April 4 is a special day – National Vitamin C Day! While celebrating a vitamin may sound silly, Vitamin C certainly deserves recognition for playing such an integral role in so many aspects of health, and we at Territory LOVE Vitamin C. From beauty to immunity to healing, Vitamin C is truly a jack-of-all-trades nutrient. Taking supplements to get enough of this vitamin in your diet is common, but there are also many foods that contain Vitamin C, so it’s easy to get enough from a healthy diet. Here are 5 facts about Vitamin C to know, as well as foods that are high in this important nutrient!

5 Key Facts to Know About Vitamin C

1. It’s a powerful antioxidant.

Also called ascorbic acid, Vitamin C helps deactivate highly reactive molecules known as free radicals that cause damage to cells. Free radicals are the result of environmental toxins like too much sun or air pollution. They can also result from a poor diet and chronic high stress. Free radical damage leads to inflammation, which in turn has been linked to chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Because of its antioxidant properties, Vitamin C is one of the best protectors against cell damage, inflammation, and disease.

2. It’s immunity boosting.

Vitamin C aids in the production of white blood cells, which help our body fight infections. It protects white blood cells from damage, allowing them to function optimally. Vitamin C also helps strengthen the skin’s barriers against disease.

3. It’s collagen forming.

Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen synthesis. Collagen production slows down as we age and results in wrinkles and increasingly rough skin. Adequate Vitamin C can help promote the collagen essential for keeping skin smooth and elastic. Aside from the beauty benefits of having healthy skin, it’s also a more effective barrier against disease.

4. It promotes iron absorption.

Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant-based foods, which is harder for our body to absorb than iron from animal sources.  Iron transports oxygen to the muscles and brain, so is critical for feeling and performing at our best.

5. It heals wounds.

Vitamin C is thought to play a few roles in healing wounds. Repairing a skin or tissue wound requires new collagen and a new skin barrier, both of which require Vitamin C. There is also typically inflammation surrounding a wound, which Vitamin C helps to reduce.

It seems too good to be true that such an essential nutrient is available to us in a wide variety of foods – but that’s the way nature designed it! Below are some common foods that are high in Vitamin C – some are so high that just a single serving  meets the recommended daily intake (75mg for women and 90mg for men)!

Fun Foods High in Vitamin C

• Red bell pepper, raw, ½ cup  95mg
• Orange juice, ¾ cup  93mg
• Orange, 1 medium  70mg
• Grapefruit juice, ¾ cup  70mg
• Green bell pepper, raw, ½ cup  60mg
• Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup  51mg
• Strawberries, fresh, ½ cup  49mg
• Brussels sprouts, cooked, ½ cup  48mg
• Tomato juice, ¾ cup  33mg
• Bok choy, 1 cup raw, 31mg
• Cantaloupe, ½ cup  29mg
• Cabbage, cooked, ½ cup  28mg
• Cauliflower, raw, ½ cup  26mg
• Potato, baked, 1 medium  17mg
• Tomato, raw, 1 medium  17mg
• Spinach, cooked, ½ cup   9mg

Get Your Vitamin C in Delicious Prepared Meals 

At Territory, all of our meals are designed with you in mind, ensuring that they are jam-packed with nutrients such as Vitamin C to help you meet all of your health goals, whatever they may be! Head over to territoryfoods.com and place your order today to try our delicious and nutritious meals!