indian summer well into November if I could; but alas, not possible. That being the case, I thought it might not be too early to begin preparing our bodies against the cold viruses that inevitably come with cooler weather.
We all know that vitamin C help our bodies maintain healthy tissues and a strong immune system, and it aids in the absorption of iron. Vitamin C is considered to be a great resource if one is trying to avoid or kick a cold or other illness. Together with calcium and iron, it's also an important part of a diet that counteracts lead poisoning.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adult men is 90 mg and for adult women it is 75 mg. In order to be able to get our vitamin C naturally, here are some food sources that are, according to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, chock full of this vitamin. While I was aware of the Vitamin C in some of these foods, others came as a bit of a surprise. Maybe they will to you as well!
By the way, you may note that oranges are not ranked #1!
Guava is rich in vitamin C -- one half cup of the fruit contains 188 mg of vitamin C and 56 calories. Eat the fruit raw, or blend it into a smoothie with some of the other foods listed, add some yogurt, and voila! Instant health.
You probably think citrus when you think of immune system-boosting vitamin C, but red sweet pepper offers a solid dose of the nutrient. One half cup of raw red sweet pepper contains 142 mg of vitamin C and 20 calories. If you cook the veggie, a half cup offers 116 mg of vitamin C. Or, just chop and add to salads for a splash of healthy color!
Kiwi is rich in vitamin C. One medium kiwi contains 70 mg of the nutrient and 46 calories. Just slice and eat raw, or add to smoothies, or salads.
Ah-h-h, finally we get to the orange. One medium orange contains 70 mg of vitamin C and 62 calories. If you prefer it in liquid form, 3/4 cup of orange juice contains 61-93 mg of vitamin C and 79-84 calories. Use a simple orange press to make fresh juice. There is NOTHING more wonderful!
Grapefruit juice provides almost the same amount of vitamin C as green peppers: 3/4 cup has 50-70 mg vitamin C and 71-86 calories.
Drinking your vegetables provides plenty of nutrients, including a vitamin C punch (and, if your veggie juice is tomato-based, a healthy dose of lycopene, a disease-fighting phytonutrient). You'll get 50 mg of vitamin C and 34 calories in 3/4 cup of juice.
