Kids gummies are basically candy... am I overreacting?
So my sister asked me to watch her kids for the weekend and she left me a bottle of these 'kids multivitamin gummies'. I looked at the label and each gummy has 2g of sugar and they're shaped like freakin' bears. The kids are literally begging for more like they're Skittles. I told them no and gave them a piece of cheese instead lol. Am I the only one who thinks this is a problem? We're training a generation to expect candy for nutrition. Rant over.
I get where you're coming from but let's be real - most kids won't swallow a pill. Gummies are the only way to get them to take anything. And 2g of sugar is like half a teaspoon. It's not ideal but it's not the end of the world. My daughter takes gummies and I just make sure she brushes her teeth after. Pick your battles, you know?
I'm with you on the sugar thing, Vince. But also, have you seen the 'sugar-free' kids gummies? They're usually sweetened with xylitol or sorbitol and can cause major stomach issues if they eat too many. So you're trading sugar for diarrhea. Not sure that's better. I do 16:8 fasting myself so I'm not big on sugar, but for kids it's a different ballgame. Maybe just limit to the recommended dose and hide the bottle?
Honestly I think the convenience factor wins here. When my kids were little I tried the liquid drops and the chewable tablets and they hated them. The gummies were the only thing they'd actually take without a fight. And let's not forget - some of those gummies have pretty good ingredients these days, like methylated B12 and stuff. Yeah it's candy-ish but if it gets them their vitamins, I'll take the trade-off. Just don't leave the bottle out like candy, that's when it gets dangerous.
@RootRose821 I hear you but 2g per gummy and they recommend 2 gummies = 4g. That's a teaspoon of sugar for something that might not even absorb well. @VibeVitamins352 I didn't know that about sugar alcohols - good point. @JoyfulJack340 I guess you're right that it's better than nothing. I just wish they didn't make them taste SO good. It's like they're designed to be over-consumed. Maybe I'm just old school. Thanks for the perspectives.