Foods (That Aren’t Oranges) With the Highest Amount of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the vitamin we all know to love. It boosts our immune system and helps both prevent and treat things as common as a cold and unnerving as cancer. Lesser known benefits include aiding in healing wounds, broken bones and burns. As a topical solution, it can protect our skin against the sun, and as an anti-oxidant, it can help with cataracts, heart disease and even asthma. It also assists with regulating blood sugar, such that it is beneficial for diabetics. And, we are just scratching the surface of Vitamin C’s potential.

In the same way its fairly common knowledge that Vitamin C is a good thing, most folks are well aware the citrus fruits, particularly oranges, are a great source of this wondrous health booster. But, we needn’t rely solely on oranges and grapefruits alone for our daily dosage or even mega-doses. Lots of foods have Vitamin C, and some of them are even a more significant source than the revered orange.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy!

Check out these super C-bolstering food groups:

Melons, Berries, and Tropicals

One cup of melons provides over 100% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C. Let them be honeydew or cantaloupe, they both bring a wallop of Vitamin C. Other fruits also provide high levels of Vitamin C, including: strawberries, kiwis, blackberries, mangoes, pineapples, guava and papaya. What’s even better is that, because we tend to eat fruit raw, heat hasn’t damaged the vitamin, so we get full use of the nutritional content. Eat them fresh, eat them raw, eat them often, and stay healthy – fruits are your friend for feeling well.

Try them out in:

• Super-Healthy Vegan Berry Tarts with Chia Seeds
• Pineapple Guacamole
• Raw Mango-Banana Soft Serve Ice Cream

Red Peppers

Though usually found with the veggies, peppers are actually just another fruit to the list. Nonetheless, they are such a significant source of Vitamin C that we’ll give them their own showcase. Red, yellow, green—they all bring in high doses, with one large pepper nearly dwarfing the daily recommended amount (DRA) we need. Even spicy peppers, like jalapenos, bring on the Vitamin C too. Again, eating them raw, say on a salad or in a hot sauce, protects the heat-sensitive vitamin. But, that doesn’t mean you can never cook peppers.

Spice up your life with:

• Raw Tomato Red Pepper Soup
• Fat-Free Vegan Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers
• Cornbread Stuffing with Bell Peppers

Dark, Leafy Greens

 Seriously, can you ever go wrong with dark, leafy greens? They are good for us in so many ways. The fiber, the iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and now vitamin C—there is just such a positive vibe around dark, leaf greens. Hey, kale and spinach may have the occasional dispute over nutritional superiority, but either way we go, good things are happening. And, let us not forget the others, the lettuces, mustard, and collard greens. They are all such a smart way to better the day. I always throw them in a salad, but that’s not to say there aren’t more recipes to be explored.

How about these?

• 10 Flavorful Ways to Cook Spinach
• 5 Flavorful Ways to Cook Collard Greens
• A Plethora of Kale Recipes 

Broccoli & Co.

Broccoli is actually in the cabbage, or cruciferous family, as are Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and bok choy (and a lot of those aforementioned dark, leafy greens). This bunch, too, is not shy about dropping a little Vitamin C our way. A serving of broccoli or Brussels sprouts will actually send you over the daily quota, and cauliflower and red cabbage aren’t far off the mark.

Plus, these guys just provide some fantastically delicious food and fun recipes:

• 12 Yummy Ways to Enjoy Broccoli (Yes, Really!)
• Cauliflower Picatta
• 5 Ways to Get Anyone to Love Brussels Sprouts

Peas

Snow peas, garden peas or English-style mushy peas, they all deliver nearly a full day’s worth of Vitamin C (as well as a fine boost of protein for those plant-based protein seekers). They work nicely as salad additions, make creamy soups and are perfect with carrots, a la Forrest Gump. Whatever suits, peas push the C-levels to new heights, so it’s a good idea to include them every now and again.

Try peas in:

• Snap Pea Salad with Almonds in an Herbed Vinaigrette
• Raw Green Pea Soup
• Black-eyed Pea and Spinach Cakes (with Sun-Dried Tomato Tartar Sauce)

This, of course, isn’t to say there aren’t other sources out there, but these foods are amongst the best and brightest when it comes to Vitamin C from simple, natural foosd. And, Vitamin C is amongst the best and brightest nutrients when it comes to our health. So, now it’s easy to get the most of both.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

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