Reviewed by Jessie, BSc Biomedical Science (IMU Malaysia) · Formulation Lead, Purest Kids
Gummies are the dominant format in children’s supplements. They are colourful, they taste sweet, and children take them willingly. But the format comes with a structural problem that most parents have not been told about — and it affects not just what your child is consuming, but whether the supplement is actually delivering a meaningful dose.
Why gummies need sugar
A gummy is held together by a combination of sugar, glucose syrup, and gelatin or a plant-based equivalent. These are not incidental ingredients. They are structural. Without them, the gummy does not hold its shape, does not have the right texture, and does not taste the way children expect. This means that every children’s gummy supplement, by design, contains added sugar — not as a flavour decision but as an engineering one.
How much sugar is actually in children’s gummy supplements
Depending on the product, a single serving of children’s gummy omega-3 contains between 2g and 5g of added sugar. At the recommended daily frequency, this adds between 7g and 17g of added sugar per week from supplements alone, before food is considered.
The World Health Organisation recommends that free sugars make up less than 10% of total energy intake in children, and ideally less than 5% (WHO, 2015 guideline on sugars intake). For a young child consuming around 1,200 to 1,400 calories per day, 5% of energy equates to roughly 15g to 17g of free sugars per day total. A gummy supplement contributing 2g to 5g of that daily allowance is not a trivial share.
The dose compromise
The sugar problem is compounded by what it does to the active ingredient concentration. Gummies are size-constrained. The sugar, gelatin, flavouring, and colouring take up space and weight. What remains for the active ingredient — DHA, in the case of an omega-3 gummy — is limited.
This is why most omega-3 gummies contain 40mg to 80mg of DHA per serve. The format cannot accommodate a meaningful dose without becoming impractically large or requiring multiple gummies daily, at which point the sugar content becomes the main story. The recommended range for children is 200mg to 500mg DHA per day. A gummy delivering 50mg is not a quarter of the way there — it is unlikely to move the needle at all.
The dental consideration
Gummies are sticky. That stickiness is part of the texture children enjoy, but it also means sugar sits on and between teeth longer than a liquid or capsule would. The British Dental Association and paediatric dental research have both raised concerns about gummy vitamin consumption and increased cavity risk, particularly when gummies are taken between meals rather than with food.
A better format
Softgels solve both problems. They do not require sugar to hold their shape. They can contain a full, meaningful dose of DHA without the size or ingredient constraints of a gummy. And they can be genuinely flavoured without sugar as a structural component.
Omega-3 Mango Burstlets contain zero added sugar. Each softgel delivers 450mg DHA — more than five times what a typical gummy provides — without the sugar that gummies require to exist as a format. For more on what DHA dose your child actually needs, see How Much DHA Does My Child Actually Need?
What to look for on the label
Check the “added sugars” line on any supplement you are considering. If the product does not list this separately, look for sugar, glucose syrup, or glucose-fructose syrup in the ingredient list. Their position (ingredients are listed by weight, highest first) tells you how significant their presence is.
Frequently asked questions
Are sugar-free gummies a good alternative?
Sugar-free gummies typically replace sugar with sugar alcohols like sorbitol or maltitol, or with artificial sweeteners. These solve the caloric sugar problem but not the dose constraint problem — the format still limits how much DHA can be packed into each piece. They may also cause digestive discomfort in some children when consumed regularly.
Do gummies count toward my child’s daily sugar limit?
Yes. The added sugar in gummy supplements counts toward daily free sugar intake in the same way as sugar in food and drinks. It is worth factoring this in, particularly if your child also consumes sweetened drinks, breakfast cereals, or other sources of added sugar.
Is gelatin in gummies a concern?
Gelatin is derived from animal collagen, typically from pork or beef. It is unsuitable for families following vegetarian, vegan, or halal diets unless the product specifies a halal-certified or plant-based alternative. Omega-3 Mango Burstlets use a plant-based softgel shell with no gelatin.
Reviewed by Sonia, BSc Nutrition & Metabolism (University of Sydney, Distinction), Advanced Diploma in Sports Nutrition (Institute of Performance Nutrition).
See Omega-3 Mango Burstlets — zero sugar, 450mg DHA →
References
- Vos MB, et al. "Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association." Circulation, 2017. AHA Journals
- World Health Organization. "Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children." WHO, 2015. WHO
- UCLA Health. "Should you take gummy vitamins?" UCLA Health