When we are concerned about vitamin C, we often think of oranges. What if I were to tell you that this fruit is not on the top of the list of foods rich in vitamin C? It is true. A medium-size orange is high in vitamin C (70 milligrams), however, the foods that I will talk about today have a higher vitamin C content than oranges.
It is high time to show that the consumption of enough vitamin C (60 milligrams per day) helps to decrease tiredness in the body in cold weather.
Strawberries
A cup of these red fruits contains 85 milligrams of vitamin C while having plenty of manganese, which helps our blood glucose regulation. The hardest part is certainly to understand whether they are organic or not. Organic strawberries are healthier for you.
Pineapples
A glass of fresh, tropical, juicy pineapple contains 79 milligrams of vitamin C. Unlike other fruits, it also has the bromelain enzyme, which helps to digest plants.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi, which is a member of the Brassica mustard family, contains 84 milligrams of vitamin C. Like the other members of the Brassica family, it supports the body in fighting cancer. If you would like to know how to consume it, you can use it in salads instead of cabbage, chop it up and add it into vegetable noodles, or just roast it with olive oil.
Mango
A sweet and plump mango contains 122 milligrams of vitamin C. It is also a source of zeaxanthin and provides antioxidants. It helps to protect your eyes, filtering the blue rays that cause macular degeneration. What you should do now is to go to the supermarket and put this fruit, high in vitamin C, into your basket.
Brussels sprouts
Actually, we do not have any reason not to love Brussels sprouts. However, a bowl of it contains 75 milligrams of vitamin C, and it also contains nutrients that fight cancer like kohlrabi.
Kiwi
Two kiwis contain 128 milligrams of vitamin C. Research has shown that kiwis help us fall asleep and increase our sleep quality. A high-level serotonin is a useful beginning for a good sleep. Do not forget to eat a few slices of kiwi before going to bed.
Papaya
Papaya, which we often see at the supermarkets, challenges mangoes and pineapples, which are from the tropical fruit family, in vitamin C. A papaya not only contains 95 milligrams of vitamin C, but also has papain and chymopapain enzymes, which are good for inflammation. If you want to have bright skin, you should consume this fruit.
Pepper
All peppers (green, yellow and red) contain more vitamin C than oranges. While a green pepper contains 95 milligrams of vitamin C, a yellow pepper, as the king of peppers, contains 341 milligrams of vitamin C.
A little bowl of pepper is only 45 calories. So, do not forget to add it to your snack plate.
Broccoli
A cup of chopped broccoli contains more vitamin C than your daily need and enough vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for bone health and blood coagulation.
Now, it is time to talk about the beverages that you should drink in cold weather in order to support your immune system.
Having a red nose in winter will not be so attractive. It can be terrible this time of year to have a seasonal cold, stertorous respiration, or the flu, so nipping these illnesses in the bud before they manifest is the best way to treat them.
Researchers say that liquids high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are key to boosting your immune system. These extra liquids help keep your body fit, provide communication between immune cells and clean invaders out.
Fresh lemon and ginger waterOne of the most important things that I will advise you about the immune system and health is to start your day with a cup of hot water with fresh lemon and ginger in it.
Put one or two slices of lemon into a cup of hot water along with grating a teaspoon of fresh ginger and here is your antioxidant beverage, which is a full of vitamin C to support your immune system. Do not be deceived by the simplicity of the recipe. It warms your body system, cleans and activates it.
Chai, known as Indian teaPreparing chai, a type of tea, at home is possible. The ingredients of chai are black and green tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, clove and fennel. All of these plants boost the immune system, give you more energy, fight directly against viruses and bacteria in the body and contribute to the components decreasing chronic inflammation.
In order to maximize the benefit of chai, try to consume it sugar-free. Even natural sugar can increase the immunosuppressive blood glucose.
Smoothie, favorite beverage
Smoothies are nothing other than cool milkshakes. However, they can be a powerful medicine with the right ingredients. When preparing a mixture, choose fruits, such as an apple or banana, which are beneficial to immunity and contain plenty of polyphenols. You can add linseeds, which are rich in Omega 3, and chia seeds to this mixture because Omega 3 feeds the immune cells and regains vital energy.
Honey for vitamin drinks
Mothers know well what to do during the first sniffles in cold weather. Hot drinks support the digestive system and are good for the flu or cold, that is, they give the first warning to the immune system. Flavor your supporter drink with honey, which is an antioxidant source. Honey that is dark in color has more antioxidants. Prefer dark ones, like buckwheat honey, for a better effect.
Nearly all of us have someone in our life who advises to consume a spoon of honey if you have a cough. If you ever tried it, you know that honey helps to calm your cough. Scientists proved that pure honey relieves your cough and boosts the immune system. They determined that honey contains vitamin B, amino acids, enzymes, minerals, high calcium, magnesium, antioxidants and bioflavonoid. These substances are a healing source for some allergies.
In order to benefit from these miraculous substances of honey, consuming a spoon of honey every day is enough and necessary. If you add some apple vinegar to your honey, you can maximize your benefit level.
Honey is the sweetest healing source that is as old as human history. How honey is made is a miracle and even this makes it different from other nutrients. However, concerns in recent years seriously increased the adulterated honey production. This triggers more serious health problems along with preventing the benefits of honey. Therefore, we should be careful when buying honey.
According to Food Safety News, which is broadcasted in the U.S., 75 percent of the honey on the U.S. market is adulterated. In the U.S. and some other countries, honey is filtered before being introduced to the market. During this filtration, the amount of pollen, which is one of the important substances making honey a healing power, seriously decreases. When the food security standards, which are approved in many countries around the world, are considered, honey, the pollen of which is decreased in such a way, is technically not accepted as honey.