8 top vitamin C-rich foods you should be eating to reduce inflammation

One of the best things you can do to improve your total health is to reduce inflammation. While this natural physical reaction plays a vital role in fighting injury and disease, imbalances can turn it systemic. When inflammation becomes widespread, it aggravates chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease.

Antioxidants play a decisive role in reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is one of the best-known and most potent, existing naturally in certain foods. You could take a daily supplement, but getting an adequate intake through diet is best.

You might think you know what foods contain the most vitamin C — but how accurate is your knowledge? What should you add to your diet to get more of this nutrient? Here are eight of the top vitamin C-rich foods you should eat to reduce inflammation.

What Are Anti-Inflammatory Foods?

Anti-inflammatory foods are those rich in plant substances like polyphenols that reduce inflammation in the human body. Although some foods that qualify, like fatty fish, deliver omega-3s fatty acids, those containing vitamin C are typically plant-based.

Everything you put in your body slightly alters your chemistry. This shift can either promote or reduce your disease risk and pain symptoms. For example, eating an anti-inflammatory diet is wise when recovering from an injury to prevent your body’s immune response from going haywire and worsening matters. It could also ease your pain as you heal, helping you rely less on painkillers, which can produce unwanted side effects.

It’s sometimes easier to understand what foods cause inflammation than those that are anti-inflammatory.

Foods That Increase Inflammation

You should know what foods to avoid if you want to reduce inflammation. In general, it’s best to steer clear of the following:

• Refined grains: Manufacturers strip away the bran and chaff in most flours. What they leave behind absorbs sugar, causing blood glucose spikes that increase inflammation. The bleached stuff also may contain a chemical byproduct that increases diabetes risk, so stick with whole grain or alternative flours.
• Sugar: The sweet stuff causes wide swings in blood sugar that increase inflammation. Your body strives to maintain homeostasis — when it detects changes, it goes on alert.
• Sodium: Too much makes your body retain water, increasing inflammation.
• Processed meats: The WHO recognizes these as carcinogens, and a recent study linked their consumption to increased diabetes risk.
• Trans fats: Stay away from anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.
• Alcohol: Increases blood pressure, causes liver damage and increases inflammation.
• Ultra-processed foods: These often contain a combination of refined grains, sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats.

Best Vitamin C-Rich Foods to Reduce Inflammation

Now that you know what to eliminate from your diet, what should you eat? Here are eight of the top vitamin C-rich foods to reduce inflammation.

1. Guava

Guava wins the gold for the fruit with the most vitamin C. You might know it best as a beverage additive, which is one fun way to get more of this anti-inflammatory food in your life.

You can eat these fruits whole, including the skin and seeds. Or, you can make guava jams and jellies or peel it, cut it up and place it in tropical fruit salads.

2. Red Pepper

Red bell pepper might not have capsaicin, but it has more than twice the vitamin C of an orange. It’s also a snap to add to dishes. Chop some for your next salad or add strips to sandwiches or wraps. You can also stir-fry peppers as a side dish with other mixed veggies.

3. Citrus Juice and Fruits

Orange and other citrus juices typically contain more vitamin C than the fruit. Some manufacturers even fortify their brews to boost your nutrition intake.

However, the fruit contains other nutrients your body needs, and juices can be high in sugar. Both are valuable — after all, a liquid diet may be all you can manage when sick. Some brands, like Uncle Matt’s, include other goodies like probiotics in their citrus beverages. Read labels and make the best choice for your health.

4. Strawberries

Who doesn’t love indulging in a bowl of strawberries and cream for dessert on a hot summer’s day? Doing so could reduce inflammation and boost your immunity with a healthy dose of vitamin C. What’s best is locating a berry patch and eating them fresh, as fruits and veggies begin losing nutrients within three days of harvest.

5. Kale

Does it seem like kale plays a starring role in many top food lists? There’s a good reason. Deep, leafy greens like this one are excellent sources of multiple nutrients, including vitamin C. It’s also a rich source of folate, a nutrient pregnant mamas need to prevent neural tube defects in their developing fetus. Best of all, it makes the perfect salad base, although you can also add a leaf to wraps or chop it for soup.

6. Papaya

Moms-to-be might want to steer clear of papaya early in their pregnancy. This fruit contains papain, which acts like prostaglandin and oxytocin in the body to induce contractions. However, everyone else can chow down — doing so may reduce inflammation.

7. Brussels sprouts

Kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli may look quite different, but they evolved from the same plant, which explains why these tiny cabbages are a vitamin C-rich food. Over the years, farmers bred them to develop their unique properties, but they maintain similar nutrient profiles.

8. Broccoli

Rounding out the list of vitamin C-rich foods to reduce inflammation is broccoli. Guess what? It turns out the late, great comedian George Carlin was right when he quipped about this vegetable’s anti-cancer properties. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables deliver a hefty dose of sulforaphane with vitamin C. This substance has anticarcinogenic properties — that’s a fancy way of saying it fights the Big C.

Reduce Inflammation With These Anti-Inflammatory C-Rich Foods

Everything you eat affects your body’s chemistry. Altering your diet can help you reduce inflammation and feel your best. Foods rich in antioxidants like vitamin C are your best bets.

Add these eight vitamin C-rich foods to your diet to begin reducing systemic inflammation today. A nutritious meal plan is an important component of total health.