Ascorbic Acid: How is it Made?
WHY SYNTHETIC VITAMIN C DOESN'T WORK:
Ever wonder where that ascorbic acid the other vitamin companies use in their so called "natural formulas" comes from? Well here is the recipe. They start with corn syrup, the thick clear syrup that is nothing more than refined pure corn sugar. Then they follow these chemical steps.
Steps 1 thru 9 (Starch Hydrolysis): Corn starch is broken down into simple sugar (D-Glucose) by the action of heat and enzymes.
Step 10 (Hydrogenation): D-Glucose is converted into D-Sorbitol.
Step 11 (Fermentation): D-Sorbitol is converted into L-Sorbose.
Step 12 (Acetonation): Yes that's right, they use acetone! L-Sorbose is combined with an acid at low temperatures.
Step 13 (Oxidation): The product is then oxidized with a catalyst, acidified, washed and dried forming L-Gluconic Acid.
Step 14 (Hydrolysis): L-Gluconic Acid is treated with hydrochloric acid forming crude ascorbic acid.
Step 15 (Recrystallization): The crude ascorbic acid is filtered, purified and milled into a fine crystalline powder.
This finished product is NOT VITAMIN C, but legally can be called so, which is very misleading to consumers. It is missing 80% of what makes up food grade vitamin C.
Unlike synthetics, whole food vitamin C sources—like acerola cherry, green pepper, oranges, and broccoli—contain all the factors the body needs to derive the benefits from this vitamin.
DON'T BUY THE LIE
When they call it natural and brag about adding in a small amount of bioflavonoides or rutin. It should have been there in the first place, not just added to synthetic ascorbic acid! Or when those brand X companies give the source as Ascorbic Acid with rose hips. The percentage of rose hips is generally 1-2% and that cannot undo the potential harm caused by the chemical ascorbic acid!
"One such supplement (Ester-C®) contains mainly calcium ascorbate, but also contains small amounts of the vitamin C metabolites dehydroascorbate (oxidized ascorbic acid), calcium threonate, and trace levels of xylonate and lyxonate. Although the metabolites are supposed to increase the bioavailability of vitamin C, the only published study in humans found no difference between Ester-C® and commercially available ascorbic acid tablets"
—Oregon State University
When you consume synthetic ascorbic acid the body tries to use it, but it needs the other missing factors. J factor, K factor, Rutin and Bioflavonoides. What ends up happening is your body is striped of these nutrients from your organs and tissues, which can cause health problems.
THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF VITAMIN C
Synthetic Ascorbic Acid Causes Hardening of the Arteries?
It seems hardly likely that taking high doses of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can cause thickening or hardening of the arteries since so many people have taken high doses for a long time. Yet researchers from the University of California reported just that on March 2, 2000. People who took 500 mgs of ascorbic acid had a 2.5 times faster progression of thickening of the carotid artery (hardening of the arteries) than people who took no supplement. It seemed that the higher the dose of ascorbic acid, the worse the artery damage (the more they took, the faster the buildup). In fact, smokers taking 500 mgs of ascorbic acid had a rate of artery thickening five times greater than nonsmokers not taking the supplement. And while no one is sure what this all means, the researchers did come up with some common sense ideas about fractionated supplementation. It is a fact that the body cannot assimilate (use) high-dose fractions of nutrients without first putting them into a form that is functional to the human body. In the case of ascorbic acid, the body will scour the system for the missing components of the vitamin C complex in order to utilize the ascorbic acid. That is why almost all of this chemical ends up in the urine -- because it cannot be utilized by the body in its fractionated form.
Your body does not store vitamin C so you must consume enough each day to maintain good health. Vitamin C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It is necessary to form collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Because of this, your body uses a lot of vitamin C to repair wounds. Vitamin C is also needed to form and repair cartilage, bones, and teeth. Large amounts of vitamin C are used by your body during any kind of healing process, whether it's from a cold, infection, disease, injury, or surgery. In these cases you may need extra vitamin C. Vitamin C helps reduce the damage to the body caused by toxic chemicals and pollutants like drugs and cigarette smoke. Smokers especially need extra vitamin C. Research has shown that vitamin C can help prevent cancer and is necessary for a healthy immune system. It also helps maintain good vision as you get older. Vitamin C deficiency may also contribute to weight gain by decreasing metabolic rates and energy expenditures.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR!
NWC Naturals® Inc. uses only 100% whole food vitamin C from Amla fruit, Kiwi fruit, Strawberries, Citrus Fruit, Cereal grasses, Acerola Cherry, Rose Hips and other whole foods. These fine NWC formulas all contain natural whole food vitamin C:
