Foods High in Vitamin C

If you're convinced you want more vitamin C, how do you encourage your body to make more of this amazing nutrient? Hmmm....that's the issue. the human body does not synthesize its own vitamin C; it has to be obtained from the diet. To take full advantage of this vitamin's health effects, make sure you get enough in your regular daily diet and/or supplement regimen. A higher dietary intake and blood concentration of vitamin C is associated with better health.

Vitamin C is found in many different fruits and vegetables. One of the highest levels of vitamin C, coming in at a whopping 1,644 milligrams in 1 cup, is acerola cherry powder. Green peppers and red peppers, by comparison, contain about 120 to 190 milligrams of vitamin C per cup. The famous fresh-squeezed orange juice has about 124 milligrams per cup whereas one navel orange will get you about 83 milligrams of vitamin C. Don't forget strawberries and broccoli, which can get you just under 90 milligrams of vitamin C per cup.

These are all great foods to incorporate into your daily and weekly routine to make sure you're getting a healthy daily dose of vitamin C.

Vitamin C Dosing and Safety

First, aim to get your nutrients from the vitamin-C containing foods in your kitchen. For extra immune support, take 500 to 1,000 mg throughout the day with meals and snacks. If you prefer capsules, get 850 mg vitamin C in one capsule of Uckele Bio-C.

More is not necessarily better though. Taking more than 3,000 mg at a time can lead to some GI distress. If you are acutely trying to support your body's innate resistance to pathogens, try increasing your dosage slowly according to stomach tolerance, and also try spacing your vitamin C dosage throughout the day. For example: 1500 mg vitmain C every six hours.

When you take too much vitamin C, some of the symptoms you may experience could include diarrhea, nausea, kidney stones, abdominal cramps, and pro-oxidant effects (as opposed to the beneficial antioxidant effects we get in healthy doses).

One word of caution, vitamin C can increase iron absorption and in susceptible people, this could result in iron overload.

My Final Word About Vitamin C

My final word is this...vitamin C is a powerful ingredient in our efforts to maintain optimal health and support the immune system, and we must get it from food or supplements. While you can take a vitamin C supplement, also prioritize eating vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C. Eating real food can be even better because you're not only giving your body vitamin C, but also numerous other vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber that comes along with it.