With many dietary supplement options currently available in various drug stores, you may be wondering which option is good for you between gummy vs. pill vitamins.
Even though these two popular vitamin supplement options will provide your body with vital vitamins and essential minerals, they have their major differences.
For instance, they differ in their sugar content levels, their absorption rate in your body, and how they are consumed among others.
So, this article discusses in length the main advantages, benefits, disadvantages, and drawbacks of using gummy vs. pill vitamin supplements.
You will also have an insightful knowledge of who needs these supplements and why, and which option is best suited for your particular requirements.
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Definitions
Gummy Vitamins
If you are a gummy candy lover, then you will likely treat a gummy vitamin as one of your normal candies unless you take time to read its package!
However, unlike candies, gummy vitamins are dietary supplements and contain essential vitamins and minerals to supplement your daily dietary requirements enjoyably and conveniently!
So, like your normal gummy candies, they are meant to excite your taste buds through chewing. You can safely call them sweet chewable vitamins. And you will find them in a wide range of shapes, packages, and flavors.
Pill Vitamins
Traditional pill vitamins refer to potent vitamin supplements that, unlike the gummy vitamins, come in distinct forms. So, you will find them in capsules, tablets, and soft gels.
For pill vitamins, you can take them either by chewing, or swallowing with water, or you can dissolve in water or your favorite fluid and then drink.
Pill vitamins are known to be more potent and are formulated to provide your body with the recommended daily allowances(RDAs) of minerals, and recommended daily intakes of vitamins for perfect health.
In situations where you may have high deficiencies of certain vitamins, your doctor is more likely to recommend vitamin pills with higher concentrations to address your specific requirements.
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Who Needs Them and Why?
Because both gummy and pill vitamins are dietary supplements, it would be of interest that you have a better understanding of when you need them and why. Let’s begin…
When Not Taking a Balanced Diet
Your daily activities, location, health condition, or job environment might make it difficult for you to enjoy a balanced diet.
If you have a full-day job or a busy professional, you may have no time to visit a grocery store for fresh fruits and vegetables, or time to prepare and enjoy a balanced diet.
As a result, your body will be missing essential vitamins and minerals. So, to stay healthy, taking gummy vitamins or vitamin pills remains your best option.
If You Are Injured
To speed up the healing process after an injury or medical operation, you need to increase your daily intake of essential minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin C and zinc.
These may be lacking or inadequate in your normal meal. So, this makes vitamin gummies and pills the best and shortest root to your healing destination!
During Pregnancy
With pregnancy comes loads of body demands focused on sustaining a new life.
Therefore, as an expectant mother, your normal diet will hardly sustain your body’s thirst for essential vitamins and other highly demanded nutrients such as folic acid.
To stay healthy, taking vitamin gummies or pill vitamins can be a great way to fulfill your body’s increasing nutritional appetite during your pregnancy journey!
Note: Ensure that the vitamin supplements you take are based on your doctor’s advice or recommendations.
If You Are Elderly
As you age, your body needs more vitamins and minerals to boost your immunity and keep you healthy and active.
Your normal diet may not provide some of the essential minerals and vitamins your body needs. Therefore, taking gummy or pill vitamins after every meal or when going to bed is a great way of boosting your body’s nutritional needs and ensuring you age gracefully!
When You Have a Chronic Conditions
Effective management of certain chronic conditions requires that you increase your intake of certain vitamins and minerals.
For instance, if have an autoimmune condition, you will need more vitamin D to manage the condition. Your standard meal will not provide the desired amount of vitamin D your body needs.
So, this leaves you with the option of using gummy or pill vitamins to effectively and conveniently manage your condition’s symptoms and to keep you healthy and positive.
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins- How Do They Compare?
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Similarities:
Oral Intake
Both gummy and pill vitamins are made to be taken orally.
While gummy vitamins will always offer you enjoyable chewing moments, not all pill vitamins are chewing-friendly. Most traditional pills require that you escort them with clean water!
Dietary Considerations
If your daily meals tend to lack enough vitamins and minerals, or you have other conditions that demand additional nutrients, then both gummy and pill vitamins are enriched with vitamins and minerals to supplement your dietary needs.
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Key Differences
Available Forms, Access & Storage Ease
Gummy vitamins come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes while pill vitamins come in small distinct forms such as tablets, capsules, or soft gels that are easier to store.
Taking gummy vitamins is more enjoyable and is done by chewing. This is unlike the pill vitamins that most usually require water to drive home safely!
You will struggle to get gummy vitamins as they are not common in stores. This is unlike pill vitamins are always available in virtually all drug stores
Taste & Appeal
Gummy vitamins come with flavors that will entice your taste buds and add joy to your chewing experience. This makes them acceptable for both kids and adults.
Except for a few, pill vitamins are hard to swallow, and less appealing. Often you need to take them with water. So, they are not made to be loved by kids.
Difference In Vitamin and Mineral Content
While both gummy and pill vitamins may contain similar vitamins and minerals, gummy vitamins tend to have lower quantities of the same.
Next time if you want to know if your pill vitamin and an alternative gummy are not in the same potency league, take time to read and compare their labels. The devil is in the detail!
Bioavailability and Absorption Rate
Gummy vitamins break down faster making their absorption and availability in the body faster than pill vitamins.
Gummies chewing process also facilitates their easy digestion and absorption resulting in higher bioavailability
Pill vitamins come in solid forms that require more time to break down and digest. This leads to a low absorption rate and therefore, less bioavailability.
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Benefits & Drawbacks
Gummy vs. Pill Vitamins – Advantages of Gummies
Convenient To Take – No Water Needed
You can easily take gummy vitamins any time including while traveling without the hassle of having to get a clean glass of water to drive it home!
Easier and Enjoyable to Take
You will find taking gummies more enjoyable and relaxing as they are rich in enticing flavor. Besides, they come in a wide range of captivating shapes that you can’t resist
Suitable If You Have Swallowing Difficulty
If you have difficulty swallowing pills or simply dislike taking pills as some people do, then gummy vitamins are the supplement to go for.
This is because they are easy to chew and the swallowing process is refreshingly enjoyable.
A Perfect Nutritional Compensation If You Are a Poor Dieter
If your feeding habit is wanting due to various reasons then gummy vitamins are enriched with essential vitamins and minerals to boost your daily requirements, and to keep you active and healthy.
Can be taken on the go
Because gummy vitamins are chewable, you can conveniently take them on the go. If you love traveling and rarely at home, then keeping gummy vitamins in easy-to-reach travel bag pockets is a great idea.
They Get Digested Easily
Gummy vitamins break down easily and the chewing process makes the process even faster. So, once you enjoy the chew, its digestion, and absorption into your bloodstream is fast.
They Come in Different Sweet Flavors – Loved By Kids
You will find gummy vitamins in different sweet flavors and tantalizing designs. This makes taking them a fun-filled moment that your kids will always look forward to.
Efficient In Vitamin Absorption
The formulation of vitamins and minerals in gummy vitamins makes their absorption into your bloodstream much faster.
The Downside To Taking Gummy Vitamins
Here are some of the disadvantages of choosing gummies as your vitamin and mineral supplement:
Less Potent – Short Shelf-life
Gummies vitamins lose their potency fast and have a short shelf-life compared to traditional pill vitamins.
They also have additional ingredients such as gelatine, sugar, and coloring which play a part in lowering their potency
Contain Less Nutrients
The quantities of vitamins and minerals in gummy vitamins are lower compared to traditional vitamin pills.
Therefore, if your daily nutrient requirement or health condition demands more vitamins and minerals, you will have to take large quantities of gummy vitamins.
Often Lack Minerals
Gummies do not usually contain essential minerals that your body needs such as zinc, magnesium, and iron among others.
Not Easy To Find – More Costly
You will not find gummy vitamins in many drugstores compared to pill vitamins. Therefore, they are more expensive.
Contains Sugar/Sugar Alternatives and coloring
Gummy vitamins are enriched with sugar and artificial food coloring which make them enticing.
However, these additives may have adverse effects on your health such as unhealthy weight gain or other health issues..
Not Regulated – Lack of Consistency in Quality
Unlike traditional vitamins that are regulated, gummy vitamins are not regulated by the FDA and there are instances where details written on the gummy vitamin label can mislead you. Therefore, you will not find them consistent in quality.
May Not Be Suitable for Your Conditions
If you have allergies or certain medical conditions, gummy vitamins are not the best option for you.
Pros of Pill Vitamins
Rich In Vitamins and Minerals
Pill vitamins are known to be potent and rich in vitamins and minerals. Their high concentration of nutrients makes them a better dietary supplement than gummies.
Easy To Access | Convenient to Carry
You will not struggle trying to find where to purchase pill vitamins. This is because they are readily available in most stores and in different varieties to suit your dietary supplement needs.
Again, because of their small sizes, pill vitamins are easy to carry and store.
Less Expensive
Because pill vitamins are easily available, you will spend less expensive, you will spend much less on them compared to purchasing grocery fruits, or gummy vitamins.
The Downside To Taking Pill Vitamins
Not Convenient To Take
With pill vitamins, you need to take them at scheduled times and most of them will require that you use water to assist in the swallowing.
You definitely will not find this convenient especially if you are busy and always on the go.
Don’t Excite Taste-buds!
While pill vitamins in gelatin capsules are becoming more popular and easier to take, most traditional pill vitamins have an unpleasant taste and odor.
Taking them regularly can be a real “pain in the mouth”!
Not Loved By Kids
Regularly giving your kid vitamin pills to manage a condition will not be an interesting activity unless you become more innovative with your approach.
Because pill vitamins lack the sweetness and fun vibes that kids fall for, they will not love or get interested in taking them.
Gummy vs. Pills Vitamins – Which One To Choose and When?
If you have a tight work schedule and love traveling with less time for healthy meals, then gummies can work for you.
You may also decide on suitable pill vitamins as they are easy to carry and all you need is a portable water container for easy swallowing when out of home.
In situations where your condition requires more nutrients or particular minerals or vitamins, then pill vitamins are your perfect choice.
While gummies are fun to take and have essential vitamins and minerals your body needs, you should be aware of their limitations.
So, deciding on which dietary supplements to choose between gummy and pills vitamins depends on your personal preference, lifestyle, and your current health conditions.
Important Note: If you are not sure of the supplement your body needs to manage a particular health condition, consult your healthcare provider before you purchase and begin taking any supplement.