Is calcium ascorbate as good a form of vitamin C as ascorbic
acid?”
Maybe. Because it is non-acidic, calcium ascorbate can be just
the thing for persons with sensitive stomachs. But it costs more,
and is somewhat less “natural” than ascorbic acid, the kind of
vitamin C found in foods. Buffering good old cheap ascorbic
acid with a cheap calcium tablet often works about as well.
But there is one application in which calcium ascorbate is s
upreme: topical use. It can be made into a paste with a little
(very little) water and put directly on skin or gums. I know persons
who have had receeding gums greatly improve by using this trick.