Gummy vitamins offer an easy and convenient way to ensure you’re receiving essential vitamins and minerals. A popular alternative to traditional pill vitamins, they may be especially useful for children and adults who struggle to swallow pills or tolerate too much added sugar in their diets.
However, because the FDA regulates gummy vitamins as food rather than medication, it’s difficult to know exactly which vitamins each gummy vitamin contains and its exact nutritional content; often there can be large quantities of sugar and additives present that cause digestive issues.
Vitamins
Gummy vitamins offer an easy solution for children and adults who cannot swallow pills easily, helping establish the habit and creating more fun ways of taking vitamins. Their sweet taste makes taking these tasty doses enjoyable!
Gummy vitamins contain high amounts of sugar that could contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. Furthermore, many gummy vitamins contain sorbitol or other sugar substitutes which could cause digestive issues in some individuals.
Gummy vitamins can be more vulnerable to degradation from heat and light than traditional pills or capsules, so be careful in how you store them. Furthermore, due to their higher moisture content than other supplements, gummy vitamins have an increased likelihood of harboring mold or bacteria causing stomach annoyance, allergies, infections – and in rare instances even being harmful.
Minerals
Gummy vitamins typically offer a combination of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium in one convenient pill form. Made with sugar and occasionally including citric acid or flavorings derived from glucose syrup for flavoring purposes and food coloring purposes as well as gelatin, they may be available with or without citrate acid as citrate acid is often added for taste enhancement or other additives that contribute to their sweetness. According to The American Heart Association’s recommendations of no more than 25 grams for women per day and 36 for men daily added sugar intake should be limited per day – one gummy vitamin can contain 3-8 grams which quickly add up and may add up over time!
Gummies pose a high risk of overuse since children view them as candy and may consume more than is recommended. Furthermore, their shorter shelf life and lessened potency over time may create discrepancies between actual nutritional content listed on labels and what actually exists inside of each package of gummies, leading to vitamin and mineral toxicity; eating whole, unprocessed foods is still the best way to get essential vitamins and minerals into our bodies.
Gluten
Many gummy vitamins rely on sugars and sugar substitutes to give their sweet taste, contributing to both weight gain and dental problems if the vitamins are chewed for extended periods. Chewing these particles could leave residues attached to teeth that cause lasting harm.
Gummy vitamins contain more than sugar; they also typically include food dyes that may lead to stomach upset, bloating and other unwanted digestive symptoms in some people. Furthermore, food dyes have also been linked with behavioral issues in children.
Gummy vitamins provide a simple and enjoyable way to supplement a nutritious diet, yet it is essential that they only be used as part of this plan. A varied, unprocessed food diet remains the optimal way to access essential vitamins and minerals. If taking gummy vitamins instead, look for gluten-free varieties as these supplements tend to be produced in facilities that do not process products with gluten. These may also be suitable options for those suffering from celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
Storage
Gummy vitamins are susceptible to degrading over time, leading to their effectiveness being compromised over time. Therefore, proper storage should be ensured so as to preserve them and ensure their efficacy for as long as possible.
Keep vitamins in hot or humid areas can have an adverse effect, even when stored in airtight containers. Each time the lid opens and closes, a tiny bit of humidity enters, which may compromise water soluble vitamins like vitamin C or thiamine.
Gummies must be stored in a cool and dry location away from direct sunlight, with humidity levels being less of an issue in other rooms of your home such as kitchen or bathroom. Instead, consider keeping them in a bedroom drawer or linen closet instead if humidity becomes an issue in other places in your home. You could also consider purchasing a small fridge to keep supplements cool and dry at all times; always follow manufacturer recommendations on temperature variations for optimal storage conditions as some gummies are sensitive.
