Gummy vitamins are designed to be a more palatable, sweeter alternative compared to a traditional pill or tablet. Which is precisely why over the years many of us have been told to eat my Lil’ Critters and Omega Fish gummies. I’ve grown suspicious. You’re telling me that these gummies, that taste practically like candy, are absolutely healthy and totally safe for daily consumption? That doesn’t sound entirely convincing, so I took it upon myself to investigate. Well by investigate I mean Igoogled stuff for a considerable-ish amount of time. Having finished my research I’m ready to present my findings, which, along with answers, includes the lies and the deceptions of the gummy vitamin industry and the variety of ramifications that come with that.
The short and sweet answer is that gummy vitamins are in truth, not exactly good for you, by being somewhat ineffective and even possibly leading to long term health conditions. The main contributing factor, no surprise, are the sweeteners.
Most gummy vitamins contain at least one gram of sugar each, which, judging by the size of an average gummy, is more than enough. Oftentimes, gummies that advertise themselves as sugar free use citric acid as a substitute which wears down enamel. Sweeteners, while adding extra calories, can also lead to many health complications if too much is consumed, a surprise to absolutely no one.
Okay, but don’t gummy vitamins have… vitamins? The amount of sugar can’t be that bad if you’re still getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals out of it, right? However, not every gummy is made equal to their gummy brethren. Manufacturing gummies is incredibly challenging, as it’s difficult to measure the correct amount of vitamins and minerals that are needed for a singular gummy, which can lead to inaccuracy on the nutrition labels. What’s more, is that over their shelf life, the vitamins contained in a gummy can degrade over time. In order to combat this, some manufacturers, when initially making the product, put in much more of the vitamins and minerals needed, so even if the vitamin contents degrade consumers are still getting 100% of the vitamins listed and advertised on the packaging. However, this method can also lead to excessive nutrient intake, which, you guessed it, can lead to more health problems. Some manufacturers spray their vitamins on to a candy base as a coating, so if the vitamin contents degrade, you’re just eating straight up gummies.
Gummy vitamins can be useful if your diet is preventing you from accessing certain nutrients. However, if you’re eating a variety of foods, then gummy vitamins are quite useless unless prescribed by your doctor. It seems though, at best, gummy vitamins are simply ineffective, as there’s not enough evidence to prove otherwise. At worst, they can lead to numerous prospective health problems. The only question left, will your parents actually listen to you and stop buying Costco vitamin gummies?
Citations
Heid, M. (2020, November 10). Do gummy vitamins work? here’s what experts say. time.com. https://time.com/5549874/do-gummy-vitamins-work/
Tod Cooperman. (2022, November 3). Gummy Vitamins & related information. ConsumerLab.com. https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/is-there-a-cause-for-concern-with-gummy-vitamins/gummy-vitamin-concern/?search=gummy+vitamins
WebMD Editorial Contributors. (2021, October 25). Gummy vitamins: Are they worth it? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/what-to-know-about-gummy-vitamins
