Where to Find the Best
Vitamin C Supplement?

Why try to find the best vitamin C supplement? Aren't they all basically the same?

It all depends on what you are looking for.

Personally, I try to avoid fillers.  Many fillers and binders that have not been tested for safety by any publicly accountable organization. When taking the kind of dosages required to reap all the benefits of vitamin C, you might not want to end up ingesting questionable ingredients.

Another concern for a lot of people is that almost all sources of vitamin C come from genetically modified crops.

I would say that even if you are concerned about ingesting GMOs, you could reconsider in this case. 

I say this because vitamin C is a molecule (the chemical name is ascorbic acid) and what scientists are changing in GMO foods is the DNA.  Ascorbic acid and DNA are separate molecules.  The structure and function of the vitamin C molecule will be exactly the same, whether it came from a GMO plant of not. 

Ascorbic Acid (aka Vitamin C) Molecule

Still, if you prefer avoiding genetically modified crops, look for a non-GMO product. Unfortunately, they are terribly hard to find. Most vitamin C supplements are made from GMO corn and, lately, sugar beets. 

Unless it explicitly states non-GMO, assume that it is made at least partially from GMO crops.

I have been buying my ascorbic acid crystals from PureBulk for many years. This company has excellent prices and great service.  It's the best vitamin C for me!

If you prefer a non-corn, non-GMO source, check out the Vitamin C Foundation. They have a non-GMO, corn-free vitamin C powder, but it is MUCH more expensive than the Bridge City Bulk vitamin C, though.

Both of these companies provide ascorbic acid crystals which are perfect for doing a vitamin C flush. They are also great for people wanting to use vitamin C as a common cold remedy. They are available in pill form too (1,000 mg per pill).  BUT...

I don't recommend the buffered vitamin C for the high dosages required for a flush or common cold cure though.

That's because you can end up ingesting WAY TOO MANY minerals. Plus the minerals need to be broken down in the digestive tract. This slows down the effectiveness of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid goes to work right away as it is absorbed through the stomach lining.

For those with sensitive stomachs needing high dosages, try adding just a pinch of baking soda to your ascorbic acid powder. It will make a nice fizzy drink when mixed with water or juice and will be gentler on your stomach.

What about "Natural" Vitamin C as the Best Vitamin C?

There are lots of companies touring the superior health benefits of a natural vitamin C that comes from whole foods.  They claim that almost all of the beneficial compounds are removed when making ascorbic acid from whole foods.  I have looked into this extensively and cannot find any research that supports these claims

What bothers me the most though is what these same companies are charging for their "natural" vitamin C. 

They say it comes from certain berries and other high-vitamin C fruits.  Fine.  But what is the dose you are getting from their products?  The same you could easily get in actual whole foods!

Do you see the hypocrisy here?  These companies are claiming that it is much better to obtain vitamin C from its whole food state, but then they are selling you a very expensive product (in a very low dose) that is supposedly less processed than standard ascorbic acid.

You'd be much better off just consuming the whole food!  I wonder why they don't recommend that?

Here are two examples of natural vitamin C products I found:

1. 1) Product A has 90 capsules for $24.99.  The vitamin C per capsule is 120 mg.
2. 2) Product B has 90 servings for $33.50.  The vitamin C per serving is 300 mg.

Now look at the amount of natural vitamin C in the following servings of fruits and vegetables:

• Guava - half a cup contains 188 mg
  
• Red pepper - half a cup raw contains 142 mg
  
• Kiwi - one medium fruit contains 70 mg
  
• Orange - one medium fruit contains 70 mg
• Strawberries - half a cup contains 50 mg
• Kale - one cup contains 80.4 mg

There are many more foods that have a good amount of vitamin C.  So if you are ever tempted into buying these natural and supposedly best vitamin C products, just eat your fruits and veggies and you'll be fine.