Read time: 3 minutes
Taking your vitamins has never been more popular—and there are so many different ways to take them. Horse pills? Not anymore!
The supplement market is only getting bigger each year as more people look for ways to support their health and wellbeing. According to multiple studies, over 70% of people in the United States reported taking supplements in 2020 alone.
With such a large interest in vitamins across the board in American households, companies have been coming up with new and inventive ways to take supplements—gel capsules, tablets, chewable, gummies, meltables, and more.
With all those choices, how do you even begin to decide? You’re in luck! Read on to learn about all the pros and cons of the most popular forms of supplements before you shop.
Gel Capsules
These are common—the nutrients are suspended in a liquid substance like gelatin.
Pros
- Capsules break down more quickly than solid tablets.
- They are less likely to have a bad taste.
- It’s hard to tamper with gel capsules, as they can’t be broken down or crushed.
Cons
- They can be the less durable form of the bunch, easily affected by weather conditions like heat or humidity.
- They tend to have a shorter shelf life, which even means you could buy them already expired even with a sell-by date.
- Usually more expensive than other supplements because they cost more to make.
- May contain animal byproducts (like gelatin), which makes them off-limits for vegans or vegetarians.
Solid Tablets
These are most common, and the nutrients are compressed into a chalk-substance, which then creates a smooth, hard pill.
Pros
- Usually it costs much less to make than other types of supplements, which in turn makes it cheaper for consumers.
- More stable than gel capsules and have a longer shelf life.
- One tablet can hold a higher dose of the active ingredient than a single gel capsule.
- Solid tablets can come in quick release, delayed release, or extended release formats, which appeals to a wide variety of people.
Cons
- Solid tablets commonly irritate the digestive tract, making it hard on your stomach and leading to undesirable side effects if not taken with food.
- Tablets are more slow-acting than gel capsules.
- Many tablets are coated with chemicals or less of a barrier between the ingredients and your tongue, which equals ick, a bad aftertaste.
Gummies
Appealing in that they usually taste sweet and palatable. Very common in vitamins.
Pros
- Great for people who have a hard time swallowing pills.
- Easy to give to children as it tastes like a fruit snack.
- Easier on the stomach than a solid, chalky pill.
Cons
- They contain a ton of refined sugar and carbs for their density—sometimes more than sweets.
- They cannot contain as much of the active ingredient or medicine as other forms of supplements.
- Often they contain gelatin which is off-limits for vegans and vegetarians.
- Include unnecessary additives.
Meltables
These melt-in-your-mouth tablets fit almost every lifestyle, and are becoming more popular in the nutraceutical industry.
Pros
- Usually very tasty.
- People with digestive issues or conditions find these the easiest to stomach.
- No water or chewing needed, making it great on the go.
- They can contain high concentrations of the active ingredients, making it more effective in dosage.
- Cost-effective alternative.
- They leave minimum residue in your mouth.
Cons
- These tablets are delicate, so they must be manufactured and handled with care.
- Some may contain gluten, excess sugars, and animal byproducts.
- Can contain harmful additives —unless you do your research first and find a brand with natural ingredients.
Do Research Before You Buy
Best way to pick the right supplement? Research ahead of time.
There is a growing shift away from chemical and artificial ingredients in the nutraceutical industry, and EZ Melts is proud to be a part of that movement.
We ensure that our vitamins are non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, and free of harmful or excess chemical additives and sweeteners.
The EZ Melts Promise
Try our EZ Melts supplements for their customer-approved, all natural flavor, and their non-GMO and vegan promise. They melt quickly on the tongue, making it EZ to get the nutrition you need. Just check out our ingredients listed on the bottle, and feel better knowing you are supporting your best health. Thanks for being a part of our community!
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Written by Annie-Eliza Stevens