The human body needs at least 13 essential vitamins and various minerals on a daily basis. The goal of a well-balanced diet is to provide enough of these nutrients to be able to power the body with the fuel it needs to stay healthy and work efficiently. However, running around between work, practices, school, and any number of other activities can quickly eat into your meal planning time, sometimes resulting in a lack of proper nutrition for you and your family. A supplement like a multivitamin may come in handy in this case, as it can fill in the gaps that form in your family’s nutrition as a result of unbalanced diets, picky eaters, or even food quality decline.

When choosing your family multivitamin, you may be overwhelmed by the options at hand. Aside from just brands, there are also different types of multivitamins available, typically falling into the classes of pills, chewables, and liquids. Generally, we would recommend a liquid multivitamin for most people, as they are often superior to pills and chewables in various respects. In this article, we will focus specifically on the differences between chewables and liquids by comparing them according to three categories: absorption rates, ingredients, and convenience.

Absorption Rates

Selecting a supplement with an efficient absorption rate may not be at the top of your priorities list at first, but there are several reasons why it should be. Slower absorption rates increase the probability that your multivitamin could exit your body without being utilized fully (1). If part of your dosage escapes without being properly absorbed, then your body misses out on those important nutrients. Solid supplements like chewables require your body to digest them and convert the nutrients into their liquid forms before they are able to be absorbed. This added step greatly reduces the efficiency of absorption for these supplements, rendering them slightly less effective than liquids, especially for those who may suffer from digestive issues.

Liquid supplements, on the other hand, do not require digestion in any capacity. Instead of forcing your body to convert the nutrients into their liquid forms itself, you can simply supply it with the liquid nutrients immediately. In this way, you facilitate much more efficient absorption that guarantees your full dosage will be utilized instead of only a partial amount. Partially absorbed supplements are much less effective, which is especially concerning when you are relying on them to provide your children and loved ones with an added boost of nutrition. In terms of absorption, liquid multivitamins clearly have the upper hand compared to chewables.

Ingredients

When you think of chewable vitamins, one of the first places your mind probably travels toward is gummy vitamins. While typically a hit among children and adults alike for their sweet taste, gummy vitamins often contain a high amount of fillers, such as food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial binders (2). Not to mention, that characteristic sweet taste is a result of a large sugar content, much higher than liquids in comparison, which often contain no added sugar. Gummy vitamins and other chewables have also been shown on occasion to provide less nutrition than their labels advertise.

Many liquid multivitamins, on the other hand, contain no added fillers or sugars, sticking to just the liquid forms of the nutrients themselves. Better Family’s Liquid Daily is a great example. Our formula is packed full of the highest quality formats of each type of vitamin, ranging from vitamins A, E, D, and K, to the B vitamins as well. It also contains a variety of minerals along with an organic fruit blend that contains a proprietary mix of antioxidant-rich elderberries and superfruits and which provides a rich, vibrant color that any kids are sure to love.

Convenience

One last category in which liquids once again reign supreme over chewable vitamins is convenience. While gummy vitamins taste great thanks to their high sugar content, many other chewables may leave you with a mineral-y taste in your mouth, leading children, teens, and even some picky adults to turn up their noses. Liquid supplements easily circumvent this issue. While many have their own naturally pleasant flavor provided by fruits or vegetables, others are completely tasteless. Either variety can be added to a favorite beverage and consumed with little to no hassle by the pickiest of eaters. 

Alongside their better taste, liquid supplements also provide an added layer of convenience for anyone who suffers from dysphagia, or trouble swallowing. Even though chewable vitamins are a step above pills in terms of ease when it comes to swallowing, many people may still find it difficult to regularly swallow their supplements when they have an unpleasant flavor or chalky texture. Drinking your supplements as opposed to chewing them allows you to ingest them quicker, reducing the amount of time they spend in your mouth or on your tongue.

Resources

1. Giampapa, Vincent. “The Pro’s and Con’s of Liquid Vitamins for Adults.” healthycell, 21 June 2021, https://www.healthycell.com/blogs/articles/liquid-multivitamins-for-adults. 
2. “What to Know About Gummy Vitamins.” WebMD, 25 October 2021, https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/what-to-know-about-gummy-vitamins.