8 Greens Excessive in Vitamin C That Help Your Immune System

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps shield cells from injury and boosts immune well being. It additionally helps wound therapeutic, mind well being, and iron absorption. Most adults want 90 milligrams of vitamin C day by day. Greens are glorious sources of vitamin C; some present twice your day by day wants per serving.

Vitamin C: 148-235 milligrams (mg) per chopped cup, or 222% of the Every day Worth (DV)

Pink, orange, and yellow bell peppers have extra vitamin C than inexperienced bell peppers. A cup of chopped bell peppers (about 150 grams) comprises:

Pink bell pepper: 235 mgOrange bell pepper: 211 mgYellow bell pepper: 207 mgGreen bell pepper: 148 mg

Add bell peppers to omelets, stews, soups, stir-fries, or salads. You can too stuff them with complete grains and meats for a fiber- and protein-rich meal.

Vitamin C: 96.8 mg per cooked cup (156 g), 108% of the DV

Brussels sprouts comprise loads of vitamin C and vitamin Ok, that are each good on your bones. One cooked cup offers 218 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin Ok, or 182% of the DV.

Vitamin C helps your physique make collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes bones sturdy and versatile. Vitamin Ok helps your bones maintain extra calcium, supporting bone power and upkeep.

Vitamin C: 81.2 mg per chopped cup (91 g), 90% of the DV

Broccoli is one other nice supply of vitamin Ok, which you want for blood clotting. Individuals taking blood-thinning medicines, akin to warfarin, want to watch how a lot vitamin Ok they’re getting.

Seek the advice of your healthcare supplier earlier than consuming massive quantities of those greens for his or her vitamin C content material.

Vitamin C: 78.4 mg per serving of chopped mustard greens (2 cups, or 112 g), 87% of the DV

Mustard greens comprise lutein and zeaxanthin, that are antioxidant compounds like vitamin C.

Lutein and zeaxanthin play a key function in eye well being. They might forestall gentle injury, together with injury from daylight. Lutein and zeaxanthin are additionally present in different greens akin to Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale.

Vitamin C: 50.7 mg per chopped cup (89 g), 56% of the DV

Different cabbage varieties, akin to inexperienced, napa, and savoy, even have vitamin C, however in smaller quantities.

Pink cabbage additionally comprises anthocyanins, that are highly effective antioxidants.

Vitamin C: 39.2 mg per serving of uncooked kale (2 cups, 42 g), 44% of the DV

You will get extra vitamin C by consuming kale uncooked. Vitamin C is delicate to warmth, gentle, and oxygen. If you prepare dinner kale, it loses a few of its vitamin C.

One examine exhibits that boiling kale causes a 63% lack of vitamin C. Sautéing kale causes a 48% loss, whereas braising kale causes a 29% loss.

Add uncooked kale to salads or sandwiches, mix it into smoothies, or calmly braise it to protect as a lot vitamin C as potential. Including kale to a meal offers 5 grams of fiber per serving and covers your day by day vitamin Ok wants, too.

Vitamin C: 37.7 mg per serving of pink potato (1 massive, 299 g), 42% of the DV

A big pink potato has 5.3 grams of fiber. It additionally offers 11% of the DV for iron, 19% for magnesium, and 35% for potassium.

Vitamin C helps with iron absorption. Serve pink potatoes with roasted meat to spice up iron absorption and add fiber to your meal.

Vitamin C: 34.6 mg per serving of cooked collards (1 cup, 190 g), 38% of the DV

Collards are filled with vitamins. One cup offers 80% of the DV for vitamin A. Vitamin A can be an antioxidant and helps eye, reproductive, and immune well being.

Collards have 268 milligrams of calcium per cooked cup, or 20% of the DV. Each calcium and vitamin C work collectively to help wholesome bones.

Additionally, collards are wealthy in fiber, offering 7.6 grams per cup—nearly 25% of the day by day beneficial consumption.

Eat extra excessive–vitamin C greens with the following tips:

Add to your omelet: Frivolously steam greens akin to broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and bell peppers, then add them to your omelet.Make vegetable muffins: Put together savory muffins with greens to take pleasure in at breakfast or as a snack.Add to salads and sandwiches: Warmth kills some vitamin C. Get pleasure from greens uncooked in salads and sandwiches to get probably the most vitamin C.Mix into smoothies: Add leafy greens like kale and collard greens to smoothies. They supply vitamin C, in addition to vitamin A, vitamin Ok, folate, calcium, and fiber.Stuff greens: Fill bell peppers with eggs and cheese for breakfast or meat and rice for lunch. You can too use inexperienced cabbage leaves like a tortilla to wrap meals.Add to soups and stews: Inexperienced leafy greens are excellent for soups and stews. Prepare dinner calmly to protect vitamin C.Make sauerkraut: This fermented cabbage comprises probiotics that help digestive well being.