For people who don’t like swallowing pills, gummies are a popular choice when it comes to multivitamins.
They’re soft and chewy, and don’t have the “off’ smell that some tablets and capsules have. And thanks to their fruity flavour, gummy vitamins are tasty, which makes people more likely to take them consistently.
But if you rely on a gummy multivitamin to cover nutrient gaps in your diet, there’s a good chance you’re consuming fewer vitamins and minerals than you realize. Not to mention getting ingredients you don’t need or want.
Here’s why a gummy multivitamin may not be right for you.
How gummy vitamins are made
The basic gummy vitamin formula consists of gelatin, sweeteners, flavours and colours (natural or artificial), vegetable oil (palm oil, soybean oil and/or coconut oil), fibre (inulin, pectin) and a vitamin blend, along with other additives.
They’re made by mixing the ingredients in a tank, heating everything to a high temperature and blending until a certain consistency is reached. The liquid is added to gummy molds, cooled and then dried.
Some manufacturers coat gummy vitamins with a thin layer of wax, which gives them a shiny finish and prevents them from sticking together.
Fewer vitamins and minerals, read labels
Popular brands of gummy multivitamins can have nearly half as many vitamins and minerals as the company’s traditional multivitamin – with most in much lower doses. It’s harder for manufacturers to pack in as many nutrients into gummies because of the ingredients needed to produce the right texture, sweetness and appearance.
Gummy multivitamins fall particularly short on minerals. Iron, for example, isn’t added because its metallic taste is difficult to mask. Many menstruating females need to supplement their diet with a multivitamin to meet their daily iron requirement of 18 milligrams. (Women who follow a vegan diet need 32 milligrams.) A gummy multivitamin can’t help with this.
Iodine, a mineral that’s crucial for normal thyroid function, is found in iodized salt, fish, dairy products and seaweed. It can be hard to get from foods alone, especially if you eat a low-sodium or plant-based diet.
It is included in gummy vitamins but usually in a low dose. Adults need 150 micrograms of iodine a day, which is the amount that’s typically added to traditional tablets and capsules. (During pregnancy and breastfeeding women need more.) Many gummy multivitamins supply only 20 to 80 micrograms, although some do offer a day’s worth.
Finally, women of childbearing age should also consider folate (folic acid). Taking a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during pregnancy is recommended to help prevent serious birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord.
Among five popular brands of gummy multivitamins I reviewed, four provided no more than 160 micrograms of it.
Difficult to control vitamin amounts
Because vitamins tend to deteriorate faster in gummy formats, manufacturers pack in more nutrients than the listed amount. This helps ensure that the product contains at least 100 per cent of its labelled vitamin and mineral content at the time of expiry.
In other words, gummy multivitamins can have higher amounts than what’s listed on the label.
In the U.S., gummy vitamins are allowed to contain up to 245 per cent of their listed amount of folate (providing the actual amount does not exceed the safe daily upper limit), and 250 per cent of their listed vitamin C, with no restrictions on the actual amount.
Potentially, this could lead to unsafe intakes, especially if people are getting folate and vitamin C from other supplements and fortified foods.
Gummy ‘candies’ with vitamins
Gummy vitamins are typically sweetened with added sugar, with some containing as many as three different types. Scan the ingredient list and you’ll often see sugar listed as the first two ingredients, usually glucose syrup and sucrose (table sugar). Other added sugars you may see include corn syrup, invert sugar and fruit juice concentrate.
Two adult multivitamin gummies, a usual daily dose, deliver anywhere from two to five grams of added sugar. Kids’ products typically provide two to three grams in two gummies. For perspective, one teaspoon of table sugar has four grams of sugar.
In Canada, the amount of added sugar is not required to be disclosed on gummy supplement labels. But it should be. A few grams may not sound like a lot, but it can add up. That’s especially true if you take a few different types of gummy supplements, many which require two or three to get a full dose.
Adults and children are recommended to limit sugar intake less than 5 per cent of daily calories. For a 2,000-calorie diet that’s no more than 25 grams.
Sticky sugar-containing gummy vitamins can also adhere to teeth and cause dental cavities.
Bottom line
If you’re averse to swallowing pills, consider “mini” multivitamins that are smaller and easier to swallow. Or try cutting regular multivitamin tablets in half. Chewable varities are another option, especially for kids, since they don’t stick to teeth.
If you find that pill and capsule formats upset your stomach, try taking them with a meal instead of on an empty stomach. (Even gummy multivitamins, which are easier on the stomach, are best taken with food.)
If you prefer gummies, read labels to ensure the multivitamin contains the nutrients you need. Choose products lower in sugar and without artificial colours and flavours. And pay attention to the recommended daily dosage; don’t take more.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD