If you feel you do need a vitamin, you may be torn between gummy vitamins vs. pills. The issue when deciding on the best gummy vitamin for adults or choosing pills tends to be the amount of vitamins and minerals each contain as well as the amount of added sugar.
Tip
The best way to get essential vitamins and minerals is to eat a well-balanced diet with fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and healthy fats from nuts or oils.
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Gummy Vitamins vs. Pills
Gummy vitamins may offer one benefit compared to tablets or pills. If you have trouble swallowing pills, a gummy vitamin may be your best choice.
However, gummy vitamins are often lacking when it comes to the amount of nutrients they contain compared to other vitamin forms. Some of the discrepancy may be due to the need for manufacturers to add color, sugars and other ingredients to help maintain the gummy texture and a flavor that makes you want to eat them.
If gummy vitamins are your only option, you should consider your health needs and what the purpose of the vitamin is in order to pick the best vitamin for you. For example, gummy vitamins for women's health should contain high levels of folic acid to support potential pregnancy. In addition, women may need to supplement with an iron and calcium supplements.
When choosing the best gummy vitamins for adults, you should read the label carefully. You should look for reported vitamin levels. Also, it is a good idea to look for independent reviews of the gummy vitamin you are considering. An independent review agency, such as NSF International, tests the vitamins to see if the contents match the claims.
Adding Gummy Vitamins for Nutrition
According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans you should get most of your nutritional needs through food intake. The Mayo Clinic also recommends getting vitamins through healthy fruits and vegetables because they offer additional benefits such as:
- high dietary fiber
- antioxidants
- better nutritional value from micronutrients not found or found in only small amounts in vitamins
However, you may belong to a group of people who may benefit from multivitamins in any form. For example, women who are pregnant may need extra iron and folic acid. People with issues absorbing nutrients or those who need more nutrients than the average adult may benefit from taking a multivitamin. And though not recommended, if you have a limited diet or are extremely picky, multivitamins may help ensure you get enough nutrients.
If you belong to one of those groups of people who would benefit from adding a multivitamin to your diet, if you can only take a gummy vitamin it may be better than nothing. For example, some pregnant women turn to gummy vitamins because swallowing a pill adds to their nausea. A picky young child may balk at eating their veggies but may be excited about gummy vitamins for toddlers. In these cases, a gummy vitamin may be better than none.
One of the biggest issues with finding a good vitamin is finding one with reliable nutrition information. The FDA doesn't regulate vitamins and other nutritional supplements but recommends you be a smart shopper by researching your vitamins with the USDA, National Institutes of Health and other reputable non-consumer sources.
Lastly, to choose the best vitamin for you, the FDA recommends talking to your health care professional. Your provider can help you make the best decision regarding finding a vitamin for your own needs.
- Mayo Clinic: "Supplements: Nutrition in a pill?"
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: "2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines"
- FDA: "What You Need to Know about Dietary Supplements"
- The Public Health and Safety Organization: "Supplement and Vitamin Certification"
- National Institute of Health: "Using Dietary Supplements Wisely"
- Office of Dietary Supplements: "Multivitamin/mineral Supplements"
- NSF International: "Supplement and Vitamin Certification"