Vitamin C

Vitamin C is sold in several chemical forms and several formats, and the difference between them is practical rather than dramatic. THE FORMS. Ascorbic acid is the simplest and cheapest. Sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate are buffered forms with a milder taste. Liposomal vitamin C is encapsulated in fat spheres and costs the most per gram. Which form a product contains is in the ingredient list. THE FORMATS. Tablets and capsules are the most common. Powder is the cheapest per gram and can be dosed freely. Effervescent tablets dissolve in water and often contain added sugar or sweetener. SERVING SIZE. Products typically sit between 500 and 1,500 mg per tablet. The daily intake stated on the pack should be followed. HOW TO CHOOSE. Work in price per gram of vitamin C, not per tub. A powder is almost always cheapest; an effervescent tablet the most expensive but the easiest to get down. THE BRANDS. NOW Foods has the widest choice of forms, Swanson the best-value tablets, Osavi the liposomal ones.