Vitamin C is quite possibly the most well-known nutrient out here. Thanks to some very effective orange juice commercials, ask anyone on the street where you can get vitamin C in whole foods and they’ll probably rattle of a few choices.
Vitamin C is best acknowledged for its role in immune health. While the research hasn’t so far panned out that Vitamin C can actually prevent colds, multiple studies have suggested that Vitamin C has decrease the duration of one…and I think we’d all take that!
Further, Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant which means that it helps protect that body from reactive oxygen compounds that can hinder proper biochemical reactions in the body. This action is especially notable at the level of the intestines, where Vitamin C helps protect gut lining integrity and works to facilitate the shuttling of detrimental compounds to the liver where they can be safely dealt with.
Vitamin C also helps produce certain very critical structures/molecules in the body. For example, Vitamin C allows for the crucial interlinking of collagen into the sturdy and resilient structure we want it to be for our skin, down to our bones. Vitamin C also helps in the creation of neurotransmitters in our brain and all over our central nervous system. One of the most notable examples of this is the neurotransmitter serotonin. While serotonin is known as “the happy hormone”, its effects are much more widespread; serotonin plays a part in pain control, the entire endocrine system, and our circadian rhythm…just to name a few examples!
Vitamin C is especially important in balancing adrenal and sex hormone levels (most notably in stressed out, undernourished women). We talk about this often in our 4 Phase Cycle Detox and inside our Healthy Hormones Group Program (that comes with functional lab work…and many of our ladies end up needing Vitamin C supplementation!).
Luckily, it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to get your daily requirement of vitamin C. But while this is true, I think that belief actually make people blow off the issue more than they should…and this ultimately causes them to end up coming in towards the end of the spectrum of vitamin C intake.
The list of fruits and veggies with tons of vitamin C is quite broad and it’s a matter of having fun with switching things up from day to day!
Whole Foods that Provide Vitamin C
- Lemons and limes
- Papaya
- Bell Peppers
- Brussels Sprouts
- Strawberries
- Pineapple
- Oranges
- Kiwifruit
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Bok Coy
- Grapefruit
- Parsley
- Turnip Greens
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Fennel
- Thyme
Fortunately, a lot of the top citrus sources of vitamin C are really easy to keep in your cupboard/fridge and incorporate into your diet every day. I like buying little limes at the store and squeezing a whole one into a glass of water each day.
Reminder: the vitamin C content disappears quickly after the citrus fruit has been cut into. So use them up quickly after that.
XOXO,
