The cold and flu season is upon us and millions of people have already succumbed to these incurable viruses. The Center for Disease Control in the U.S. says this is shaping up to be one of the and potentially deadly flu outbreaks. Already in early January, 36 states have reported very high numbers of flu cases. Arizona and Texas have been hit hard. Dallas health officials have said five people have died from flu-related illnesses.

That is why it is vitally important to get your vitamins and pay particularly close to what you are eating. But chances are if you diet is filled with lots of fruits and veggies, you will have a much better chance of fighting off sickness.

That is because fresh produce is filled with all kinds of nutrients that bolster your immune system. Of course we know how important Vitamin C is to fighting the cold and flu. Most all fruits and veggies are filled with it in every serving.

But which ones do you think are the best sources? If you said “oranges” or other citrus fruits, you are of course right. But only partially. Did you know that there are at least 18 other fruits and veggies that beat the almighty orange in Vitamin C per serving?!

There are many types of peppers that have lots more of the magic vitamin than an orange. And leafy greens, like spinach, kale and kohlrabi, pack a powerful punch of it too. And the color of the veggie can make a big difference. Red bell peppers have 50% more of it than green bell peppers and yellow ones have another 50% more than their red siblings! And if you like spicy food then bring on the hot peppers of all kinds. They are loaded.

Take a look at this video from Produce Buzz to see some of the most common fruits and veggies that have the highest Vitamin C per serving and find out which one tops the list. Keep all these in your diet this winter and you will minimize your risk of infection.

Produce Buzz wishes you a winter filled with lots of fruits and veggie. If our wish comes true, you will also most likely have a very healthy one too.

OK. If you don't have the patience to watch our very entertaining video, then here is our chart with the rankings:

​

What Fruit or Veggie Has the Most Vitamin C Per Serving?
Hint: It’s Probably Not What you Think!​

For many this must be a surprising list and probably raises some questions.  In the USDA’s database there are 276 fruits and vegetables listed that have more Vitamin C than a lime, which harbors only 29mg per 100 grams of the fruit. For our list we chose some of the more commonly eaten foods.  You are probably asking, “Why gold kiwi fruit and not green?” Good question but we chose the higher listed of the two for variety on our list. The green kiwi fruit is pretty high on the list but it has 10mg less Vitamin C than its golden sibling. Similarly for sweet peppers, the yellow one beats its red and green cousins substantially with almost twice as much Vitamin C than the green and 1 ½ times as much as the red. And peppering the top of the USDA list are all types of…well…peppers! Especially hot peppers. 

And of course we all need daily doses of this magic vitamin as the body cannot store it up. But if you are getting 5-10 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day, you won’t have to worry. Chances are you are already getting the 75-90 mgs a day recommended by dietitians.

* Source: USDA Nutritional Database​