As Gummy Supplements Continue to Rise, Is Sugar Content a Concern?

Imagine taking a bite of a candy and discovering it’s chock-full of vitamins and nutrients — that’s what the burgeoning category of gummy supplements promises, but is it true?

Gummies have become a staple in the supplement space. The market is growing, with dollar sales up 70% and universal product codes up 111% over the past four years, according to Nielsen IQ data. In one year, gummies alone accounted for nearly $1.8 billion in supplement sales.

“Gummy candies have always been a preferred format, regardless of age,” said Mark Lacey, investment banking director at Raymond James, adding that consumers have more positive connotations when thinking of gummies than capsules.

But you might be wrong. Of course, we all know that many gummy vitamins contain sugar. In most cases, they need sugar or a substitute to keep the gummy shape and, of course, taste good. But some vitamins contain more sugar than the regular candy itself.

Gummy vitamins typically contain 1-8 grams of sugar per serving (usually two gummies). By comparison, two Haribo Gold Bears contain just over 2 grams of sugar. According to the American Heart Association, women should limit themselves to 25 grams of sugar a day, and men to 36 grams. Both limits are easily reached with a handful of Full Sugar Gummy Vitamins.

That being said, brands are still bullish on the format because it’s loved by consumers and encourages consistency among users. Plus, the alternatives have made it easier to develop sugar-free versions that are lower in calories and don’t spike blood sugar levels.

“A lot of people start with gummies because they want a more flavorful taste,” says Simon Hack of Rem. “We see a lot of people start with gummies and then move on to capsules.”

Hack said Rem’s goal for its products, which are sold at Target and Ulta Beauty, is to offer consumers a variety of options. He added that many consumers will mix capsules and gummies on a daily basis and use gummy vitamins as a sweet treat. Mixing capsules and gummies allows consumers to avoid consuming too much sugar, he said.

At the same time, the company is working with peers on sugar alternatives, specifically allulose, extracted from fruits such as figs, which is used in the company’s new Remkaab Chews. While FDA-approved allulose has been a successful alternative, experts are wary of other alternatives, such as sugar alcohols, which can be hard on the digestive system. Additionally, some retailers, including Whole Foods, have banned allulose because it’s a relatively new alternative on the market and it’s hard to predict the long-term effects. Additional alternatives the brand is experimenting with include stevia and monk fruit, which sources say have become more innovative over the years.

Hum Nutrition, which is sold at Target, also offers both capsules and gummies, as does Lemme. The company says capsules make up the majority of its business. Founder and CEO Walter Faulstroh noted that there are drawbacks to working with gummies. First, there are some formulations that aren’t suitable for gummies because they require heat processing. Faulstroh specifically pointed to digestive enzymes and certain probiotics.

Plus, the category is often subject to trends that may or may not last: For Hum, the craze for apple cider vinegar gummies was one example, but Forstrow said that after the initial boom, “it completely collapsed volume-wise.”

“Gummies have been very successful for us, but we’ve also had a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “Gummies are very volatile. When they get popular, they explode, but when they go on a downtrend, they seem to have more momentum than gummies.”

Supplement brand Ritual doesn’t currently sell gummies, but founder Katerina Schneider isn’t against the format, especially as sugar alternatives have improved over the past few years. But when it comes to choosing gummies, Schneider has some limitations.

“We made the decision early on to only create sugar-free products,” she said, adding that the brand has experimented with using gummies for certain formulas, like its moisturizing skin supplement HyaCera ($54).

Schneider recognizes the appeal of the gummy format, but launching gummies will depend heavily on developing a version that is sugar-free and has the same effectiveness as tablets and capsules.

“As a company, we don’t just rely on one technology,” she said. “We’re really looking at all our targets and needs and thinking about what we can improve and what we can make smarter.”

More brands are willing to try sugar alternatives, but some, such as Love Wellness, which is sold at Walmart, Target and Ulta Beauty, have gone gummy-free.

“What you don’t put in your product is just as important as what you put in it,” said founder Lo Bosworth, an early advocate of the sugar-free format.

While the brand is currently only a capsule and tablet business, it did briefly sell a sleep supplement gummy, which ultimately led to the decision to no longer sell this type of product. After bringing the gummies to market, Bosworth began to explore the category further, only to be disappointed with the results.

“Many gummy vitamins contain the equivalent of five to eight servings of sugar,” she says. “But what if the consumer is only taking gummy vitamins and is also taking three vitamins a day? The sugar content adds up quickly.”

That epiphany led Bosworth to stop making gummy vitamins and to use only capsules and tablets ever since, which offer clear advantages. Capsules typically allow for larger doses and allow for a mix of ingredients. Gummies are typically more effective when they are single-ingredient or low-ingredient formulas and shelf stable. Additionally, the heating required for gummies often impacts ingredient dosage and bioavailability, so capsules may be more effective.

Additionally, Bosworth shared his findings on social media using what’s called a “gummy calculator,” which essentially shows how much added sugar the supplements contain.

While some brands have questioned whether gummies qualify as health foods, experts say consumer attachment to the products, the rise of sugar alternatives on the market and the growth of supplements for children mean the market is here to stay.

“As long as you can keep it under 5 grams per serving, I don’t see any reason for people to move away from it,” Lacey said, adding that lower-sugar versions and alternatives will become more popular. “You get a desirable format and great nutritional value, so it’s a win-win.”