It all started with a toothache. My son complained his tooth was really hurting and was in a lot of pain. He’s normally pretty happy, so I got a little anxious. I brought him to the dentist, who took one look at his teeth and shook her head. My son had cavities for the first time.
I was confused and nervous; he’d never had cavities before, so what changed? Without hesitation the dentist asked, “How long has he been taking gummy vitamins?” as if she’d seen this before. She told me that those cute little gummy bears were the main cause of his cavities.
My son had been taking a gummy vitamin every day before school for the last 6 months. These kids’ multivitamins seemed great: they saved me time trying to get him to eat more vegetables in the morning, he liked the flavor, and I figured if they’re in the supermarket they have to be good for him.
I didn’t realize how wrong I was. Some gummy vitamins can have almost a whole teaspoon of just added sugar, which can lead to increased cavities, rotting teeth, and affect your child’s mood and hyperactivity levels.
I set out on a mission to find a better-quality children’s multivitamin supplement that would provide the nutrients my children need instead of a gummy. After doing tons of research and talking with pediatricians, dentists, and experts, I created the Healthy Children Happy Parents Checklist. This handy guide is how I reviewed tons of different children’s multivitamins to find the perfect one for my kids and skip the gummies. Here’s what you need to know:
The Danger of Gummy Vitamins
Those cute little vitamin gummy animals are really bad for your kids, but really good for your kids’ dentist. Gummy vitamins have been linked to causing cavities, decay, and more. The problem stems from the gelatinous material, glucose, or citric acid that gummies have, which are detrimental to teeth if a child doesn’t brush soon after taking them. I usually give my kids their vitamins before they go to school, so that’s at least 8, 9 hours of harmful ingredients damaging their teeth. While they may have fun taking them since they’re in cool shapes, there’s a lot more bad than good those colorful gummy vitamins are doing to your kids.
Too Much Sugar and Junk Ingredients
I was shocked to find out that the average children’s vitamin is filled with two whole teaspoons of sugar, artificial ingredients, and gummy junk additives. It’s like you’re giving your child a piece of Halloween candy every single day. Kids need better nutrition more than ever, and overloading them with sugar harms your child. Look for a vitamin with 0g sugar to ensure it keeps your little one healthy.
Difficult to pronounce chemicals or junk additives like cheap binding agents are some of the most harmful ingredients you may find when you pick up any old bottle of kids gummy multivitamins. You may have heard of BPA, but have you also heard of BPS? The Consumer Product Safety Commission noticed that it may threaten your child’s growth and development, and it can sometimes be found in the children’s supplements you see on your grocery store shelves.
Made For Profit, Not With Care
Today’s kids multivitamins on the supermarket shelves are mass-produced and not necessarily made just with your child in mind. What if they have a dietary restriction or an allergy? Only your pediatrician would be able to tell if your child would benefit from one of those multivitamins. If the multivitamin isn’t made with high-quality ingredients, it can lead to your child having an unhealthy diet, which can impact your child’s gut health. Look for a vitamin that’s recommended by a pediatrician.
How do you know if the vitamins have been made safely and are of high quality? Check if your children’s gummy multivitamin that’s been tested with a 3rd-party lab. This laboratory tests for harmful ingredients like heavy metals, allergens, and pathogens. Some labels can be misleading, so it’s important to check and find out for yourself. Look for a vitamin that’s made in a cGMP-compliant facility, which is a reliable and trustworthy source for product manufacturing.
What the vitamins are made with is just as important. Is it all synthetic, impossible-to-pronounce chemicals? Or is it actual fruits and vegetables? When we talked to health-conscious parents about finding the perfect vitamin, they told us over and over: choose the multi that’s made with fruits and vegetables to deliver high-quality nutrition for your children.
This vitamin was the only one that checked all the boxes…
After an exhaustive search, I was thrilled to find Hiya Children’s Multivitamins. Pediatrician-approved and with 0g sugar, these chewable vitamins are made with 12 organic farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. They’re naturally sweetened with monk fruit and not gummy junk or additives, so it doesn’t rot my kids’ teeth the way my old gummy vitamins did. Each Hiya vitamin is supercharged with 15 essential vitamins and minerals that can help aid the health, immunity, growth and development of your kids.
As soon as I found Hiya, I gave them a try. I was thrilled to see my kids fall in love with taking them, and it was super easy to sign up for a monthly subscription. I got free shipping on my purchase and saved some money by subscribing, which actually made my kids’ Hiya vitamins cheaper than the gummy ones I used to give them! Try using the Check List:
Healthy Children Happy Parents Checklist
-Check if it’s a gummy
-Check the sugar and ingredients
-Check if it’s made with care
See if your vitamin stacks up to Hiya. You might be surprised at the result.
Toni Edwards
Toni Edwards (39) is an Editor for The Daily Post specializing in Fitness, Health, Fashion, and Parenting with a focus on women's wellness. She's ghostwritten several books for people you've heard of and has edited for a variety of academic journals. She fiercely believes in the power of holistic medicine and a good laugh.
