Standard vitamin C tablets and gummies sold in supermarkets and chemists do not come straight from fruit, according to clinical nutritionist Angela Gioffre, raising new questions for families stocking up during cold and flu season. Many shoppers assume supplements use extracted fruit juice, but the reality involves industrial manufacturing starting with glucose through processes like the Reichstein method.
How Synthetic Vitamin C Supplements Are Made
When consumers see oranges and berries on supplement packaging, they naturally assume the nutrient inside has been extracted directly from those fruits. In reality, according to Ms Gioffre, registered with the Australian Traditional Medicine Society, the product is usually an isolated, industrially manufactured nutrient.
This manufacturing aligns with how vitamin C is produced at scale. Industrial methods start with glucose and apply a mix of fermentation and chemical steps to produce ascorbic acid.
For shoppers looking for alternatives, Forest Super Foods founder Justin Snyder points to wholefood powders. His company sells freeze-dried camu camu powder, noting that the wholefood approach avoids chemical processing. “Camu camu berry on the other hand is washed and dried and sometimes put into capsules. That’s the whole process. Nothing is added, and nothing is removed,” Mr Snyder told NewsWire.
Did You Know?
Do Vitamin C Tablets Prevent the Common Cold?
The science on colds is also more limited than many people may think.
However, the data showed that vitamin C could slightly shorten how long a cold lasted and make symptoms a little milder.
The Nutritional Gap Between Whole Fruit and Tablets
Risks Associated With Vitamin Gummies for Children
Families should also think twice before treating vitamin gummies as a replacement for fruit. “Gummies may also contain added sugars and acids and can be very similar to lollies. They are easy for children to overconsume and should always be stored safely,” Ms Gioffre said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do vitamin C supplements prevent colds?
Are synthetic and natural vitamin C absorbed differently?
Are vitamin gummies safe for children?
Gummies may also contain added sugars and acids and can be very similar to lollies.
What is the industrial process for making vitamin C?
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