The Produce with the Most Vitamin C

​www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/the_20_foods_that_have_the_most_vitamin_c/s1__35739191#slide_19

Cold and flu season is creeping up on us y'all which means we want to ensure we're getting our daily dose of vitamin c. As a water soluble vitamin, it is easily absorbed in to our blood streams but not easily stored which means that we need the recommended amount every single day. Produce is the easiest way to ensure you're getting enough Vitamin C. In fact, Vitamin C is readily available in some of the most common fruits & veggies that we all likely have in our crispers.

For reference, the average healthy person needs between 75mg - 90mg daily. Let's take a look at the list and a few recipes to go along with some of my faves.

1. BELL PEPPERS

While all varieties of bell pepper contain vitamin c, they do not all pack the same vitamin infused punch. Their vitamin c range is between 95mg - 341mg depending on the colour. The yellow clocks in at the highest amount of vitamin c while the green bells have the least. Considering what we need in a day, one pepper of any variety will give us our dose. I try to eat raw peppers in my mix of raw veg every day but don't shy away from the cooked ones. Here's a recipe below that features bell peppers and is super delicious.

Stuffed Peps

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/stuffed-peps

2. Acerola Cherries
​
3. Black Currants

4 - 6 Cruciferous Veg

Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, and Cauliflower, are all good sources of vitamin c among their many other nutritional stats. Cauliflower contains roughly 50mg per cup while brussel sprouts and broccoli contain about 100mg, just over the daily requirement. While I occasionally snack on raw cauli, the other two I don't enjoy raw quite as much. There are so many ways to cook with these veggies. Peep the recipes below!

Balsamic & Grana Roasted Sprouts

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/balsamic-grana-roasted-brussel-sprouts

Cauli Tikka
Tacos​

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/cauliflower-tikka-tacos

Gnocchi, Cauli & Broc Bake

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/gnocchi-cauli-broccoli-cheese-skillet

7. Cantaloupe

​8. Chili Peppers

Y'all know by now, I love my food with some heat. In fact, almost every recipe I create has some level of heat thanks to chipotles, chilis, pep flakes, or jalapenos. Chilis pack a whopping amount of Vitamin C, ranging from 65mg - 109mg per pepper. Considering these peps pack a spicy punch, you'll likely eat them sparingly. I've got just the recipe for you below that features Thai chilis which will give you some Vitamin C and a welcome slap in the face from heat.

Paneer Red Curry

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/paneer-red-curry

9. Guava

​10. Kale

Everyone's favourite leafy green right here folks. Just kidding, it's definitely an acquired taste if you ask me, and personally, it needs to be cooked properly before I'll engage with it. It's very fibrous and difficult to chew when raw unless it is massaged with citrus & EVOO. That's why I'll typically cook it in my soups or sauces which ensures it'll be nice and tender by the time I get to it. Much like spinach, it's a wonderful addition to your soups and sauces and contains as much Vitamin C per serving as oranges. 

If you want to get some in you raw, try adding it to your smoothies.

Gnocchi Pomodoro
​with Kale

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/gnocchi-pomodoro-with-kale

Gnocchi, Broad Bean & Kale Pot Pie

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/gnocchi-broad-bean-kale-pot-pie-with-phyllo-crust

11. Kiwis

​12. Lemons

Unsurprisingly, lemon makes it on to the list. Citrus fruits are recognized as being an excellent source of vitamin c and one whole lemon clocks in at around 86mg. You're likely not going to be eating an entire lemon although I won't stop you. You can add lemon to just about anything for a pop of citrus flavour and some Vitamin C boosting action. Add it to your smoothies, vinaigrettes, soups, and roasted veggies. There's so many wonderful ways to include more lemon in your diet, right down to adding some wedges or slices to your glass of water.

Turmeric Lemon lentil Soup

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/lemon-turmeric-lentil-soup

13. Lychee

14. Mango

​15. Oranges

As the article suggests, this one should be the least surprising entry on the list. Oranges have been touted for their Vitamin C content for as long as they've been around. Whether you're eating them raw, juicing them, adding them to salads, or smoothies, the more oranges you can add in to your diet, the better off you'll be. I love adding a few frozen wedges to most of my smoothies for a little pop of citrus and additional nutrients. 

16. Papaya

​17. Peas

Green peas, snow peas, snap peas, they're all fabulous. Green peas are delicious cooked in soups, sauces, and stews, while I prefer to nosh on snap peas raw for their juicy crunch. Sugar snap peas & snow peas contain about 60mg of Vitamin C per cup. Try adding snap peas to your raw veggie snack mix for a fresh, crispy, and juicy addition to your mix. Cooked however, I've got a recipe of two for you!

Green Pea
​Pesto

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/fresh-green-pea-pesto

Paneer & Spring Veg Coconut Curry

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/paneer-spring-veg-green-curry

18. Rose Hip

19. Strawberries

​20. Potatoes

WHAT?! You mean my absolute favourite vegetable ever is on the list of vitamin c packed foods? What can't potatoes do?

Look, potatoes get a bad rap because most of the time when we're discussing them, we're talking about when they're fried or mashed wiht loads of butter. On their own, they're full of potassium, fiber, and approximately 42mg of Vitamin C in a regular sized potato. Nothing to scoff at if you ask me.

Potato Bruschetta

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/potato-bruschetta

Potato Parm Steaks

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/potato-parm-steaks

HAPPY VEG