The Top Vitamin All Shoppers Should be Getting Now

The produce aisle is piled high with fruits and vegetables that boast high levels of immune supportive vitamin C and the many benefits that go along with this potent antioxidant.

It’s officially fall! Colder temperatures are just around the corner and that means we need to arm our bodies with defenses against colds, flus, and other ills that may come our way. Luckily the produce aisle is piled high with fruits and vegetables that boast high levels of immune supportive vitamin C and the many benefits that go along with this potent antioxidant.

One of the most important benefits of vitamin C is the formation of collagen, the basis of connective tissue in skin, capillary walls, bones, and teeth. Wounds heal faster and blood vessels are healthier when our bodies receive adequate vitamin C. Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy, which causes lesions on the skin and mucous membranes (all collagen related). It helps with the absorption of iron (from plant sources) and continued research also shows that it stimulates the immune system. Its powerful antioxidants protect cells from damage from pollution, smoking, or exposure to other carcinogens.

Head to the produce aisle for vitamin C rich foods! The richest sources of vitamin C are sweet peppers, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, and turnip greens. Vitamin C is heat sensitive so the longer veggies are cooked, the more the vitamin decreases; raw vegetables contain the most. The faster the cooking method the better!

Other prime sources for vitamin C include papayas and mangoes, pineapple, grapefruit and tangerines, kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon. Others high in vitamin C are okra, winter and summer squash, cabbage, dark leafy greens, cauliflower, peas, sweet potatoes, and asparagus.

More than 50 percent of Americans do not get nearly enough vitamin C. The recommended daily intake ranges from 45 to 95 mg/day. 

Encouraging shoppers to add vitamin C to their diets is as delicious as it is easy. Although oranges and orange juice are the obvious, suggest adding one-third cup of sliced red bell pepper, or ¾ cup green pepper or 1 cup lightly steamed broccoli or 1 cup of strawberries to daily meals. Keep in mind that the amount of vitamin C found in food varies greatly. In general, unripe food is much lower in vitamin C than ripe, but provided that the food is ripe, the vitamin C content is higher when the food is picked at its peak freshness. And as always, what’s local and seasonal will be the freshest and most nutritious.

One more thing: there have been claims that vitamin C relieves stress, and can help with weight loss – but there are few studies to back up these claims. In terms of relieving stress, vitamin C is used up faster in “stressful situations” i.e. smoking, secondhand smoke, work and family stress, traffic, and the variety of other stresses we encounter on a daily basis. All types of stress can indicate a need for including more vitamin C rich foods.