It’s a powerhouse of nutrition! One cup of chopped broccoli supplies more than the daily requirement of vitamin C (the RDA is 75 milligrams a day for women, 90 for men). It also supplies beta carotene (and other carotenoids), niacin, calcium, thiamin, vitamin E and 25 percent of your daily fiber needs.
The brighter the color, the more nutrients. One 4-ounce green pepper has 100 milligrams of vitamin C, twice as much (ounce for ounce) as an orange. Red and yellow peppers have even more: 150 milligrams in 4 ounces of red, 210 in yellow. Green peppers also supply some beta carotene, but the amount increases greatly as a pepper matures and turns red or yellow.
Looking for more options? Have delicious citrus with breakfast, such as grapefruit or tangerines. Snack on vitamin C-rich berries such as strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. And try tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple or papaya, which are also great sources of C. Choose veggies that supply a healthy dose of vitamin C, too: asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale and mustard greens.
Of course, oranges are still a great source of C—with about 75 milligrams in a 5-ounce fruit. Plus, whole, unpeeled oranges hardly lose any vitamin C over time, since no oxygen comes in contact with the edible part. Even after a day or two of sweltering weather, an orange loses less than 10 percent of its C. If you keep the fruit cool, it will dry out or rot long before it loses a significant amount of vitamin C.
A glass of nearly any orange juice will supply at least the daily RDA for vitamin C. Freshly squeezed juice usually has the most vitamin C, followed by frozen and canned (which retain their vitamin C for months), then by chilled cartons and unrefrigerated “drink boxes.” Always check the “sell before” date. The fresher the juice, the more C. To preserve vitamin C, store orange juice in a tightly closed container at 40° F (4° C) or below.