High in vitamin C: Fresh fruits and vegetables provide a good source of this nutrient.
With the current Covid-19 health crisis, everyone is anticipating the day that a vaccine is made available.
While there is no medication to cure or prevent Covid-19 now, there are ways to strengthen your defences to help fight bacteria and other viruses.
One of the ways to boost the immune system is by gaining adequate nutrition daily.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is among the essential nutrients that plays a critical role in keeping our body healthy, including enabling the immune system to function at its best and supporting skin health.
Our bodies cannot produce this essential nutrient, so we need to get it from food or supplements.
Vitamin C can be easily found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and lime, as well as broccoli, cabbages and bell peppers.
Nutrients from fresh food is always the best option, but today’s active lifestyle often makes it hard for people to consume the amount needed to meet the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
As such, a supplement may be necessary.
Vitamin C is essential for the entire family.
How to choose a supplement
Before purchasing vitamin C supplements, consider what best suits you.
If you can’t get yourself to swallow a pill, there are lots of dosage forms to choose from, and chewable may be more convenient for you while effervescent tablets allow you to drink it.
These ready-to-consume products are good for those on the go and the dissolvable ones can be mixed into beverages.
For a healthier option, check out the ingredients list and choose a sugar-free product.
One important factor is the dosage.
For convenience, you can go for once-a-day dosage, hence consumers need not take multiple doses within a day.
The maximum intake is 2,000mg daily for an adult, and 1,200mg a day for a 13-year-old, so it is best to consult your healthcare provider.
Meanwhile, packaging plays an important role in preserving the quality of the nutrient.
For instance, an amber glass bottle limits oxidisation and blocks out sunlight so that the quality of the vitamin is preserved.
The price of the product is another factor, but bear in mind that quality products can come with an affordable price tag and a higher price point does not necessarily mean a better quality product.
In a nutshell, vitamin C comes in various forms, doses and price tags to suit everyone’s needs.
For sugar-free vitamin C chewable tablets, make sure they are produced by a reputable manufacturer.
This article is brought to you by Pharmaniaga
