Sugar-Free High-Protein Electrolyte Gummies

Are you a fan of gummy bears? If so, you’ll love these Sugar-Free High-Protein Electrolyte Gummies, made with gut-friendly grass-fed gelatin. Paleo, dairy-free, + perfect for taming a sweet tooth or replenishing electrolytes post-workout.

Halloween is just around the corner, and when I was of the trick-or-treating age, my absolute favourite type of candy to get was the gummy kind. Gummy bears, cherry blasters, fuzzy peaches, sour Skittles, Swedish fish, anything Haribo – you name it, I was a gummy candy junkie. Gummy bears? Yes please!

Fast forward to now, and while still absolutely delicious, I think we’d probably all agree that a full-on gummy bear feast probably isn’t the most nutritious option. However, what if I told you that I’d created a recipe for sugar-free, high-protein gummies that are good for your skin and gut? And as if that weren’t already awesome enough, they’re gummies that also contain electrolytes to help you out in your sweaty athletic endeavors? And lastly, they’re gummies with only 4 ingredients. It’s not a fantasy, friends – these gummies are for real and you’re gonna love ’em!

In the past I’ve shared several recipes that contain collagen, and while these Sugar-Free High-Protein Electrolyte Gummies don’t contain collagen, they do contain a close relative. That’s gelatin, and they’re often confused for each other so let’s get clear on the similarities and differences.

Collagen and gelatin both…

• Come from animals. The most common sources are cows, chickens and fish (marine collagen.) On that note, when you’re looking for these products, it’s important to check that they’re derived from animals that were grass-fed and pasture-raised.
• Have similar amino acid profiles (aka protein molecules)
• Are becoming well-known for their potential wellness benefits: improving gut function, boosting skin elasticity and hydration, strengthening hair and nails, reducing joint pain, and improving the health of our tendons, ligaments and bones.

But they’re different in these ways:

Gelatin’s protein molecules are larger

This means it takes a longer to digest than hydrolyzed collagen (aka collagen peptides – the kind you’re probably getting in any powdered collagen supplement.) This is also partly why collagen powders dissolve quickly, whereas gelatin doesn’t. Think of collagen as a smaller molecule that can be derived from gelatin. And on that note…

Gelatin turns to gel if you heat it or stir it into hot liquids

…and cold liquids too, depending on the type. (Think Jell-O!)  Collagen does not gel – it just dissolves, so if you wanted to stir one of these into your coffee for an added protein boost or to reap the other health benefits, collagen would be the one to pick. You wouldn’t want to use collagen as a replacement in recipes that call for gelatin and require that jelly-like consistency.

Bonus fun fact: Bone broth (made from boiling the bones of animals), contains gelatin

You don’t need bone broth to make these gummy bears, but I wanted to throw this one in just in case you’re curious. Bone broth contains gelatin, and as we know from the points above, within gelatin are smaller collagen molecules. Bone broth has been a hot topic in health news, largely because of its potential to help improve gut function. Gelatin from the boiled animal bones creates the jelly-like quality, so when we drink the broth, it coats the small intestine. This can be particularly therapeutic for people whose stomach lining is compromised – think leaky gut, IBS, inflammation, etc. In addition to gelatin, bone broth contains other helpful goodies including hyaluronic acid and glucosamine. This is an example of a case where what you’re getting in a whole food (ie bone broth) provides more bioavailable nutrition than individual supplements on their own.

A few recipe notes…

It took me a few batches to get the quantity of gelatin to liquid correct, but I settled on a ratio of 3 parts gelatin to 8 parts liquid – or 6 tbsp gelatin for every cup of lemon/lime juice. I found these silicone gummy bear molds on Amazon and purchased them because they 1) are BPA-free, and 2) come with droppers for easy filling, and 3) pass ‘the pinch test’ which is important when choosing food-grade silicone molds. It was also way easier to get the gummies out of these than the harder plastic chocolate making molds I previously tested on.

A few other notes:

• I used Vega as the electrolyte source, which also coloured the gummies. If you want to create more intense colours, you could certainly use freeze dried fruit and/or vegetable powders, or other sugar-free electrolyte powders. 5 scoops may sound like a lot, but the flavour intensity mellows out when the gelatin sets.
• I recommend using more lemon or lime juice if you want a stronger flavour. This won’t make them insanely sour, because as noted above, the flavour does mellow out once set.
• It’s important not to use papaya and pineapple juice, or electrolyte powders that contain them. This is because they contain enzymes (bromelain and papain) which break down protein molecules. If you try to mix these with gelatin, the gelatin won’t set.

Ok, let’s make some gummy bears!

Sugar-Free Protein + Electrolyte Gummies

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Angela Simpson
• Total Time: 10 mins

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Description

Are you a fan of gummy bears? If so, you’ll love these Sugar-Free High-Protein Electrolyte Gummies, made with gut-friendly grass-fed gelatin. Paleo, dairy-free, + perfect for taming a sweet tooth or replenishing electrolytes post-workout.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 cup water (or more lemon/lime juice, if you like ’em sour!)
• 5 scoops Vega Electrolyte Hydrator or Sugar-Free Energizer, or a combo of the two
• 6 tbsp grass-fed gelatin powder (I used this one from Great Lakes)

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Instructions

• In a small pot, whisk together everything except gelatin until powder is dissolved.
• Bring the pot to just below boiling (this is important!)
• Measure out the gelatin. Slowly, gradually pour it into the liquid while constantly whisking to dissolve it.
• Once all gelatin is completely dissolved and no lumps remain, fill food-grade BPA-free silicone molds with the liquid. Let it cool completely in the fridge for 10-20 mins. (Deeper molds will take a bit longer.)
• Keep leftovers (if you have any!) sealed + refrigerated.

• Prep Time: 7 mins
• Cook Time: 3 mins
• Category: snack
• Method: stovetop

Now I need your input on a critically important question: If there were no health consequences and you could have unlimited amounts of any candy for the rest of your life, which one would you pick?