The Label
The Gummy Base
Not a nutrient, and it still deserves a straight answer. Here is what it is made of and why.
What The Gummy Base Is
The base is everything in the gummy that is not a declared nutrient: the gelling agent that makes it a gummy at all, the sugars that let pectin set and make it edible, the acids that give it a fruit note, and the colour and flavour.
It is not a nutrient and it is the part of a supplement label people most often skip. We would rather you read it before ordering than discover it afterwards, because for some people it is the deciding factor.
What It Does
Pectin instead of gelatine
Pectin is the structural fibre in the cell walls of fruit, concentrated in apple pomace and citrus peel, and it is what makes jam set. Using pectin instead of gelatine means nothing in the base comes from an animal. It also produces a softer, shorter bite than a gelatine gummy, which some people prefer and some do not.
Why there are sugars
Pectin will not gel without sugars present, and a chewable carrying a full B-complex needs to taste of something other than the B-complex. Both of those are structural requirements rather than choices. The amount per serving is printed on the nutrition panel, and anyone managing blood sugar should read that figure first.
Colour, flavour and acid
The berry note comes from added flavour, the tartness from food acids such as citric acid, and the colour from the sources named on the bottle. All of it is listed there in full, and the bottle is always the authority over any web page.
Our Amount
The Carrier, Explained
There is no declared amount here, because the base is a carrier rather than an active ingredient. What matters is what it is made of, and the complete statement is printed on the bottle you receive.
Our gummies are set with pectin, the gelling fibre in apple and citrus peel, rather than with gelatine. Pectin comes from fruit, so nothing in the base is derived from an animal. Setting a gummy needs sugars, the amount per serving is printed on the nutrition panel, and we would rather you read it before you order than discover it afterwards.
When It Does Not Suit Someone
There is no such thing as a deficiency of gummy base. What there is, occasionally, is a reason it does not suit someone: a strict vegan checking every colour and flavour, someone managing blood sugar, someone with a specific food allergy, or someone whose dentist has opinions about chewy sweets.
All four are legitimate reasons to choose a capsule instead, and we would rather say so than sell you something that does not fit.
What Is In The Base
| Source | Roughly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pectin | The gelling agent | From apple pomace and citrus peel |
| Glucose syrup | Part of the sugars | Required for the gel to set |
| Sucrose | Part of the sugars | Amount per serving is on the nutrition panel |
| Citric acid | The tartness | A standard food acid |
| Natural flavour | The berry note | Named in full on the bottle |
| Colour | The appearance | Sources named in full on the bottle |
Practical Notes
The practical consideration is dental rather than toxicological. A chewy sweetened product sits on teeth, so follow the serving with water, and take it before brushing rather than after.
Store the bottle cool, dry, closed and out of direct sunlight. Pectin gummies soften and stick together in heat, which is harmless and irritating. And keep them away from children, who cannot tell a supplement from a sweet and would be eating 630 mcg of vitamin A per two gummies if they did.
Answers
The Gummy Base Questions
The questions we are asked about this nutrient specifically.
How much sugar is in a serving?
The figure is printed on the nutrition panel of the bottle. It is a small amount in absolute terms, and it is real, which is why we mention it on the homepage rather than burying it.
Is it vegan?
Nothing in the base comes from an animal, because it is set with fruit pectin rather than gelatine. Strict vegans should still read the colour and flavour list on the bottle, which is where exceptions in this category usually appear.
Is there a sugar-free version?
Not at present. Pectin needs sugars to set into a chewable, and we have not found a sugar-free formulation we would be happy to sell. A capsule multivitamin is the better product if this matters to you.
Why have they gone sticky?
Heat. Pectin softens, and gummies stored on a sunny counter in summer will clump. They are still fine to take; move the bottle to a cupboard.