Which Vegetable is Most Rich in Vitamin C? Unveiling the Top Contenders

December 12, 2025 •

4 min read

According to USDA data, a single chopped cup of raw yellow bell pepper contains an impressive 342 milligrams of vitamin C, providing more than 380% of the recommended Daily Value. This vibrant vegetable confidently answers the question of which vegetable is most rich in vitamin C and delivers a potent boost of this essential nutrient.

Quick Summary

This content identifies the top vegetable source for vitamin C, comparing it with other common vitamin-rich options like kale and broccoli. It explores why some vegetables contain more of the nutrient and offers tips for preserving vitamin C content during preparation to optimize health benefits.

Key Points

Yellow Bell Peppers Reign Supreme: Raw yellow bell peppers contain the highest concentration of vitamin C among common vegetables, providing over 380% of the daily value per cup.
Variety is Key: While one vegetable is a leader, other excellent sources include kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and parsley, offering a diverse range of nutrients.
Cooking Matters: Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and water. To preserve it, prioritize eating raw vegetables, or opt for quick cooking methods like steaming or microwaving instead of boiling.
Ripe is Better: The vitamin C content in bell peppers increases as they ripen. Red and yellow peppers, being more mature, contain higher levels than their green counterparts.
Boost Absorption: Pairing vitamin C-rich vegetables with iron-rich foods can enhance the body's iron absorption, providing an additional health benefit.

The Highest Vitamin C Champion: Yellow Bell Pepper

While oranges often come to mind for vitamin C, the yellow bell pepper is the true heavyweight among common vegetables. Its high concentration of this vital nutrient makes it an exceptional choice for anyone looking to boost their intake. Just one cup of chopped, raw yellow bell pepper provides significantly more vitamin C than the average orange. As bell peppers mature, their vitamin C content increases, which is why yellow and red varieties contain far more than their younger, green counterparts.

Beyond its high vitamin C count, the yellow bell pepper is rich in other beneficial compounds. It contains antioxidants like beta carotene and lycopene, which combat inflammation and support cardiovascular health. This makes it a comprehensive nutrient-dense food rather than just a single-nutrient source. The bright color is a visual indicator of its phytonutrient richness, signaling exceptional nutritional value.

Other Excellent Vegetable Sources of Vitamin C

While the yellow bell pepper may be the champion, several other vegetables are also phenomenal sources of vitamin C. Incorporating a variety of these into your diet ensures a broad spectrum of nutrients.

Kale: This leafy green provides a substantial amount of vitamin C, with a 100g portion of raw kale offering around 93 mg, surpassing the recommended Daily Value. It is also packed with vitamins A and K, as well as potent antioxidants like quercetin.
Broccoli: A half-cup of cooked broccoli delivers a healthy dose of vitamin C along with fiber and sulforaphane, a compound studied for its potential anti-cancer properties. For best retention, it's best to steam or microwave this cruciferous vegetable.
Brussels Sprouts: These mini cabbages are rich in vitamin C, with a single cup containing around 97 mg. They also offer fiber and powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and support heart health.
Parsley: Although often used as a garnish, parsley is an incredibly rich source of vitamin C. Just two tablespoons of fresh parsley contain about 10 mg of vitamin C, and a full cup provides a whopping 79.8 mg.

Cooking Methods: Maximizing Vitamin C Retention

Vitamin C is a water-soluble and heat-sensitive vitamin, meaning it is easily degraded or leached out during cooking. This is a crucial factor to consider when preparing your vegetables to ensure you're getting the most nutritional bang for your buck.

Best Practices for Preserving Vitamin C:

Eat Raw: The most effective way to consume the highest amount of vitamin C is to eat vegetables raw, as heating can cause significant nutrient loss. Sliced bell peppers and kale salads are excellent examples.
Steam Instead of Boil: Boiling can cause large quantities of water-soluble vitamins to leach into the water and be discarded. Steaming, which cooks with vapor, significantly minimizes this loss.
Keep Cooking Times Short: The longer a food is exposed to heat, the greater the vitamin C degradation. Quick cooking methods like stir-frying or microwaving (with minimal water) are preferable to long, slow simmering.
Use Cooking Liquid: If you do boil or blanch vegetables, use the vitamin-enriched water as a base for soups or stocks to recapture some of the leached nutrients.

Comparison of Vitamin C Content in Vegetables

Here is a comparison of vitamin C content (per 100g raw) for some of the top vegetable contenders. Note that values can vary based on ripeness and storage.


Vegetable	Vitamin C (mg per 100g raw)	Notes
Yellow Bell Pepper	342 mg (per cup chopped)	Highest concentration; increases with ripeness.
Red Bell Pepper	175 mg (per cup sliced)	Excellent source; slightly less than yellow.
Mustard Spinach	195 mg (per cup chopped)	Very high, especially in its raw form.
Kale	93 mg (per 100g)	A leafy green powerhouse of nutrients.
Broccoli	101 mg (per cup chopped)	Another cruciferous vegetable with high content.
Brussels Sprouts	97 mg (per cup)	Packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants.
Parsley	133 mg (per 100g)	Extremely high concentration, though eaten in smaller quantities.

Conclusion: More Than a Single Champion

While the yellow bell pepper stands out as the vegetable most rich in vitamin C per serving, the broader picture is more important for a healthy diet. A variety of vegetables, including kale, broccoli, and parsley, offer significant quantities of this essential nutrient, alongside a wide array of other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The key to maximizing your intake lies not only in your choice of vegetable but also in how you prepare it. Opting for raw preparation or quick, low-water cooking methods will ensure you absorb the maximum amount of vitamin C. Ultimately, a balanced diet rich in a rainbow of vegetables is the best strategy for promoting overall health and immunity.

For more information on the health benefits and daily requirements of vitamin C, visit the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

The vegetable with the most vitamin C per serving is the yellow bell pepper. A single cup of chopped, raw yellow bell pepper provides significantly more than the daily recommended intake.

Cooking does not destroy all vitamin C, but it can significantly reduce the amount. Because vitamin C is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, boiling can cause major losses. Steaming or microwaving helps retain more of the nutrient.

Raw vegetables are generally better for obtaining vitamin C. Cooking and heat exposure cause the vitamin to degrade, so eating it in its raw form, like in a salad, is the best option.

Yes, red bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, though they contain slightly less than the yellow variety. Their vitamin C content increases as they ripen and change color.

Among the common leafy greens, kale is particularly high in vitamin C. A single portion can provide more than the daily recommended amount.

Yes, frozen vegetables can have a nutritional value comparable to fresh produce, especially concerning vitamin C. The flash-freezing process helps lock in the nutrients, though some loss may occur during cooking.

You can maximize vitamin C absorption by consuming it with food, rather than on an empty stomach, and pairing it with iron-rich foods, which enhances iron uptake.