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

FAQs

Does vitamin C really help against colds? ›

Last Update: October 8, 2020; Next update: 2023. Taking vitamin C every day to try to prevent colds won't protect most people from colds. It only slightly shortens the amount of time that they're ill. Starting to take vitamin C once you already have cold symptoms won't have any effect on your 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.

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). Just one plum (about 15 g) packs 436 mg of vitamin C, which is 484% of the DV.

Liposomal vitamin C. This form is best because there is almost always a gut malabsorption problem underneath a severe deficiency.

There is no guarantee that zinc will help you feel better faster. In some studies, zinc did nothing to shorten how long people with colds felt bad. In other studies, zinc may have shortened symptoms by a few days. But the side effects from taking zinc can be uncomfortable or serious in some cases.

A cold will usually go away on its own without treatment. However, a person may experience uncomfortable symptoms while they recover. People can take steps to aid recovery, such as getting plenty of rest. Some studies suggest that vitamin C and echinacea may reduce the duration of a cold.

To elicit these effects, vitamin C at doses > 200 mg is typically consumed as a prophylactic measure, whereas zinc is administered in the form of lozenges (10 – 23 mg of zinc at least six times daily) or syrup (10 – 30 mg/day) and taken within 24 h after symptom onset.

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].

Astaxanthin is often called the "king of carotenoids". Research shows that it is one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature. Astaxanthin's ability to fight free radicals is 6000 times greater than vitamin C, 550 times than vitamin E and 40 times than beta-carotene.

Astaxanthin has been shown to be stronger than more well known antioxidants such as vitamin C, lutein, and beta-carotene. In fact, studies have shown that astaxanthin is almost 6000 times more powerful than the widely renowned vitamin C.

Is there anything better than vitamin C? ›

There have been comparative studies on pycnogenol and vitamin C, and some say that pycnogenol is an even more powerful antioxidant than vitamin C. While pycnogenol is not known to increase collagen production, pycnogenol has been shown to bind collagen and elastin. Pycnogenol prevents collagen from breaking down.

It is a potent antioxidant and a cofactor for a family of biosynthetic and gene regulatory enzymes. Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system.

“It doesn't prevent the common cold,” says Dr. Lacey. “It may help decrease the duration of a cold, but simply taking vitamin C will not prevent or cure your cold.”

But if you've ever tried them, you've likely wondered just how effective they really are. The truth is, vitamin C and zinc are not effective home remedies in treating a common cold.

Evidence also shows that the benefits of regularly taking vitamin C supplements to reduce the duration or severity of a cold are minimal. Eye diseases. Taking oral vitamin C supplements in combination with other vitamins and minerals seems to prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) from worsening.