10 Vitamin C-Rich Foods to Boost Your Immune System
If you truly want to take care of your overall health, it is extremely important and take good care of your immune system. One of the best ways to do so is to eat healthy diet that is full of essential vitamins and nutrients that our body needs. To be more specific, there is one vitamin that definitely get the job done and of course I’m talking about Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is great for the immune system as it helps the body create new white blood cells that work naturally to ward off infections. So, if you diet is lacking in Vitamin C, your body will have fewer white blood cells which means a weakened immune system and a greater likelihood of getting sick. There are several foods that you probably already eat in your diet are loaded with vitamin C and there are few that you probably are not aware of.
In this block, we are going to breakdown some of the richest sources of vitamin C that you can consider adding to your diet in order to give your immune system a much-needed boost.
01. Banana:
It is one of the most eaten fruits in the entire world and are typically known for being a good source of potassium. With that said, many forget that they are also loaded with vitamin C as well. One medium banana contains about 10 mg of vitamin C. they are great when eaten anytime throughout the day- Even as a pre or post workout snack. You can even enjoy one for your breakfast to jump start your immune system first thing in the morning.
02. Oranges:
This is one of the most common and most known sources of vitamin C by the general public. The reason is, oranges have a very high vitamin C content. One medium orange contains about 65 milligram of vitamin C. The best way to get more vitamin C from oranges is by eating the whole fruit. You can drink orange juice as well, just be careful because many of the most popular brands are loaded with extra sugar to enhance the taste.
03. Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and you can typically find them year-round do technically they are in season in the summer month. One medium tomato contains about 17 mg of vitamin C. You can act tomato slices to fresh salads or even through a few slices on your sandwich. You can also make fresh salsa with tomatoes for a quick and delicious snack that is loaded with vitamin C.
04. Broccoli:
Broccoli is often known as a super food so it’s no surprise that vitamin C is one of the various benefits that it contains. Half a cup of cooked broccoli contains about 55 milligrams of vitamin C. You could get around 100 milligrams or more just from one serving. You can also try streaming broccoli for a tasty side dish or you can eat it raw in your salads.
05. Red peppers:
Peppers come in a variety of colours and flavours and offer many positive health benefits. But if you are wanting one with high vitamin C content, look no further than sweet red Peppers. Half a cup of chopped red Peppers contain about 59 milligrams of vitamin C. This small amount almost meets your entire daily lead. We specifically pointed out red Peppers but orange and yellow Peppers tend to have higher levels of vitamin C than green Peppers, so this is just something to keep in mind.
06. Kiwi:
Kiwis are a unique fruit that often doesn’t get a lot of attention, but you should know that they are one of the most vitamin C rich foods on the planet. One Kiwi contains about 130 milligrams of vitamin C which means that just one Kiwi meets your entire daily need for this essential vitamin. Kiwis are delicious when eaten sliced by itself or you can add them to your smoothies as well.
07. Grapefruit:
As in the case for many citrus fruits, grapefruit also contains a large amount of vitamin C. ½ of a medium sized grape fruit has about 44 milligrams of vitamin C which is plenty to give your immune system a nice boost. One thing to keep in mind is that grapefruit is a fruit that may affect the performance of some medications.  So be sure of consult with your healthcare provider before adding grapefruit or any of these foods to your diet.
08. Strawberries:
Strawberries are a popular sweet fruit that is grown around the world in a variety of different climates. You guessed it, they just so happened to be loaded with vitamin C. One Cup of holes strawberries contains approximately 85 milligrams of vitamin C. Strawberries are delicious when eaten by themselves or you can add them to cereal, Yogurt or smoothies.
09. Brussel:
Brussels sprouts are part of the cabbage family and are widely consumed around the world. Half a cup of cooked Brussels sprouts has about 37 milligrams of vitamin C which is a very healthy amount for consumption.
10. Potato:
It may be surprised that potatoes made the list. They are widely known as afoot that is high in carbohydrates but you should know that they contain a healthy amount of vitamin C as well. One medium-sized baked potato contains around 22 milligrams of vitamin C. As with any vegetable, the cooking method plays a role in its benefits.  You can opt for baking or roasting potatoes over frying them if you want to keep the calories as low as possible. Also, you should consider keeping the skin on the potatoes in order to take advantage of all the nutrients that they can provide.
