From gummies & sprays to powder sachets – here’s how to get a daily dose of vitamins & minerals that’s easier to swallow than pills & capsules
Many of us take supplements to support a balanced diet and help with nutritional gaps. In fact, sales of vitamins and supplements are forecast to reach a massive £559 million by 2025, an estimated increase of 13% since 2020.
While vitamins and supplements can’t replace a healthy, balanced and varied diet, which should include wholegrain foods, fibre, fruit and veg, beans, eggs, fish and meat, dairy and/or alternatives, oils and spreads (in small amounts), plenty of water, and a reduced intake of foods high in sugar and salt (bye, bye biscuits), the variety of supplement options out there nowadays can help support a healthy lifestyle.
But, if the idea of swallowing pills or capsules is somewhat hard to, well, swallow, you’re not alone. Whether it’s a dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or a dislike for the taste, the reasons for wanting to side-step solid dose forms are wide-ranging – and why the market has responded with a surge in new product developments to provide more appetising alternatives. From vitamin gummies and liquid supplements to sprays and high-vitamin protein powder, we take a closer look at the options available to you…
Gummies
What are they?
Soft, chewable supplements.
Why they could work for you
They’re chewable, so there’s no need to swallow them whole and their tasty flavours mean you and your kids will look forward to taking them every day – even if the little ones are picky eaters.
Boots Kids Daily Health Multivitamins Strawberry Flavour (£4.49)
• Size: 30 gummies
• Free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives
• Lactose free
• Not suitable for vegetarians
• Suitable for adults and children aged three years and above
Although primarily targeted at children, these multivitamins can be enjoyed by the whole family. These strawberry-flavoured gummies, with flaxseed oil, have been developed to help give you and your little ones a daily top-up of vitamins and minerals all year round. They contain vitamin A to support normal vision, vitamin C to support a healthy immune system and vitamin D to support normal growth and development of bones and teeth.
Bassetts Adult Multivitamins Raspberry & Pomegranate Flavour, (£5.50)
• Size: 30 pastilles
• No added sugar
• Natural flavourings
• Natural colours
• Suitable for adults and children aged 12 and over
A soft and tasty multivitamin for your everyday health. One pastille a day includes vitamin C to support the immune system, vitamin B6 to help release energy from food and support hormone balance and normal psychological function, as well as vitamin A for healthy eyes and vitamin D to support the growth and maintenance of teeth, bones and muscle.
Liquids and sprays
What are they?
Vitamins and supplements suspended in or naturally found in liquid.
Why they could work for you
They can be easier to use than swallowing capsules or pills, most don’t need mixing with water and studies suggest certain formulations may be more quickly absorbed.
BetterYou Iron 10 Daily Oral Spray (£15)
• Size: 25ml32 daily doses
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
Specially formulated to be gentle on the digestive system, simply spray this pomegranate-flavoured spray into the inside of your cheek and hold for a few seconds – no swallowing required. Designed in partnership with the University of Cardiff, this oral spray produces tiny droplets that absorb quickly. The iron found in this spray can contribute to the normal function of the immune system, support normal cognitive function and help reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Ddrops Liquid Vitamin D3 25μg (£9.99)
• Size: 60 drops
• For adults aged 18 and older
• Contains no preservatives
• No artificial flavours
• No colourings
Get your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin in just one drop. Containing an impressive 25 μg (1,000 IU) of vitamin D, which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, function of the immune system and cell division, the drops can be added to food or a drink, or simply dropped onto the tongue.
Need your dose of the sunshine vitamin? Explore the range and make the best choice for you and your lifestyle.
Berocca Orange Energy Vitamin (£13)
• Size: 45 sugar-free effervescent tablets
• No caffeine
• No aspartame
• No sugar
• No artificial colour
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
• For adults and children aged 12 years and over
Designed to dissolve quickly and completely in water, effervescent (fizzy) tablets can offer a more palatable way of getting a supplement top-up. They also offer faster absorption than capsules or pills and help keep you hydrated. With 11 vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B1 and B2 to work with your body to help release energy from food, this is one hard-working effervescent tablet. It also includes vitamin B5 to support mental performance and vitamin B12 to help reduce tiredness and fatigue and contribute to the natural formation of red blood cells. Just drop in a glass, leave to fizz and drink up your daily drop of positivity.
Powders
What are they?
A dehydrated and powdered version of a supplement or vitamin that’s
dissolved into water or another liquid, or sprinkled on food.
Why they could work for you
They’re easier to swallow than tablets or capsules and considered to be more easily absorbed.
Bimuno Daily (£12)
• Size: 30 sachets (3.65g)
• Suitable for adults and children from three years and over
Bimuno worked with some of the world’s leading scientists to develop these sachets, which are designed to feed and encourage certain types of bacteria that are natural to our digestion – including bifidobacteria. It’s formulated to reach your lower intestine intact to help healthy bacteria flourish within just seven days. Add to a hot drink or smoothie, or sprinkle over your breakfast cereal.
Bioglan Superfoods Supergreens (£9.99)
• 70g
• Seven servings per pack
This comes without the usual grassy flavour of green powders, but is instead infused with the taste of apples and subtle spices. It’s bursting with wheatgrass, spirulina, barley grass, kale and chlorella – which is a source of iron and zinc – and is fortified with vitamins B12, C and E, to provide a convenient way of supporting a healthy, balanced diet.
Purition Original Wholefood Nutrition with Strawberries (£13)
• 250g
• Vegetarian Society approved
• Gluten free
• High protein
• High fibre
• Low sugar
• Made in the UK
Packed with wholefood nutty goodness and the brand’s blend of pea, rice and hemp proteins, this can be blended with your favourite milk or nut milk and drunk for breakfast, lunch or pre- or post-workout to prep for whatever the day throws at you.
Looking for more supplement advice? Pop in store for a chat with a member of the Boots Pharmacy team to find an option that works best for your lifestyle, diet and needs. Find more information in our vitamins and supplements hub.
All prices correct on date of publication.
