Here’s a healthy gummy bear recipe that uses just fruit, honey, gelatin, and love. A tasty take on the classic (but kinda junky) kid’s candy.
Healthy Gummy Bear Recipe? Really?! Yes!
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Now that my kids are entering the real world and learning aboutpixie sticks and cotton candy (gasp!), they have stumbled upon the adorable Haribo Gummy Bear package in the checkout line. I remember munching on these as a kid myself. But, when I recently looked at the package’s ingredients, I knew there had to be a better way!
Haribo Gummy Bear Ingredients in U.S.
Glucose syrup (from wheat or corn), sugar, gelatin, dextrose (from wheat or corn), citric acid, corn starch, artificial and natural flavors, palm kernel oil, carnauba wax, white beeswax, yellow beeswax, yellow 5, red 40, and blue 1
But if you break it down,it’s really about:
- some form of sugar (not all are bad)
- some type of fruit flavoring (could use the real thing)
- and gelatin.
I’ve talked about the manybenefits of gelatin before.So, in the scheme of things, these gummy bears could actually be a healthy “treat” when compared with others.
Haribo Gummy Bear Ingredients in Germany
Interesting to note: in Germany, where Haribo isheadquartered, they don’t use food dyes for color. Instead they use plant and herbal extracts. (Europeans always get the food right!) Here’s a list of their ingredients:
Glucose syrup; sugar; gelatin; dextrose; fruit juice from concentrate: apple, strawberry, raspberry, orange, lemon, pineapple; citric acid, lemon, pineapple; citric acid; fruit and plant concentrates: nettle, apple, spinach, kiwi, orange, elderberry, lemon, mango, passionfruit, blackcurrant, aronia, grape; flavorings; glazing agents: white and yellow beeswax; carnauba wax; elderberry extract; fruit extract from carob; invert sugar syrup
So, my recipe takesthe more German approach: fruit concentrates (juice), gelatin, and sugar (in the form of honey.)
Note: This is a slightly “highermaintenance” recipe than most of the ones you’ll find on this site. I had a fun timemaking these with mykids, but I certainly wouldn’t be making these on a regular basis. Too much work! 🙂 But, for a road trip, Halloween, a birthday party, or just a fun activity to do with the family, this gummy bear recipe isgreat.
Healthy Gummy Bear Recipe using fruit and honey small handful by Mama Natural
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Healthy Gummy Bear Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup organic juice for each color
- For the red gummy bear: pomegranate or cherry juice (100% juice not diluted with sugar and water)
- For the orange gummy bear: I used peach/carrot juice combo. You can also use apricot nectar juice. I also added in 4-5 drops of Orange essential oil before adding to molds. This gives them a great flavor!
- For the yellow gummy bear: I used a combo of orange and pineapple juices. You can add Lemon essential oil before adding to mold for an authentic lemon-y flavor.
- For the clear gummy bear: I used a mix of pineapple juice andlemonade.
- 1/3 cup Vital Proteins beef gelatin
- 2 TB lemon juice
- 1/2 raw cup honey
- Gummy bear molds with droppers (where to buy)
Healthy Gummy Bear Recipe using fruit and honey platefull
Directions:
- Put your cold juice into a sauce pan.
- Add your 1/3 cup of gelatin.
- Let it sit for a minute or two so the gelatin can “bloom”. (This will help prevent a clumpy or gritty finished product!)
- Turn on the heat to low to medium till the gelatin dissolves.
- Turn off heat and let sit for a few minutesto cool down.
- Add your lemon juice and raw honey. Stir well.
- Use a syringe and suck up your juice concoction and push out into your gummy bear mold.
- Let sit for 5 minutes so it sets and then put in fridge for one hour. Remove bears and enjoy!
Final notes:
This gummy bear recipe will make at least 100 bears of each color and last in the fridge for at least one week. You can also leave out in room temperature for a few days (just don’t let them get above, say, 85° For you’ll have a big bear meltdown.)
How about you?
Do you like gummy bears? Would you ever make a treat like this for your kids? Share with us in the comments below.
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FAQs
If you're looking for gummy bears that are much lower in sugar (and much higher in protein and fiber) than most other brands, check out SmartSweets. These genius gummy treats contain only 3 grams of sugar, as well as 3 grams of protein and a whopping 28 grams of fiber per serving.
What are the 3 main ingredients in gummy bears? ›
Gummy bear
| Gummy bears produced by Haribo, the first company to manufacture gummy bears |
|---|
| Type | Gummy candy |
|---|
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Created by | Hans Riegel Sr. |
| Main ingredients | Gelatin, sugar, glucose syrup, starch, flavoring, food coloring, citric acid |
1 more row"Gummy bears aren't really healthy snacks, as they have so much sugar. However, it's possible to make your own gummy bears using healthier ingredients." "Gummy bears are primarily sugar. Although they have 2 grams of protein per serving (which comes from the gelatin), they are primarily empty calories.
What is the sugar substitute in gummy bears? ›
Rather than being made with sugar, the gummy bears are made with Lycasin, a hydrogenated glucose and sugar replacement. Lycasin is a maltitol syrup with properties of taste and sweetness ideal for the preparation of sugar-free syrups, lozenges or jellies, according to manufacturer Roquette.com.
Which fruit is lowest in sugar? ›
Limes and Lemons
Limes and lemons are culinary staples for adding zippy brightness to dishes. They also top this list as the lowest-sugar fruits, with 1 and 2 grams of sugar per fruit, respectively.
Are fruit gummies healthy? ›
Gummies were the least nutritious fruit snack, followed by canned fruit packed with something other than juice and dried flavored fruit, both of which have a lot of added sugar.
What are sugar free gummy bears made of? ›
A glance at the nutrition panel shows that the first (and thus most prevalent) ingredient in the sugar-free variety is lycasin, a hydrogenated syrup. Lycasin, meanwhile, consists mainly of maltitol, a sugar alcohol that is almost as sweet as table sugar but half as caloric.
How long do homemade gummies last? ›
Gelatin gummies will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Make sure they are kept in an air-tight storage container. Since they are made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives, be careful as they get close to 2 weeks as they could get some mold on them.
What is the gummy bear diet? ›
What is Gummy Bear Diet? A gummy bear diet is designed to cause loose bowel movements by eating typically around 15-20 individual gummy bears. This diet is not recommended by health professionals. The gummy bear diet is fairly severe on your body and we do not recommend trying it on the go.
What are the disadvantages of eating gummies? ›
Some gummy vitamin varieties offer 3 to 8 grams of added sugar per serving, contributing anywhere from 8% to 32% of added sugar intake daily. "Although convenient and tasty, gummy vitamins may contain added sugars and calories, which can contribute to weight gain and dental issues if consumed excessively," says Prude.
For most people, a daily dose of 1-5 CBD gummies should do the trick. But you'll likely need to experiment a bit to find the perfect amount for your body. It's often a good idea to start with a low dose, sometimes as little as ¼-½ of a gummy, and increase it gradually to find your sweet spot.
Why do athletes eat gummy bears? ›
Why do Athletes Eat Gummy Bears? Carbs, or sugars, are essential for building strength, increasing physical performance, and muscle gain. Simple carbs, like the ones you get from gummy bears, help athletes replenish their glycogen stores after being depleted from intense physical activity.
What is the downside of allulose? ›
The Drawbacks of Allulose
While not many side effects have been identified, it's possible that when consumed in higher amounts, allulose may cause GI upset due to its poor absorption. In addition, some research shows that allulose may promote the growth of certain bacteria associated with poor effects on gut health.
Can diabetics have gummy bears? ›
Cutting down on the portion sizes of gummies can help reduce sugar intake. Consider making smaller gummies or using mini moulds to make bite-sized treats. Gummy bears are high in sugar, which makes them have a high glycemic index.
How do you add sugar to homemade gummies? ›
When coating your gummies, the process is very straightforward. The prepared mixture of citric and sugar can be sprinkled overtop of the freshly popped product, or the gummy can be added directly to a bowl of citric and sugar, tossed, and then removed with a mesh sieve.
What's the healthiest candy to eat? ›
Candy with nuts is your healthiest option, but if you're into sugary sweets, Smarties are the healthiest option. One serving of Smarties contains just 25 calories and 6 grams of sugar. For comparison, Sour Patch Kids contain 110 calories and 24 grams of sugar in one serving.
Are vitamin gummies actually healthy? ›
But when it comes to health benefits, they're nowhere near a 1:1 swap. “Gummy vitamins actually have fewer vitamins and minerals than regular vitamins,” Dr. Vyas says. But it can actually be difficult to determine exactly how much nutritional value you're getting in a gummy vitamin.
Do gummies have any nutritional value? ›
A serving of gummy bears supplies nothing in the way of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium and vitamin C. When you consume gummy bears, you're still taking in calories, however, with between 110 and 140 per serving.
Is Haribo healthy? ›
Assuming that you ingested no other added sugars, you could consume multiple servings of Haribo gummy bears and still be within the FDA's recommendation. However, this amount of sugar means that gummy bears' health benefits are minimal.
