With the abundance of oranges in your area, you may be wondering if foods with more vitamin C are better for you than orange juice.
While many fruits are necessary, some can actually enhance your immune system, ward off colds and even improve your vision.
Here are the best superfoods for fall. With a little bit of imagination, you can make delicious meals that pack in extra vitamins C.
- First on our checklist is the green bell pepper.
As one of America’s most favored fruits, green bell pepper provides more than 250% of the daily amount of vitamin A that’s needed to protect eyesight.
Because of this, more Americans are using green bell peppers in everything from salads to ketchup to hot dogs.
If you love peppers, try incorporating them into your next food recipe.
Just be sure to use it sparingly – the potent peppers can burn your mouth!
- Cayenne is another one of America’s favorite foods, and for good reason.
Cayenne is loaded with a host of vitamins, including vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It can be used in a variety of recipes, from tacos to pizza to stews, as well as on your greens.
Cayenne is also added to some teas, for even more vitamin C.
- Next on our list of superfoods with vitamin C is milk thistle.
This ancient herb is packed with nutrients, including calcium, iron, copper, and vitamin A, among others.
It’s also been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent clots and improve circulation, so if you have high blood pressure or heart disease, add more green bells to your diet.
And although you may think it’s best left unsung, milk thistle tea has actually been shown to lower cholesterol levels.
If you’re not a tea drinker, you can also take a supplement that contains this vitamin.
Not to be outdone, but certainly up on the list are oranges and lemons.
These fruits are naturally sweet, making them a delicious snack food, especially when served with maple or orange syrup.
They contain more vitamin C than any other citrus fruit and provide your body with lots of essential nutrients like potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamin A.
You can eat the fruit raw, cut it into wedges, or mix it in with other foods to make a refreshing fruit salad.
Orange juice and canned fruit juices are great alternatives to bottled waters, especially those that are low in calories.
They’re loaded with vitamin C, too, which is essential for strengthening your bones and maintaining healthy blood-clotting vessels.
In fact, they have even more vitamin C than coconuts, another popular superfood. Tomatoes and ketchup are two other foods with more vitamin C than oranges.
As if that wasn’t enough, citrus fruit juices should definitely be included in your regular diet. Just be careful with artificial sweeteners.
Although orange and lemon juice is naturally sweet, they can become quite hot after being processed.
- If you have no problems with heat, try using grapefruit juice, too.
This juice is high in citric acid, which makes it a natural alternative to table sugar.
If you’re one of those people who can only eat fruit when they absolutely have to, then consider making your own sweet treats.
Lemons, limes, pineapple, and papaya are all wonderful choices and are great sources of vitamin C.
- Just blend them in with some yogurt, and you’ve got instant energy, without the added calories.
However, you can get better results by blending in vegetables instead of fruit.
You can toss in any vegetables you like – raw or steamed, but be sure to add plenty of carrots, celery, broccoli, and other dark green vegetables.
