NOW Foods Calcium Ascorbate Powder 8 oz

What it is

NOW Foods Calcium Ascorbate Powder is a pure, buffered vitamin C powder in an 8 oz. (227 g) bottle, supplying 890 mg of vitamin C and 90 mg of elemental calcium in each 1/4 level teaspoon. The label lists about 203 servings at that measure, and the "Other ingredients" line on the Supplement Facts panel reads, in full, "None." It is packaged by NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, and the front of the bottle identifies it as a dietary supplement in vegetarian/vegan, Non-GMO form.

The format is the distinguishing thing here. This is loose crystalline powder measured with a spoon rather than a capsule or tablet, so there is no shell, no binder and no flow agent between you and the ingredient — a point the panel makes plainly by listing nothing at all under other ingredients. You can browse the rest of our Supplements range for capsule and tablet formats if a measured powder is not what you are after.

What's inside

One compound does all the work in this bottle: 1,120 mg of calcium ascorbate per serving, which the panel then breaks into two rows. Calcium ascorbate is the calcium salt of ascorbic acid — the same vitamin C molecule, with the acidic hydrogen replaced by calcium. That substitution is what the word "buffered" on the front of the bottle refers to, and it is why the packaging describes the powder as non-acidic: chemically, the acidic proton is simply not there any more.

Because calcium is part of the molecule rather than an additive, a single ingredient yields two separate nutrients on the panel:

• Vitamin C — 890 mg per serving. Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble nutrient, meaning it dissolves in water rather than in fat. The adult Daily Value used on U.S. supplement labels is 90 mg, so 890 mg works out to 989% of that figure — which is exactly what the panel prints. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on vitamin C gives general background on the nutrient itself.
• Calcium (elemental) — 90 mg per serving. This is the mineral half of the same 1,120 mg of calcium ascorbate, not a second ingredient. Against the 1,300 mg adult Daily Value it comes to roughly 7%, again matching the printed figure. General background on the mineral is available from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on calcium.

The panel's own numbers corroborate each other, which is worth knowing on a product sold by weight. A 1.12 g serving multiplied by about 203 servings comes to roughly 227 g — precisely the net weight printed on the front of the bottle. Serving size, serving count and net weight are mutually consistent, which is what you would expect from a formula with a single component and nothing else added.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is one 1/4 level teaspoon, one to three times daily. Measure with a proper 1/4 teaspoon rather than a kitchen spoon and level it off, since the serving is defined by weight — approximately 1.12 g — and a heaped spoon holds noticeably more than a level one.

Two practical lines from the panel are worth reading before you open the bottle. The first is "This product is sold by weight not volume," which explains why a 227 g fill does not reach the top of an 8 oz. jar; fine powders settle in transit, and the weight is the figure the label commits to. The second is "Store in a cool, dry place after opening" — ordinary advice that matters more than usual for a crystalline powder, which will take up moisture from humid air and clump. The label also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, so a shade difference between bottles is expected rather than a fault.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults who prefer to measure a supplement rather than swallow a fixed unit. A powder lets you follow the label's one-to-three-times-daily range with a single spoon and no leftover capsules, and it suits anyone who finds tablets awkward. The serving count is high — about 203 at the printed measure, or roughly a ten-week to seven-month supply depending on whether you take it once or three times a day — so the 8 oz. bottle fits a household that would rather not re-order often. You will find related products in Antioxidants and across Health & Wellness.

It is a dietary supplement for adults 18 and over, not a food, and not a substitute for a varied diet.

Good to know

• Allergen statement, verbatim from the panel: not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens — the second half matters if you are sensitive rather than merely avoiding an ingredient.
• Caution, from the label: for adults only. Consult a physician if pregnant or nursing, taking medication, or managing a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
• Quality: the bottle panel carries a "GMP Quality Assured" seal and states that the product is packaged and quality tested in the USA. NOW Foods' accompanying product information card names Intertek as the body certifying its supplement manufacturing process.
• Marks on the label: a Non-GMO badge and a "K" symbol appear on the front panel, and the front also reads "Vegetarian/Vegan." NOW Foods is described on the bottle as family owned since 1968.
• Packaging: the side panel states the bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin.
• Reading the asterisk: the statements marked with an asterisk on this packaging are structure/function statements made by the manufacturer. The FDA's page on structure/function claims explains what that mark means on a supplement label, and the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database lets you look up label data for products in this category.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much vitamin C is in one serving of this powder?

One 1/4 level teaspoon supplies 890 mg of vitamin C, which the label lists as 989% of the adult Daily Value. That serving also delivers 90 mg of elemental calcium, or about 7% of its Daily Value, because both come from the same 1,120 mg of calcium ascorbate.

Does this powder contain anything besides calcium ascorbate?

No — the Supplement Facts panel's "Other ingredients" line reads "None." There is no filler, binder, capsule shell, sweetener or added flavoring listed, which is consistent with the "Pure, Buffered" wording on the front of the bottle.

What does "buffered" mean on this label?

Buffered means the vitamin C is supplied as calcium ascorbate, a salt, rather than as free ascorbic acid. The acidic hydrogen of the ascorbic acid molecule is replaced by calcium, which is why the packaging describes the powder as non-acidic and why calcium appears as a second row on the panel.

Why isn't the bottle filled to the top?

The label states plainly that this product is sold by weight not volume. The commitment on the front is 8 oz. (227 g) of powder; fine crystalline material settles during shipping, so headspace in the jar is normal and the net weight is the figure to go by.

How is this order packaged and shipped?

Orders ship in plain, unmarked outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.