WHICH VITAMIN C?
WHICH FORM OF VITAMIN C SHOULD I USE ??
Wholesale Nutrition offers several forms of vitamin C from which
the consumer must choose one or more to suit his particular
requirements. We'll just list the different forms, their 1999 thru
2002 prices per gram, and discuss their pros and cons. All prices include
shipping/handling to USA & Canada. (1 gram = 1000 mg)
ASCORBIC ACID CRYSTALS: At 2.8 cents/gram, this form is most
economical. These pure crystals have either a nice tart taste, or a
sour taste, depending on the palate. Being 100% vitamin C, ascorbic
acid crystals are the most concentrated form of the vitamin (about 4
grams per level teaspoon). They go well with orange juice, apple
juice, and lemonade, but if you're trying to cut corners, you may be
using a nickel's worth of juice just to take a penny's worth of our
vitamin C. These crystals can be put into a salt shaker and used as a
lemon substitute and sprinkled in tea or on fish. Ascorbic acid
crystals are also used for maintaining the fresh appearance of fruits
and meats and in canning and preserving (1 or 2 grams per jar). Some
persons with sensitive stomachs dislike the acidity, while others
take a few grams at once to kill heartburn.
ASCORBIC ACID TABLETS: (4.7 cents/gram) These are convenient in
that they can be kept handy in purse, car, or bedside.
Your intake is easily monitored since each tablet contains 500 mg of
Vitamin C and 50 mg of citrus bioflavonoids. All tablets must contain
excipients such as binders and lubricants. We use a non-nutritive
cellulose binder to hold the tablet together, and a very small amount
of a common edible fat (stearic acid) as our lubricant (so tablets
won't stick in the tableting machine). We of course add no sugars,
colors, artificial sweeteners, or any other undesirable ingredients.
Ascorbic acid tablets are not meant as a source of megadoses of
vitamin C since dozens of tablets per day would introduce excessive
amounts of excipients into the body to which some persons may be
sensitive. These tablets should never be chewed as tooth enamel
damage can occur over the years. It's best to take them with some food
and water since an unchewed tablet might
cause some temporary local irritation to a sensitive stomach wall
until the tablet finally breaks up.
SODIUM ASCORBATE CRYSTALS: (3.5 cents per gram of C) are used to
avoid the acidity of ascorbic acid by sensitive persons. Many like the
slightly salty taste as a substitute for table salt. Its sodium content
(131 mg per gram of C) may be objectionable to those with
hypertension or water retention problems. But this form is used in
intravenous drips where dozens of grams/day of sodium don't seem
to be a problem. Recent research indicates that only sodium chloride
(table salt) may be the culprit. Anyway, sodium is a necessary
ingredient for the body and a sodium-free diet is not recommended.
Sodium ascorbate can be added to many foods such as milk and soup
without affecting taste. It's also used as a sugar-free, additive-
free, substitute for toothpaste (brush and swallow) for double use of
your sodium ascorbate crystals (never use ascorbic ACID on teeth).
Since sodium ascorbate is usually used for vitamin C megadoses, we
don't offer a tablet form since a large excipient intake would result.
CALCIUM ASCORBATE CRYSTALS: (5.3 cents per gram of vitamin C)
are preferred, despite the bitter taste, as the best source of easily
absorbable calcium, as well as vitamin C. It contains NO sodium AND
is NON-acid. It is also a good toothpaste substitute, leaving a
refreshing and astringent feeling in the mouth (see previous
paragraph). Calcium ascorbate should NOT be your sole source of
megadose C or a calcium overload may result. About 10 grams per
day will supply the RDA (1 gram) of calcium for an adult.
CHEWABLE VITAMIN C: (9.7 cents per gram) may be the only way to
get vitamin C down the kids. A nice tart taste, the convenience of
tablets, and only very slightly acid. These chewables contain rose
hips, acerola, and citrus bioflavonoids (the benefits of which are
still controversial). Because sodium ascorbate is used to keep down
the acidity, so as not to affect tooth enamel, each tablet contains 23
mg of sodium (plus 250 mg of C). The excipients are the same as in
the Ascorbic Acid Tablets, except we added a natural citrus flavor,
and sorbitol, a non-sugar natural sweetener.
C-SALTS: At just 4.7 cents per gram of vitamin C, C-Salts is
probably the best all-round value.
ANDREW WEIL, MD, in his 1990 book "Natural Health, Natural
Medicine" (p.340), says:
"THE BEST FORM OF VITAMIN C I HAVE FOUND IS CALLED C-SALTS ....
MADE BY WHOLESALE NUTRITION" - a testimonial par excellence!
In 1997, Dr. Weil, in "8 Weeks to Optimum Health" (pp.57 & 253),
again recommended
C-Salts, stating
that IT WAS THE VITAMIN C PRODUCT HE LIKED TO USE!!
When a rounded teaspoon is added to just 1/8 glass of cold water, a
good-tasting, effervescent drink is obtained containing 4 grams (4000 mg)
of vitamin C plus 14% of your RDA of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and
zinc, all as their ascorbates. Of Vitamin C's acidity, over 90% is
neutralized - and there is NO sodium. And absolutely NO excipients,
either. C-Salts can go flat if left open a few times. Its C-content,
though, will not be affected. Avoid moist spoons and splashing, and
always put the cap right back on after using. Taste variations will
occur from batch to batch since we add no coverup flavors. Read more
in our C-Salts Flyer.
POTASSIUM ASCORBATE: (7.1 cents/gram of C) A rounded teaspoon
into just an ounce of water gives you a fine tasting, effervescent
Potassium Ascorbate drink containing 700 mg of potassium and 4
grams of vitamin C, and that's all! Dr Cathcart says it makes a good
substitute for the potassium chloride prescribed for heart
patients. DON'T make this product your only source of vitamin C
since 20 drinks/day (1/2 bottle) can be fatal to an adult! If you plan
taking over two rounded TEAspoons per day, please consult your
doctor, especially if you have kidney problems. Unfortunately,
Potassium Ascorbate is tasty as well as deadly - so keep it away
from the kids and the unthinking! Remember Murphy's law: If it CAN
happen, it WILL! Potassium Ascorbate is very humidity sensitive. See
the previous paragraph on C-Salts.
MAGNESIUM ASCORBATE: (6.5 cents/gram of C) A rounded teaspoon
into 1 oz. of water results in a slightly effervescent Magnesium
Ascorbate drink with 170 mg of magnesium, 4 mg of B6, and 3 grams
of C.
ASCORBYL PALMITATE: At 30 cents/gram of vitamin C, this is the
most expensive source of C (200 grams of Ascorbyl Palmitate is
equivalent to 85 grams of pure vitamin C). This is the fat (oil)
soluble form of C and is used as an antioxidant and preservative in
foods, vitamins, drugs and cosmetics. Ascorbyl Palmitate acts
synergistically with other antioxidants such as vitamin E. Its
antioxidant activity is proportional to its use level, even when
exceeding its solubility. There is no restriction on the use level of
ascorbyl palmitate as a food preservative. Other antioxidants are
limited to .02% of the fat content.
© 1981 Wholesale Nutrition
PO Box 1848, Palatine IL 60078
US/Can: 800 325 2664
Foreign: 847 485 8769
Email: wn@nutri.com
Fax: 847 241 0077
