Vitamin C is probably the most familiar of all the nutrients. You may have taken it to fight off a cold. Maybe you’ve used it to minimize skin wrinkles. However, the benefits of vitamin C go far beyond that.

Vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of your body’s tissues including bone, skin, and blood vessels. It cannot be produced by the body and must be replenished daily. As a powerful antioxidant, it can combat the damaging effects of free radicals, which is why it is associated with preventing conditions like cancer, cataracts, and heart disease. It can help speed wound healing, boost the immune system, and aid in the absorption of iron.

To prevent vitamin C deficiency, the recommended daily intake for non-smokers is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women; for smokers, 125 mg/day for men and 110 mg/day for women. For optimal health, research has shown benefits from having at least 400 mg of vitamin C per day. In fact, there are many health practitioners who advise at least 1000 mg/day. The upper limit of daily intake likely to pose no risks is 2000 mg/day.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. Although it’s considered a weak acid, it does not make your body more acidic. In fact, foods rich in vitamin C are alkaline-forming because as the body burns the acid, it leaves an alkaline end product. However, the acidity may still affect your stomach as vitamin C travels into your gastrointestinal tract. So if you avoid acidic foods because of a sensitive stomach—perhaps you have a gastric condition like acid reflux or a peptic ulcer—then you’ll want to take a buffered form of vitamin C.

Buffered vitamin C is created when a mineral salt is added to ascorbic acid. This results in a substance that resists changes in pH, providing a better formulation choice for those with sensitive stomachs.

California Gold Nutrition gives you that choice. This brand features both buffered and unbuffered vitamin C supplement products available in various forms, including capsules, gummies, and powders.

Powders can be especially convenient because you can customize your dose. The powder form is great for adding to recipes like these as well.

Lemon Blueberry Burst Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup greens of choice
• 1 scoop Vitamin C (or Buffered Gold C) powder
• 1 tsp. chia seeds
• 2 small sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 Tbs. almond or cashew butter
• ¼ tsp. lemon zest
• Juice from ⅛ of a medium lemon
• 1 to 1½ cups frozen blueberries (1½ cups for a thicker smoothie)

Instructions:

1. Add the first eight ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add the frozen blueberries and blend again.

Morning Boost Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 scoop Vitamin C (or Buffered Gold C) powder
• 1 Tbs. of ground flax
• 1 Tbs. of coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 banana, optional
• 1 tsp. of pure maple syrup, optional
• 1 tsp. orange zest, optional

Instructions:

1. Heat the oats and almond milk in a pot on a stovetop until the liquid is nearly all absorbed.
2. Add flax, cinnamon, coconut oil, and vitamin C powder to the pot.
3. Stir until coconut oil has melted and all ingredients are well combined.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Serve in a bowl topped with any of the following: orange zest, sliced banana, a drizzle of maple syrup.