One Little-Known Fruit Has More Vitamin C Than Any Other (And Could Also Lower Your Blood Pressure) – Health Digest

Most Americans associate oranges with vitamin C, and with good reason. Food data that’s available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that one medium-sized orange contains 63.4 milligrams of vitamin C. Yet there’s a less popular fruit that outshines oranges in the vitamin C category: the Kakadu plum, which contains the richest source of vitamin C of any other known fruit on the planet.

Found in Australia, the Kakadu plum is a nutritional goldmine. According to a 2023 article in Food Bioscience, Kakadu plums have 100 times the vitamin C of their citrus counterparts and 800 times the vitamin C of blueberries. The Kakadu plum is also a great source of potassium, for which there is “strong evidence” of a negative association with blood pressure (per an article in Advances in Food and Nutrition Research). 

The superfood stats of the Kakadu plum don’t end there: Every 3.5-ounce serving of Kakadu plums packs 7.1 grams of fiber (per Healthline). Not bad, considering that the Mayo Clinic recommends that healthy adults consume between 21 and 38 grams of dietary fiber daily depending upon their age and gender. Plus, since increasing your intake of fiber has been linked to improved hypertension (via Healthline), you may see lower blood pressure readings if you regularly consume Kakadu plums.

Let’s put fiber aside for a second and swing back the Kakadu plum’s vitamin C content. According to the National Institute of Health, vitamin C may help reduce the risk of some cancers, improve vision, beat back the common cold, and lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Full disclosure: The correlation between vitamin C and improved cardiovascular responses isn’t conclusive and needs more research. However, vitamin C’s capabilities as an antioxidant might be what helps contribute to better vascular performance in humans.

But as mentioned earlier, vitamin C isn’t the only nutrient in Kakadu plums that can help against hypertension. Authors of a 2024 review in Hypertension looked into “existing literature that supports [the use of dietary fiber] to lower BP and prevent cardiovascular disease” and highlighted the need for medical professionals to increase awareness about dietary fiber’s potential as a blood pressure-lowering ally.

To be sure, getting your hands on a fresh Kakadu plum can be tough in the Americas. Therefore, consider alternatives such as Kakadu plum supplements, which can be available in powders or capsules. Just remember that if you’re opting for Kakadu plums in their freeze-dried powder supplement form, you’ll need to evaluate each powder’s nutritional label. That way, you can be sure you’re getting exactly the concentration of vitamin C that you expect. 

Be aware, too, that some Kakadu plum powders might not contain the ingredients they purport to sell. In a 2024 analysis in Food Control, researchers discovered fraudulent labeling in 89% of Kakadu plum products. This means you’re better off buying products from highly trusted brands. Another way to get your hands on Kakadu plums is to order Kakadu plum jam or jelly from an Australian seller. This method will at least give you the chance to taste the Kakadu plum, although you might not get the same benefits. As with other fruity preservatives and spreads, versions featuring Kakadu plums may contain other ingredients, such as sugar, which can raise blood pressure.

The Kakadu plum’s health-friendliness has historically extended beyond just being a way to get more vitamin C or maintain a desired blood pressure level. In Australia, the Kakadu plum has been used widely in a medicinal capacity by indigeneous communities.

For instance, a 2023 review in Food Reviews International notes how Aboriginal people depended upon Kakadu plums for hydration and energy. Meanwhile, a 2024 review in Pharmacognosy Communications identified other medicinal properties associated with the Kakadu plum, including anti-inflammation and antimicrobial capabilities. Is it any wonder that the Kakadu plum is a main ingredient in anti-aging and brightening skincare serums, creams, and more?

This doesn’t mean the fruit is without its downsides, though. For starters, its sour, salty taste may be a turnoff if you’re accustomed to eating fruit with sweet flesh. Moreover, Kakadu plums contain high levels of oxalic acid, according to a 2016 study in Food Research International. The presence of oxalic acid is thought to exacerbate the development of kidney stones in some individuals. Therefore, you may want to skip eating Kakadu plums if you’re prone to kidney stones (though you can still test them out topically as a moisturizing cream).