16 of the Best Vitamin C Recipes to Beat the Common Cold (2024)

FAQs

How much vitamin C should I take to fight off a cold? ›

How much vitamin C can you take when you're sick? The average dose of vitamin C for colds is anywhere from 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg. This is based on the dose range in the studies that looked at the safety and effectiveness of vitamin C for treating colds.

Kakadu plums. The Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is an Australian native superfood containing 100 times more vitamin C than oranges. It has the highest known concentration of vitamin C of any food, containing up to 2,907 mg per 100 grams (g).

Self-Care for Common Colds: The Pivotal Role of Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Echinacea in Three Main Immune Interactive Clusters (Physical Barriers, Innate and Adaptive Immunity) Involved during an Episode of Common Colds—Practical Advice on Dosages and on the Time to Take These Nutrients/Botanicals in order to ...

The study found that zinc shortened the time people felt sick from their colds. It also reported a lot of side effects. Compared with people who didn't take zinc, those who did commonly complained of upset stomach, problems with taste and mouth irritation.

Although many people take Emergen-C to prevent or shorten a cold, the scientific evidence showing it works is minimal. There's also mixed research about vitamin C's effectiveness in preventing or treating colds in the general population. If you still decide to take Emergen-C, keep it to one serving daily.

Sources of Vitamin C

Citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, and potatoes are major contributors of vitamin C to the American diet [8]. Other good food sources include red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe (see Table 2) [8,12].

Of the 17 samples analyzed, the one with the highest vitamin C content was an apple juice (840 mg/l), more than the orange juices (352-739 mg/l). The results for the pineapple and grape juices were 702 mg/l and between 30.2 and 261 mg/l for the soft drinks (orange, lemon and apple).

Vitamin C is best consumed in a raw state. The best way to consume vitamin C for optimum absorption is to supplement it together with iron. This is why it is commonplace to drink orange juice with your cereal. The iron in the cereal helps you to better absorb the vitamin C in the orange juice.

Pure vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a potent and refined version of vitamin C. The antioxidant benefits of L-ascorbic acid work to neutralise free radicals and reduce signs of skin damage.

Vitamin C can be found in various forms: ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, liposomal vitamin C, or combinations of the above. The experts we spoke with recommend ascorbic acid for its affordability, absorption, and accessibility.

How much vitamin C to fight a cold? ›

The likelihood of success may vary from person to person. Some people improve, while others do not. Taking 1000 to 2000 mg per day can be safely tried by most people. Taking too much can cause stomach upset.

How can I get rid of a cold in 24 hours? Unfortunately, there is still no known cure for the common cold. However, you can reduce the duration of your illness by taking some promising vitamins and supplements, as well as engaging in good self-care. This includes vitamin C, Zinc, echinacea, and probiotics.

Taking more than 2000 mg daily is possibly unsafe and may cause kidney stones and severe diarrhea. In people who have had a kidney stone, taking amounts greater than 1000 mg daily increases the risk of getting more kidney stones. When applied to the skin: Vitamin C is likely safe for most people.

The recommended daily amount for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 90 mg a day for men. During pregnancy, 120 mg a day are recommended. The upper limit for all adults is 2,000 mg a day.

In herpes labialis, oral ascorbate-bioflavonoid complex (1000 mg water-soluble bioflavonoids and 1000 mg vitamin C in equal increments five times daily at first onset and continued 3 days) reduces outbreak of vesiculation and prevents disruption of vesicular membranes.

Although vitamin C can be well tolerated at doses well above what government organizations recommend, adverse effects can occur at doses above 3 grams per day. The common "threshold" side effect of megadoses is diarrhea.