Cold and Flu season is here and all the little kiddos are already coming home with scratchy throats and the sniffles. While a good multi-vitamin might be a handy way to supplement the vitamins and minerals we don’t always get in a day, I prefer to try and boost my immunity naturally with good old fashioned food! I like to fight colds with food when I can.
Vitamin C is probably the most widely recognized vitamin to ward off those bad little buggies that get us sick. While there IS controversy if it actually makes a difference, I tend to believe there is an ounce of truth to the myth and boost up my C-filled foods during this season.
That brings me to my favorite 5 foods I choose that pack a Vitamin C boost:
Bell Peppers: Love this choice because they are so easy to eat raw or cooked into so many dishes. Yellow peppers tend to be highest in Vitamin C packing 184mg/100 gram serving.
Broccoli: Again, this veggie is so good raw or cooked that you can eat a lot in one day. It will give you 81 mg per Cup (chopped).
Stawberries: These little red gems actually give us as much Vitamin C as oranges although they are a bit harder to find in cold/flu season. You can expect 59mg Vitamin C per 100g serving.
Green Chili Peppers: These little babies pack a BIG punch of Vitamin C. Just ONE green chili gives you 109mg. If you throw 2-3 in your stir fry you are set!
Kiwi: I love kiwi and can easily eat 3 or more in one sitting. Each of these exotic fruits will boast 84 mg of Vitamin C.
Check out one of my favorite recipes using Broccoli. Oriental Tofu Salad. When I need an extra boost, I add a few green chilies and spice it up and some diced bell peppers. Serve with a side of Kiwi, Oranges and Strawberries and you have a Vitamin C packed meal!
Now these are just MY favorite ways to get a little extra C. How do YOU like keep the colds away?
Source: https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vitamin-C.php
Source: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/colds-flu-immune-system?page=2
Christina @ Juggling Real Food and Real LIfe says
Great information! I wasn’t aware that strawberries had so much vitamin C. My daughter loves them so I guess I can feel even better about giving them to her each day. I need to chop some more bell peppers too!