All you need to know about consuming gummies: Facts, pros and cons

All you need to know about consuming gummies: Facts, pros and cons

The over-the-counter health gummies explosion is making a wave regarding its medical goodness. We will see if it is as good as the healthiness it talks about

Sapna SarfareUpdated: Friday, January 20, 2023, 07:39 PM IST
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The rise of healthy gummies in last few years is exponential. New-age companies are big into over-the-counter healthy gummies for everything from hair to sleep, and skin to gut.

TALK ABOUT IT

Dr Monalisa Sahu, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, feels these health gummies are not as much upto the mark when it comes to health benefits. “Their nutritional components need to be carefully looked into. They are on the rise as the trend of consuming over-the-counter drugs is increasing. They may be prescribed to individuals who find tablets and syrups hard to swallow.”

Gummies might contain added sugars, sugar alcohols and food colouring to make it more appealing appeal to one’s taste and appearance. Doctors think they might harm to a certain extent and may cause behavioural issues in children.

As per Dr Vandana Punjabi, Senior Consultant, Dermatology, Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital, Mumbai, the health gummies are taken by those with hair fall issues or who want glowing skin at times. But she is not happy with its sugar and other unhealthy contents. “Social media has promoted these gummies to a large extent, hence the popularity.”

FACTS

Divij Bajaj, the founder and CEO of Power Gummies, a leading Indian brand in the health gummies section, puts forth the gummies side to the whole topic. He mentions that gummy vitamins are chewable that is tasty. They have vitamins appealing to many who are averse to swallowing pills or hate medicines.

“Today’s consumer needs easy solutions which can become a part of their lifestyle without compromising on product efficacy. Gummies come across as a tasty healthy solution with longer shelf life, no risk of spillage, convenient and irresistible too. Many eat them to make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need.”

He gives statistical data on the rising Indian nutraceutical business. It will expand at a rate of 20%+ over the next several years. “Around 150 million people in India and international markets are actively making nutraceutical consumption a part of their life especially post Covid-19. gummies make up around 2.8% of the alternative nutraceutical industry in India due to their widespread acceptance and appreciation, according to the market environment. It is expected to grow to 8 billion by 2025.”

PROS & CONS

Chef and nutritionist Ishti Saluja feels that ease to swallow is its plus point. “But you have to read the labels and know what you’re trying to achieve by taking them as supplements. However, if you’re someone who’s depending on these gummies as a way to fix a particular deficiency, then you might be disappointed with the results.”

There are chances of overdosing on these products, thanks to their gummy nature. Getting an overdose of nutrients is a possibility. It can result in nutrient toxicity manifestations at times. Other nutrients can be kept away due to it too.

“The biggest pro for gummies as a supplement is how they easily fit into the lifestyle of consumers as the tastiest health resort. Usually, gummies as an OTC product are not harmful but being careful about what the gummy ingredients are is what an informed customer should do. So, consumers need to be cautious before making a purchase decision,” says Bajaj.

Divij mentions that health gummies must be taken once or twice a day. “The most important thing is that gummies are not a substitute for regular diets. Gummies coming from different brands are often packed with varying sugar levels, additives and different nutritional blends. Also, if there are any existing diseases, it is recommended to start the intake after a doctor’s consultation.”

Checking for proper accreditations, license numbers, certifications and public review of the product using social media and eCommerce websites will allow the user to know the product’s impact.

The health gummies ball is now in the court of the users after this information.

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