Vitamins With Taste: How Plant-Based Brands Are Putting Nutrients Where You Wouldn't Expect Forget gummy vitamins. Now you can get your nutrients from some of your favorite foods.
By Brian Kateman Edited by Ryan Droste
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Trying to be healthy as an adult can be pretty dull. Once you get to a certain age, it seems like you're expected to exercise, eat the right foods (and skip indulgences), take your vitamins and like it. Gummy vitamins, sneaking veggies into your favorite meals — that's kid stuff.
But it doesn't have to be, and some companies are latching on to that. Over the last five or so years, gummy vitamins have enjoyed a resurgence — this time, among grown-ups. Which begs the question: Why swallow pills when we could be getting our vitamin supplements in the form of foods we already like?
Related: How the Humble Chickpea Stormed Snack and Dessert Markets
Chocolate > Pills
Sourse is one such brand that's making health products fun. They sell vitamin-infused chocolates, which makes us wonder why we were ever choking down capsules in the first place. They sell two different vitamin candies, one containing B12 and another containing plant-based collagen. The coated dark chocolate truffles are vegan, which is ideal since B12 supplements are commonly recommended to people on plant-based diets. And the plant-based collagen offers nourishment to your skin without the inherent cruelty of using animal products.
Those with a sweet tooth might also be excited about Deux, a new brand selling cookie dough that's infused with vitamins and minerals. Their different varieties offer supplements for different health and wellness concerns. The chocolate chip dough contains immune-boosting elderberry and zinc, and the brownie batter contains collagen-supporting Vitamin C and aloe vera, for example. The vegan doughs can be eaten straight from the jar (no eggs = no salmonella concerns) or baked into cookies. Not convinced yet? One fan swears they would "take a bullet for this cookie dough."
Related: Plant-based Meat Has Officially Reached 'Global Phenomenon' Status
Vitamins, See?
Similarly, a brand called Mighty Gum launched a new immunity gum early last year. The gum contains immune system-supporting vitamins and minerals like Vitamins C, A, and zinc, along with traditional medicine ingredients that are trending in the market right now like ashwagandha. If you're a gum person, chewing on a pack of Mighty Gum could be an afternoon refreshment and an immune booster at the same time. And of course, the immunity gum is vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, sugar free and aspartame free. Currently, Mighty Gum is selling their product direct-to-consumers via their website.
It's not just sweet treats jumping on this trend, though. Enspice is an exciting young brand selling, as you might have guessed, vitamin-enriched spices and seasoning blends. All of their seasonings contain a mix of 21 vitamins and minerals, extracted primarily from organic plant sources. The varieties they offer include black pepper, seasoned salt, cinnamon, taco seasoning, Cape Cod and chipotle BBQ. All are vegan except for the chipotle BBQ (which contains honey, so strict vegans may want to abstain), and they all provide a great way to sneak some extra nutrients into whatever you're cooking tonight.
Related: A Cup Of Ambition: Coffee Products Pour Into the Plant-Based Sector
Similarly, home baristas may enjoy the herbal blends by Apothékary, which are meant to be added to tea, coffee drinks and smoothies. They're made from "superfoods" like reishi mushroom, ashwagandha and maca root, and they come in different blends meant to address different aspects of wellness — immunity, gut health, energy, anxiety, skin health and so on.
Maintaining your health becomes a little easier when your vitamin supplements are coming from drinks and treats that you'll actually enjoy. You're going to drink your morning beverage, cook dinner, and maybe enjoy some sweets anyway. Thanks to innovative brands like these, now those routines can do double duty for your well-being. I don't know about you, but I'd take a chocolate truffle over a plastic pill any day. Bring on the B12.
