Should you’re standing in a grocery retailer aisle overwhelmed by produce objects and vitamin C dietary supplements, we will relate. Vitamin C dietary supplements signify a $2 billion business that markets all the pieces from gummies to drink powders that enhance immunity and vitality¹, and the sheer variety of merchandise can rapidly begin to really feel paralyzing.

However does it need to be this sophisticated? As an antioxidant that gives a large number of properties that assist immune well being, vitamin C advantages just about everybody. You doubtless already know you could be assembly your day by day vitamin consumption, however you might not be positive match it into your day by day routine. So right here’s the multi-billion greenback query: “Ought to I take vitamin C on a regular basis?”

Past that, there’s additionally nonetheless the query of how a lot you need to take and the way you need to take it. Ought to I take a complement? Is it higher to only devour vitamin C-rich meals and drinks? Let’s dig into the myths surrounding vitamin C, a comparability of vitamin C dietary supplements and vitamin C-rich meals objects, and the varied types of preparation and consumption for the most effective vitamin C retention. 

The $2 Billion Query: Myths and Advertising and marketing within the Trade

The complement business might want you to assume that you could’t reap the total advantages of vitamin C by yourself with no little capsule. However is vitamin C supplementation actually crucial for optimum well being? As you’ll see as we discover the myths of vitamin C, chances are you’ll be higher off by yourself than you assume.

Widespread advertising and marketing guarantees of vitamin C dietary supplements vary from stopping the frequent chilly to boosting vitality. However not all of those claims are essentially rooted within the reality. Though vitamin C can and does present immune assist, the declare about frequent chilly prevention isn’t precisely true — it’s extra a tactic used to persuade shoppers to buy a vitamin C complement. Let’s check out some frequent vitamin C myths and the reality behind the advertising and marketing. 

MYTH #1: “Dietary supplements forestall colds”

A research overview from 2023 studies that in comparison with placebo, vitamin C consumption of round 1 gram per day considerably decreased the severity of the frequent chilly by 15%². Though this highlights that vitamin C may help with symptom administration, analysis doesn’t present that vitamin C can forestall colds for the overall inhabitants^3,4.

There’s, nonetheless, an exception: elite athletes reminiscent of marathoners or skiers who’re uncovered to quick bouts of utmost bodily stress present potential to scale back their frequent chilly danger by 50% with vitamin C consumption⁵. 

Lastly, though vitamin C could not forestall colds altogether, frequently taking vitamin C earlier than any chilly signs start could shorten the length of your chilly by 8 to 14%⁶.

MYTH #2: “Extra vitamin C = stronger immunity”

Okay, so we’ve addressed that though vitamin C can’t essentially forestall the frequent chilly, it might probably nonetheless make a distinction in the way you expertise a chilly. However now chances are you’ll be questioning, “How a lot vitamin C ought to I take day by day?”

Though you may assume that the extra vitamin C the higher, larger doses of vitamin C don’t equal stronger immunity. It’s because the plasma vitamin C saturation happens at 200 milligrams (mg) day by day⁷ — taking mega doses of vitamin C won’t present any additional profit. 

In truth, the physique actually can not take up extreme quantities of vitamin C (assume 2000 mg day by day), and doses this excessive can really trigger adverse unwanted side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and abdomen cramps^4,8. In uncommon instances, extreme doses of vitamin C may even trigger kidney stones or negatively affect the well being of these with kidney issues, iron overload dysfunction, or hereditary hemochromatosis⁴.

MYTH #3: “Vitamin C dietary supplements are simply pretty much as good as meals”

Due to the brightly coloured labels and curated claims, chances are you’ll assume that vitamin C dietary supplements are simpler than your common glass of orange juice. However the reality is that relating to the battle of vitamin C dietary supplements vs. meals, there’s no purpose why you’ll be able to’t get all of your vitamin C wants from nourishing meals and snacks. 

Right here’s the place the chips fall while you examine dietary supplements to vitamin C-rich meals.

Bioavailability

Specialists report that the bioavailability of vitamin C in dietary supplements and meals is principally equal^9,10. The important thing distinction is that while you devour vitamin C-rich meals, your consumption of vitamin C is usually a lot decrease than a single dose of a vitamin C complement. The smaller dose means your physique is ready to take up it way more effectively.

A 2025 research overview studies that vitamin C-rich meals consumption ranges between 30 and 180 mg/day, with absorption effectivity starting from 70 to 90%¹¹. This quantity declines to under 50% when consumption exceeds 1 g/day, which is a typical dietary complement dose. The surplus vitamin C merely will get excreted by means of urine, so there’s actually no must overdo it.

Entire Meals Matrix Benefit

One sudden benefit of getting your nutritional vitamins from meals somewhat than dietary supplements has to do with the entire meals matrix. What this implies is that by consuming vitamin C and antioxidant parts like bio flavonoids through meals, you’re additionally consuming dietary fiber and different cofactors discovered within the fruit and veggies wealthy in vitamin C. This may help additional improve bioavailability of quite a lot of vitamins, basically unlocking this important vitamin to assist your physique higher take up and make use of it^10,12. 

So though you’ll be able to actually get the next dose of vitamin C by means of a dietary complement, vitamin C-rich meals take the win relating to the total package deal.

The Verdict

Primarily based on the breakdown of those myths, it’s not solely ample so that you can get your vitamin C from meals — it could be the popular method to do it. Nevertheless, that doesn’t essentially imply that you need to throw away these dietary supplements you simply invested in.

Vitamin C dietary dietary supplements should be acceptable for individuals with vitamin C deficiencies, as the next dose can be warranted to carry an individual as much as wholesome vitamin C serum ranges. Vitamin C dietary dietary supplements may have an enhanced bioavailability when the physique is in a depletion state, so there are instances the place they could present reputable assist¹¹. And there’s nothing flawed with reaching for a complement when you recognize you’ve failed to satisfy your wants for the day — however you need to use them as a back-up, somewhat than an excuse to not eat well-rounded meals. 

For most individuals although, vitamin C from meals sources will present probably the most general well being advantages. Should you’re searching for steering on get vitamin C naturally, take a look at our article on meals sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin C Price Evaluation of Meals vs. Dietary supplements

Primarily based on the day by day beneficial consumption of vitamin C for ladies (75 mg per day), let’s take a look at the associated fee evaluation evaluating a vitamin C dietary complement to hitting consumption wants from vitamin C-rich meals^13,14,15,16.

• Dietary supplements: $0.05 or extra/day = Assuming consumption of remoted ascorbic acid tablets at a 75 mg vitamin C serving.
• Meals (based mostly on knowledge from January 2026): Round $0.30-$1.00/day = By consuming cheap vitamin C-rich meals like oranges, you could possibly attain your day by day wants with only a single fruit. 

Primarily based on pure day by day value evaluation, vitamin C dietary supplements could also be cheaper than fruit. Nevertheless, you must also contemplate that vitamin C-rich meals present extra vitamins like antioxidants, potassium, fiber, and extra — to not point out the truth that you doubtless already eat many vitamin C-rich meals with out realizing it.

How Cooking Destroys Vitamin C

Okay, so we will agree that it’s attainable to hit all of your vitamin C wants by means of meals. Nevertheless it’s additionally not nearly what you eat — it’s additionally about how you eat it. 

A Warmth-Delicate Nutrient

One thing to remember relating to consuming vitamin C-rich meals is that publicity to warmth destroys vitamin C. To protect your nutritional vitamins as a lot as attainable and retain vitamin C content material in your meals, cooking strategies ought to restrict warmth publicity.

For instance, specialists recommend you keep away from boiling as a result of vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin⁴. This implies it’s going to leach into any cooking liquid, and is subsequently misplaced throughout strategies that require the meals to be soaked in water (until the individual consumes the liquid together with the merchandise being cooked)^4,8.

A 2019 research overview exhibits that boiling could cause as much as round 50-94% lack of vitamin C in greens like potatoes when boiled and reheated or held in a scorching pan earlier than serving¹⁷.  A 2020 research exhibits that tomato juice heated at temperatures between 158 and 194 levels Fahrenheit had vital vitamin C loss, with larger temperatures inflicting extra loss¹⁸.

Cooking Strategies Ranked

Since some vitamin C-rich produce like potatoes and broccoli are cooked in quite a lot of dishes, it’s good to know one of the best ways to cook dinner them with out dropping an excessive amount of vitamin C. Listed here are our rankings for cooking strategies from greatest to worst by way of vitamin C retention^19,20,21:

• BEST: Steaming or uncooked. The best possible method to retain vitamin C in your fruit and greens is to not cook dinner them in any respect — uncooked prep retains 100% of vitamin C. Nevertheless, steaming vitamin C-rich produce falls fairly near consuming uncooked produce, retaining virtually all the vitamin C.
• BETTER: Microwaving or stir-frying. If you need a cooking technique that’s quick however nonetheless retains most of your vitamin C, stir-frying or microwaving for a brief interval is the way in which to go. These strategies solely trigger roughly 15-25% lack of vitamin C, so that you’ll nonetheless get nearly all of your produce’s vitamin content material.
• WORST: Boiling. Boiling vitamin C-rich produce will leach probably the most vitamin, at round a median of a 50-90% loss.

The Cookware Secret

Some cookware is designed for larger temperatures than others — so it’s no shock that completely different supplies could cause extra vitamin C loss. For instance, forged iron and aluminum cooking pans retained simply 61-72% of vitamin C from the produce examined, as in comparison with 85-94% retention with stainless-steel and titanium cookware²².

To maximise your vitamin C consumption, keep away from cooking with uncooked forged iron, carbon metal, unlined copper, and aluminum cookware. These kinds of cookware don’t inherently destroy vitamin C, however they do retain extra warmth than different cookware supplies. In the end, this implies you expose your vitamin C-rich meals to extra oxygen, warmth, and moisture that may oxidize the vitamin.

As an alternative of the above cookware choices, persist with pans that can expose your meals to much less warmth, like stainless-steel, ceramic, and enameled forged iron^22,23. Glass cookware can be an excellent choice to offer a impartial floor for making ready vitamin C-rich meals²⁴.

When Dietary supplements Truly Make Sense

Most individuals can get pleasure from optimum immune safety merely from incorporating vitamin C-rich produce into their eating regimen. However there are some teams of individuals which will profit from consuming a vitamin C complement for further assist. Let’s check out people which are at better danger of vitamin C deficiency resulting from both elevated oxidative stress publicity, nutrient absorption points, or decreased nutrient consumption¹³.

Elevated publicity to oxidative stress

Nutrient absorption points

• These with malabsorption situations like Crohn’s illness or celiac illness
• Individuals who have had intestinal surgical procedure or a historical past of bariatric surgical procedure

Decreased nutrient consumption

The Backside Line

In the end, for those who’re nonetheless asking your self “do I want vitamin C dietary supplements?”, the reply is: it relies upon. For most individuals, complete meals objects containing vitamin C are probably the most useful supply of vitamin C. Should you’re not an excessive athlete, smoker, or in any other case susceptible to deficiency, you’re doubtless higher off specializing in consuming a rainbow of antioxidants from fruit and veggies for the simplest and nutrient-dense immune safety.

Sources: 

1. https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/vitamin-c-market-110676
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10712193/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7166744/
4. https://www.well being.harvard.edu/vitamin/myths-and-truths-about-vitamin-c
5. https://www.cochrane.org/proof/CD000980_vitamin-c-preventing-and-treating-common-cold
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23440782/
7. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/what-is-the-optimal-intake-of-vitamin-c/2E5F1A5B1A64266EF996A59B4776839E
8. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-c/
9. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/nutritional vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7393990/
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12608462/
12. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10408398.2023.2232880?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pubpercent20percent200pubmed
13. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#h4
14. https://businessanalytiq.com/procurementanalytics/index/ascorbic-acid-vitamin-c-price-index/
15. https://www.selinawamucii.com/insights/costs/united-states-of-america/citrus-fruits/
16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31706353/
17. https://educational.oup.com/ijfst/article/54/1/291/7805488
18. https://educational.oup.com/ijfst/article/55/1/201/7805618
19. https://agriculture.institute/food-fundamentals-fv/thermal-processing-storage-nutrients-food-quality
20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6049644/
21. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2722699/
22. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8249525
23. https://educational.oup.com/ijfst/article/54/1/291/7805488
24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37330033/ 

Staci has been a registered dietitian since 2010 and has handled lots of of sufferers for nutrition-related points ranging from … Extra about Staci Gulbin, Registered Dietitian

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