Healthy Homemade Fruit Gummies
If you want to give your kiddos healthy snacks that are also delicious and fun to eat, then try out this homemade fruit (or veggie) gummy recipe!
Why you will love these Healthy Homemade Gummies
My kids and all of their friends absolutely love these treats. When I make then I can barely keep them around for more than a couple days. These gummies have simple ingredients that are nutritious and low in sugar compared to the store bought kind. These treats will come together in less than 30 mins and the clean up is minimal!
Why Avoid Store Bought Gummies?
Store bought gummies are not only devoid of nutrition, but are full of sugar, dyes, preservatives, and “natural flavors”. Despite many of the big brands plastering their packaging with “Made with real fruit” labels, they are in fact made with shockingly little real fruit. The stuff that comes in those little packets from the store isnt real food, it is ultra-processed crap and shouldnt be marketed to children, especially when the addictive properties of sugar have been well studied. The link between a diet full of ultra-processed sugar laden foods and obesity, cronic disease, and early death has been well established.
Common ingredients in store bought gummies
Take a look at the ingredients list of just about any store bought gummy and you will find a long list of ingredients, most of the ingredients are going to be sugar or preservatives meant to keep the product shelf stable for as long as possible and none of which provide any worth while nutrition for your kiddos. While I dont make these gummies every week, I find they are a welcome treat and one that I dont have to worry about.
Fruit Puree (grape, Peach, Orange, Strawberry And Raspberry), Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Gelatin, Concord Grape Juice From Concentrate, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E), Vitamin A Palmitate, Sodium Citrate, Coconut Oil, Carnauba Wax, Annatto (color), Turmeric (color), Red 40, And Blue 1.
The benefits of grass fed gelatin
Gelatin is a protien that is derrived from collagen. Collagen is found in the bones, cartilage, and skin of animals and is essential to healthy joints in humans. The diet of humans has changed over the years and most of us no longer eat the connective tissues, tendons, or parts of most animals that contain collagen. Collagen is often taken as a supplement due to its high protien content and its amino acid profile. Grassfed gelatin promotes healthy skin, hair, nails, joints, and gut health. Consuming gelatin can help provide the following health benefits:
- More hydrated looking skin – As we age we lose collagen and as a result the elasticity of our skin deminishes and we develop wrinkles. Studies show very promising results for collagen supplementation and younger/healthier looking skin!
- A healthy gut – Collagen is an important part of the mucous lining of our intestinal wall, this lining helps protect the gut from damage and prevent leaky gut.
- Lower blood sugar
- Strong bones and joints
- Provides antioxidants
- Excellent source of calcium, choline, magnesium, folate, and much more
Nutrition
A tbsp (7grams) serving of gelatin contains:
- Calories: 10
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 2 grams
How to Turn These into Home Remedies or Even Vitamins?
While your gelatin mixture is still liquid you can consider adding various herbal supplements to boost the nutrition content or to make your own gummie vitamins/remedies.
- Use a few drops of peppermint oil to create a soothing tummy gummy
- Add some tumeric and dash of blackpepper for a daily anti inflamatory gummy
- You can use elderberry syrup for a natural immune booster
- Echinacea for a cold fighting remedy
How to make this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Fruit or Vegetable juice
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of Sugar or honey
- 6 tblsp of Grassfed Beef Gelatin
Step-by-step instructions
Bloom your Gelatin by pouring your juice into a cold pan and sprinkling the gelatin over the top and allow to sit for around 5 mins. Once it is done it will look wrinkley and all of the powder should be absorbed.
Melt your mixture, turn on the heat to medium-low and begin melting the gelatin/juice mixture. Add in 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of sugar. Be sure to stir constantly until everything is melted together.
Fill your molds. Use a dropper or an old medicine dropper to fill each of the gummy molds. I use these molds for mine. Once they are all filled leave on the counter for about 10 mins to harden and then place in the fridge for around 20 mins to harden.
My Favorite Flavors
I love pomagranate, tart cherry, orange, strawberry, and grape. I am excited to try elderberry this fall when I am making my own Elderberry syrup!
What juices NOT to use
Dont use fresh pineapple, papaya, kiwi, mango, and fresh ginger. These juices have enzymes that will destroy the gelatin
Healthy Homemade Gummies
Equipment
- 1 Small pot
- 4 Gummy Molds
- 1 Dropper
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fruit or Vegetable Juice Unsweetened
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup Sugar Can substitute honey
- 6 tblsp Grass fed Gelatin
Instructions
- Bloom your gelatin: Pour your juice of choice into a cool pot. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the juice and let it bloom. (The top will look wrinkly and all of the powder will be absorbed, about 5 mins)
- Turn on the heat to medium-low. Add in the lemon juice and sugar and stir constantly until the mixture is completely liquid and well combined.
- Using a dropper – you can use the one that came with your molds or even an old medicine dropper – fill each of your molds until you have used up all of the juice mixture.
- Let sit on your counter for about 10 mins to solidify and then move to the fridge to harden for about 20 mins more.
Notes
- Dont use fresh pineapple, papaya, kiwi, mango, and fresh ginger. These juices have enzymes that will destroy the gelatin
- Dont forget to bloom the gelatin first, it will give you the best consistency.
- I reccomend using grass-fed beef gelatin for maximum nutritional benefits.
- If you dont want to use sugar you can always substitute with honey
- I reccomend using an unsweetend organic juice, or making your own juice from fruits on hand. Keep in mind the sweetness of the fruit juice you are using as you may want to adjust the sugar accordingly.
- Wash your pot and dropper ASAP, the gelatin can be difficult to clean if you let it harden.