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How to Make Healthy Gummy Bears at Home

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How to Make Healthy Gummy Bears at Home

Introduction

For those with an insatiable sweet tooth, gummy bears are one of the most irresistible candies out there. They’re cute, chewy, fruity, and downright delicious. Unfortunately, most store-bought gummy bears are loaded with unhealthy ingredients like corn syrup, sugar, artificial flavors, artificial colors and not to forget the preservatives. Not exactly the ideal treat if you’re trying to eat healthy.

But if I said homemade healthy gummy bears are a real thing, then wouldn’t that be something to actually look into. These healthy gummies are simple to make, taste amazing, are low in sugar, and even contain a good amount of protein compared to regular candy.

The Not So Secret Yet The Main Ingredient – Gelatin

The key ingredient that makes these gummy bears a healthier choice is gelatin. Gelatin is similar to collagen and provides a number of impressive health benefits:

  1. Gut Health – The amino acids in gelatin can help repair a leaky gut and improve digestion.  
  2. Skin, Hair & Nails – Gelatin contains amino acids like glycine that promote healthy hair, nails and skin.
  3. Joint Support – Gelatin can help rebuild cartilage and reduce joint pain.  
  4. High Protein – Gelatin is around 17% protein by dry weight, giving these gummies a nice protein boost.

Simple, Natural Ingredients

Additionally looking beyond the wholesome gelatin, these healthy gummy bears get their delicious taste from natural ingredients like:

  • Fruit Juice – The juice provides the fruity gummy bear flavor. Good options are orange juice, pomegranate juice, pineapple juice, grape juice, etc. Avoid very tart juices like lemon or lime.
  • Honey – A touch of honey adds some natural sweetness to balance out the tartness of the fruit juice. You can adjust the amount to suit your taste preferences.

Note: You’ll also need some kind of silicone candy mold to shape the gummies into fun little bear (or other animal) shapes. Amazon has lots of cute gummy mold options that work perfectly.

How to Make Healthy Gummy Bears – Step-by-Step  

Making your own healthy gummy bears at home is incredibly easy and takes only about 10 minutes of active time. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of fruit juice and 3 tablespoons of honey, boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
  2. Once boiling, immediately remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin powder. Keep whisking rapidly for 1-2 minutes until the gelatin is fully dissolved and no clumps remain.
  3. Carefully transfer the gelatin mixture into your silicone candy molds using a dropper or by pouring. For easy transport, place the filled mold on a baking sheet or plate. 
  4. Refrigerate the molds for 20-30 minutes to allow the gummies to fully set.
  5. Once set, pop the gummy bears out of the molds. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Gummies

  • Use Good Molds – Invest in some high-quality silicone molds with fun shapes like bears, butterflies, dinosaurs, etc. The gummies will come out nice and clean from the molds.  
  • Adjust Sweetness – If you prefer sweeter or more tart gummies, simply increase or decrease the amount of honey to suit your tastes.
  • Experiment With Flavors – Get creative by trying different 100% fruit juices like orange, pomegranate, pineapple, grape, or even give elderberry syrup a try.  
  • Be Patient – Making gummies at home definitely requires more effort than just grabbing a bag at the store. But the homemade taste is so worth the small amount of work!
  • Allow Full Setting – Make sure to let the gummies fully set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before trying to remove them from the molds so they hold their shapes well.

Flavor Variations

One of the best things about making gummies at home is that you can get creative and make all sorts of fun flavor variations, like for example:

  • Strawberry Lemonade – Use strawberry juice/puree and a bit of fresh lemon juice.
  • Tropical – Use a blend of pineapple, orange and mango juices.  
  • Berry Blend – Combine grape juice, pomegranate juice and a touch of raspberry puree.
  • Green Machine – Make bright green gummies by using green apple juice or kiwi juice.
  • Blood Orange – Use blood orange juice for a vibrant reddish-orange color.

Healthier Store-Bought Gummy Options

It’s not that you will have to make the gummies at home all the time, here are some of the better gummy bear brands to look for at grocery stores and online when your out of your homemade gummies:

  • Surf Sweets Gummy Bears – Made with real fruit juice and no artificial colors/flavors.
  • SmartSweets Gummies – Sweetened with natural plant-based sweeteners.  
  • YumEarth Gummies – No artificial dyes or high fructose corn syrup.
  • Albanese Gummies – Just fruit juice, cane sugar and gelatin. Simple ingredients.

While still containing some added sugars, these healthier store-bought options are made with real fruit juice and no artificial junk. They make for an okay occasional treat if you need something quick and convenient.

But honestly speaking, these homemade healthy gummies are so easy and affordable to make, why would you opt for an inferior store-bought version? With just 3 natural ingredients, you can have vibrant, flavorful gummy bears that are significantly better for you. 

Conclusion

It’s safe to say that, don’t settle for the over-processed, unhealthy gummy bears from the candy section.Just spend 10 minutes whipping up a batch of these healthy homemade gummies instead of opting for the store ones, your taste buds and your body will thank you for it! Enjoy your guilt-free healthy gummy bears.

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