Diet is often the best way to obtain essential vitamins and minerals, but for children or those who find swallowing pills difficult, gummy vitamins provide an easy alternative.
However, many gummies contain sugar (and sometimes artificial food coloring and fillers) and may exceed the daily recommended limit of added sugars for adults – potentially contributing to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
They Taste Sweet
Gummy vitamins were initially created as kid-friendly supplements for children who struggle to swallow traditional pills such as tablets and softgels. Since gummies look, smell, and taste like candy, they make taking daily vitamins easy while simultaneously providing essential nutrients such as Vitamin A & C as well as iron & folate acid.
Gummy vitamins often contain sugar or sweeteners to make them taste appealing, which could potentially include up to 3 grams of added sugar per gummy (in excess of what children and adults should be consuming daily). Therefore, it’s essential that parents (and adult consumers alike) carefully read labels when purchasing these gummies.
Too much sugar can contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, tooth decay, and other long-term health concerns. Gummies made with ingredients known to cause digestive issues like bloating and gas may exacerbate these health concerns further.
They Have a Limited Shelf Life
Gummy vitamins can become ineffective, taste bad and form mold over time. Furthermore, when exposed to excessive heat they can harden and crumble easily, becoming difficult and even dangerous to use.
Change in texture may be an early indicator that gummy vitamins have become unsafe to consume. Foul smell and discoloration may also indicate their unsuitability as supplements.
Manufacturers can extend the shelf life of gummy vitamins by adhering to high-quality production processes and following stringent storage guidelines. They should use airtight packaging for moisture and oxygen control and store their gummies in cool and dry locations to avoid overheating.
Water Activity (aW) meters provide an invaluable tool for monitoring gummy vitamin production during its manufacturing process. By keeping its water activity (aW) levels as low as possible, an aW meter will help ensure no microbial growth takes place while also maintaining desirable texture and flavor characteristics of the gummies produced. Food-grade preservatives may further prolong shelf life of vitamin gummies.
They Can Be Overdosed
Vitamins can often be harmless; however, taking too much could be dangerous if consumed accidentally by children who may consume multiple capsules at one time or in one sitting. This is especially the case when they take multiple multiple vitamins in one go or all at once.
The Food and Drug Administration does not review supplements as thoroughly as it reviews medications, leading to them often being heavily promoted with unsubstantiated claims. Gummy vitamins present an additional challenge since they’re frequently sold to children as candy-flavored treats.
Gummy vitamin overdose is relatively uncommon and typically treatable at home with supportive care, though it is still important to recognize its symptoms and seek medical advice if you suspect you or your child has overdosed on vitamins. Vitamin overdose symptoms include fatigue, nausea, weakness and weight loss. Too much Vitamin D can also lead to hypercalcemia – an increase in calcium levels that could build up in kidneys and interfere with lungs and heart function if left unchecked.
They Are Not a Complete Multivitamin
Gummy vitamins were originally designed as children’s supplements due to their attractive packaging and chewable nature, but are now popularly taken by adults as single and multivitamin pills. Unfortunately, however, research shows that they may contain less nutrients per serving than traditional pills and could be unevenly produced and contain too much or too little of certain ingredients.
Gummies contain excessive sugar or sugar substitutes to enhance their flavor, contributing to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and tooth decay. Even “sugar-free” products often contain 3-7 grams of added sugar per gummy! Furthermore, some use natural sweeteners like sorbitol that may cause digestive upsets and laxative effects in those unable to tolerate it; the best way to obtain nutrients from food sources such as fruits and vegetables is consuming balanced meals rich in fruits and veggies!
