How to Boost Vitamin C

By Lydia Wallie, Nutrition Director

Vitamin C is a powerful vitamin to support the immune system both acutely and chronically (1). It’s also the “fourth leading nutrient deficiency in the United States” (2). What can we do to increase our Vitamin C levels?

For a Vitamin C boost, choose the following:

Gold kiwifruit (3)
Acerola* “One of the most important natural sources of vitamin C for humans (4).”
Camu camu powder* (5)
Baobab* (6)
Moringa (7)
Goji berry/wolfberry (8)
Berries (9, 10)
Leafy greens (11)
Fruits and vegetables (12, 13)

What about supplementation?

“Although synthetic and food-derived vitamin C appear to be equally bioavailable in humans, ingesting vitamin C as part of a whole food is considered preferable because of the concomitant consumption of numerous other macro- and micronutrients and phytochemicals, which will confer additional health benefits (14).”

When supplementing, look for a high quality brand like Puori, Nutrigold, Apex Energetics, or Vital Nutrients.

Also, remember to avoid sugar since sugar consumption increases the need for Vitamin C in order to support the immune system (15).

*Powder forms of superfoods can be purchased online or at your grocery store and added to smoothies.

Need help determining the best way to incorporate Vitamin C-rich foods into your Nutrition Plan? Email me at lydia_wallie@crossfit925.com to schedule your session!

Source List:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/#B13-nutrients-09-01211

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22172428

(4) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11033-019-05187-7

(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4658800/

(6) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408390701856330

(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745501/

(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92756/

(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4632771/

(10) https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169913/nutrients

(11) https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/vitamin-c-foods.php