How do these tablets differ from regular vitamin C from the pharmacy, and why the strawberry flavour?

In terms of the active ingredient, there is no difference: the basis of this product is ascorbic acid, the same form of vitamin C used in most pharmacy products. The difference lies in the format and the taste.

Ordinary ascorbic acid tablets have a distinctly sour taste that many children cannot stand. As a result, the child refuses to take them or parents have to crush the tablet and mix it into food. The strawberry flavour of this product makes taking it more neutral from a child's point of view — the child sees the tablet as something pleasant rather than as ‘medicine’.

The chewable format also matters: it does not need to be washed down with water and suits children who find it hard to swallow capsules or dissolve powders.

That said, it is important to understand a few things:

• The pleasant taste is another reason to keep the tablets out of the reach of children, so that they cannot take more than the recommended amount on their own.
• The product has a simple, focused formula: there are no additional vitamins, minerals or plant extracts — only vitamin C. This is convenient if you need just one ingredient without complex combinations.
• A pack of 10 tablets lasts 5 days (at 2 tablets a day), so you will need several packs for the recommended one-month course; on the other hand, it is easy to take with you when travelling instead of carrying a large jar.

The product is positioned as an addition to the diet, not a replacement for fruit and vegetables — the main sources of vitamin C in a child's diet.