WTF Are Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies? (And Should You Be Taking Them?)

Published October 18, 2021 07:00AM

Apple cider vinegar gummies are everywhere right now. These delicious new supplements promise to take the sour taste out of sipping on apple cider vinegar, allowing you to reap the potential benefits without any of the unpleasant disadvantages. But, like any other supplement, it’s important to know what you’re actually getting when you take these gummies.

ACV has been a popular remedy and ingredient for centuries. Made from a mix of crushed apple and yeast, this fermented liquid is said to offer all kinds of health advantages. Research shows that drinking small amounts of ACV regularly can improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce belly fat and aid weight loss.

Apple cider vinegar gummies are making ACV less bitter and more appealing for everyone, and as a result this health-boosting ingredient is a whole lot easier to stomach. But do apple cider vinegar gummies actually work? Are ACV gummies as good for you as the traditional liquid?

The benefits of apple cider vinegar gummies

There’s quite a bit to love about ACV gummies – but the improved taste is one of the biggest benefits.

If you’ve ever tried liquid apple cider vinegar, you know how sour and difficult to drink it can be. Sweet, apple-flavored gummies are a welcome alternative to the strong, bitter taste of the original. Drinking ACV isn’t easy, and taking even a small dose each day can leave one seriously unpleasant taste in your mouth. Gummies, on the other hand, are easy to take because they taste so great.

ACV gummies are also more portable and travel-friendly compared to traditional apple cider vinegar. You can toss them in your everyday bag, bring them on vacation, and even stash them in your desk drawer without worry.

But perhaps the biggest advantage of apple cider vinegar in gummy form is it’s gentle on your teeth. Traditional apple cider vinegar is incredibly acidic, so much so that it has an average pH of 2.5 to 3.0. As a result, drinking liquid ACV can actually cause potential damage to your teeth over time, stripping away enamel with its acidic nature.

Gummy vitamins won’t have this same effect because they contain a smaller amount of ACV. What’s inside these bite-sized supplements is quite different from ACV in liquid form.

Are ACV gummies as effective than the traditional liquid?

Unfortunately, though ACV gummies are convenient and delicious, they don’t contain nearly as much apple cider vinegar as their liquid counterpart.

The amount of ACV in each gummy varies from brand to brand. Nature’s Truth Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, for example, contain 600 milligrams. WellPath Pure Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies contain just 500 milligrams, which is the same amount as DietWorks Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies. Even Goli, the brand that’s making a splash with its ACV gummies, only contains 500 milligrams – though Goli advises taking two to three gummies for a total of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams per day.

But this simply isn’t enough. Even 1,000 milligrams of ACV in gummy form is less than what you’d get from using the traditional liquid. In order to reap the benefits of apple cider vinegar, research shows that you’ll need to take between one and two tablespoons (or 15 to 30 milliliters) per day. 1,000 milligrams is only equivalent to 1 milliliter – meaning, taking a standard serving of two gummies gives you 15 times less ACV than sipping one tablespoon.

So, when you choose ACV gummies, you’re taking significantly less than you would otherwise. If you’re looking to get the biggest benefits, sipping liquid ACV is the best method.

Sugar content of ACV gummies

Another surprising fact about ACV gummies is they often contain sugar. In fact, most supplements in gummy form contain sugar – and if you aren’t aware of this, taking them and eating sugar from other sources could increase your daily intake.

Gummies taste so much better than traditional vitamin pills and powders (and liquid ACV, of course) because they contain added sugars or sugar alcohols. The amount of sugar varies from brand to brand, gummy to gummy. While some, like Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, contain just 1 gram of sugar, others are significantly higher. Dietworks’ gummies contain 5 grams of sugar, and WellPath’s gummy vitamins include 3 grams.

While this alone isn’t very much sugar, it’s one more source that you have to be aware of. Taking these gummies and consuming sugar from other foods can potentially lead you to eat more than you intended.

What we still don’t know about ACV gummies

While this new dietary supplement does hold promise and potential for your health, much is still unknown about apple cider vinegar gummies.

More research is still needed – and likely to come – on ACV gummies’ benefits. Currently, no research studies exist on these gummy supplements. Scientists need time before they can conduct peer-reviewed research into their effectiveness. While there’s quite a bit of research on the effectiveness of liquid apple cider vinegar, the jury is still out on whether or not ACV in gummy form is equally impactful.

Like other vitamins and supplements, apple cider vinegar gummies also aren’t well-reviewed by the FDA. Gummy manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their vitamins are safe for consumption. So, you’ll want to look for third-party certifications to determine whether gummies actually contain the ingredients on their labels.

In order to make sure the gummies you choose are safe and good for you, take a close look at what’s included on the nutritional label and ingredient list. It’s also a smart idea to opt for a high-quality, highly-recommended brand.