7 Foods With More Vitamin C Than An Orange

Oranges have some pretty good PR behind them -- for years, we've turned to the citrus as our go-to source for vitamin C.

And while that reputation is well-deserved -- one navel orange packs 82.7 milligrams of vitamin C -- there are tons of other colorful fruits and vegetables with just as much -- or even more. (Orange you glad to hear it? We couldn't resist.)

While the long-held belief that vitamin C can ward off the sniffles has been questioned, the nutrient is still vital to our health, helping to repair body tissue and providing antioxidants. The NIH recommends that adult men over age 19 consume 90 milligrams a day, and adult women 75 milligrams a day. (One word of caution before you eat every item on the list at once: the body can't store any more than 2,000 milligrams a day.)

While the classic apples to oranges comparison doesn't quite pan out (oranges would win), there are some other match-ups that give oranges a real run for their money. Check out our list of other vitamin C-rich food (according to the USDA National Nutritional Database), then tell us which is your fave.

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• Papaya

  One small papaya (about 157 grams) has <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2406" target="_hplink">95.6 milligrams</a> of vitamin C. A cup of mashed papaya has a whopping 140 milligrams. More bang for your buck? Papaya is also high in <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1985/2" target="_hplink">vitamin A, folate and dietary fiber</a>, according to Self Nutrition Data.

• Red Bell Peppers

  One cup of raw, chopped red bell pepper packs an impressive <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2406" target="_hplink">190.3 milligrams of vitamin C</a>. The same amount of a green pepper has <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3136" target="_hplink">119.8 milligrams</a>.

• Broccoli

  Need <em><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/breast-cancer-vegetables_n_1400294.html" target="_hplink">yet another</a></em> healthy reason to eat your broccoli? Try this: One serving (148 grams) of chopped broccoli adds up to <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2939" target="_hplink">132 milligrams of vitamin C</a>.

• Kale

  Hungry for a salad? Try kale. Just two cups of this veggie, chopped, offers 160.8 milligrams of vitamin C. This superfood is also rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as phytonutrients and fiber, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale" target="_hplink">according to WebMD</a>.

• Strawberries

  Here's sweet news: one serving (147 grams) of strawberries has 86.5 milligrams of vitamin C. (And just this week, a study linked two servings of the red fruit a week to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/cognitive-impairment-study-berries_n_1453557.html" target="_hplink">slowed cognitive degeneration</a>.)

• Kiwi

  One serving of kiwi offers <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2353" target="_hplink">137.2 milligrams of vitamin C</a>.

• Cauliflower

  One small head of cauliflower (with a four-inch diameter) has 127.7 milligrams of vitamin C (and just 66 calories).

• Honorable Mention: Brussels Sprouts

  They may not beat an orange, but a cup of Brussels sprouts still has a solid 48.4 milligrams of vitamin C. And the <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2362/2" target="_hplink">veggie is also rich</a> in riboflavin, iron, magnesium, dietary fiber and vitamin A, among others.

• Honorable Mention: Sweet Potatoes

  Another orange food to add to the list (even though it doesn't have more C than an actual orange) are sweet potatoes. One large sweet potato has <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3274?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=Abridged&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=sweet+potatoe" target="_hplink">35.3 milligrams</a>.

• Honorable Mention: Cantaloupe

  Again, this one doesn't have quite as much vitamin C as an orange, but one serving does offer <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2372" target="_hplink">49.2 milligrams</a>.

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Comments

[Itermerel]

08:47 AM on 11/20/2012

why not mention the absolute highest sources of vitamin c in the world?

kakadu plum (absolute highest vitamin c source in the world) can have 12,000 mg vitamin c per 100g. (more vitamin c than everything mentioned here, COMBINED)

next highest is camu camu

[CriticalDragon1177]

11:41 PM on 04/30/2012

This is nice to know! Eating Healthy is good!

[emily tripp]

06:48 PM on 04/29/2012

While I love cauliflower, chances are I’m not going to eat a small head of it in exchange for an orange. Since when is a small head of cauliflower considered a serving size?

[cheezheadgbp]

03:42 PM on 04/29/2012

Ladies,as surprising as it seems,men's semen has the required amount of vitamin C + several other essential minerals. Don't forget to get your daily allotment. ;)

[Greg BIS]

03:16 PM on 04/29/2012

Some of my favorite foods!

Broccoli and sweet potato even have a little protein.

[maxout22]

09:44 AM on 04/29/2012

Hot peppers are high in vitamin C also.

[Suzy King]

09:24 AM on 04/29/2012

And also Parsley--6 times as much Vit. C as an orange & 3 times as much Vit. C as a pepper,I love fried pepper sandwiches on Italian Bread with a little Parmesan Cheese--a summer garden harvest favorite!

[garystartswithg]

10:01 AM on 04/29/2012

an egg and pepper sandwich is an amazing thing as well. or make a caponata and stick that on bread. i am making myself hungry for summer now.

[ProudToBeVeryLiberal]

02:02 AM on 04/29/2012

You forgot the absolute Vitamin C champion: Guava.
230 mg per 100 g serving.

[Tony Baja]

10:36 AM on 04/28/2012

These are all very helpful hints about vitamin C........thanks Laura for such a great article

[Stellapetrides]

09:48 AM on 04/28/2012

May be they R treated with exotic ILIADIN SANDOZONES.+***^***+

[SavoryTv]

05:48 AM on 04/28/2012

Pineapple, approx 78 mg of vitamin C per 1 cup.

[Claudia Roldan]

09:19 PM on 04/27/2012

I just found out that Kiwis have more vitamin c than oranges- i love kiwis! Here's another fun list full of facts that you probably didn't know about healthy foods: http://www.skinnyscoop.com/list/betty_sand/fattening-foods-you-should-eat-on-a-diet

[spitfiredd]

08:00 PM on 04/27/2012

You'd have to be pretty brain dead to not be able to get vitamin C....Hey HuffPo why don't you guys do some real journalism and research the harder to come by fat soluble vitamins? Or B vitamins? What's the obsession with vitamin c? I mean you can eat 1 orange and get all you need...Yet most people are deficient in B vitamins and fat soluble vitamins A (not the precursors but retinol) E, D and K.

[naturalpetscare]

07:56 PM on 04/27/2012

Great list! Seaweed is the most nutrient-rich plant on the planet, with 56 bio-available minerals and more vitamin C by mass than oranges. :-)

[hushcolours]

06:51 PM on 04/27/2012

Hi,

You forgot parsley.

[First namepat Sharp]

07:46 AM on 04/28/2012

Absolutely! Parsley is the cheapest substitute. Grow it on your windowsill year round & it is FREE!
Some of the others kiwi, papaya, strawberries, cantaloupe.........still support the high oil prices/ long distance transport/ out of season, meme, & are out of price range at the market.
The crucifers..are harder to grow in a home garden than the nightshade family.( tomato pepper, eggplant potato) I am still trying to grow cabbage & broccoli!