Healthy Homemade Strawberry Gummies

Gummies are the perfect snack for kids and adults alike. However, most store-bought gummies contain refined sugars like glucose syrup, sugar, dextrose or artificial flavors and colors, which don't make them the healthiest option.

Even though they claim to be fruit-flavored, there’s very little – if any at all – actual fruit in them. Gummy candies are filled with unhealthy ingredients with a label that looks like this – sugar, sugar, corn syrup, sugar, red 40, blue 1, and yellow 5.

Homemade gummies can be made with real fruit or vegetables, protein-rich gelatin and no refined sugar! Loaded with nutrients and so much better for you than store-bought. A great option for an easy and healthy all-natural snack with protein and no artificial junk in them! Easy to make and fun to eat!

A lot of people are familiar with collagen, but some might not be as familiar with gelatin. Basically, they are very similar but have some differences.

Gelatin is a colorless and tasteless protein made from hydrolyzed collagen, which means it is part of the broken-down collagen. It provides important amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

Gelatin also has a lot of the same health benefits as collagen – supports digestive and gut health, maintains strong bones, helps with joint pain, strengthens tendons, improves skin health, and can even help improve sleep.

One of the main differences between gelatin and collagen is when cooled, gelatin becomes a sticky adhesive like glue and gels together. Which is how we can make homemade gummies from it.

The gelatinous quality is actually great for our bodies because it helps build strong connective tissues and cartilage and gives parts of our bodies some elasticity. Some find that gelatin is easier to digest than collagen too.

Take control of the ingredients and make your own homemade version with this basic recipe to get you started.

Course Dessert, Snack

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons gelatin

Instructions

• Place strawberries, water, and lemon juice in a food processer or high powered blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Line a small pot with a nut milk bag or metal strainer.

  Pour strawberry puree through the bag. Squeeze puree to get all the juice out and leaving behind any pulp or seeds. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of juice.

  To the pan add honey and whisk to combine. Heat mixture over low heat until it warms. You don't want it to get too hot, just barely warmed. Slowly whisk in gelatin. Let it sit for a minute two to allow the foam to disappear.

  Pour into a silicone mold or a greased glass baking dish. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from mold or cut into bite-size pieces if using a glass dish. Roll cubes in stevia, granulated sugar or cornstarch to prevent them sticking together.

  Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Gummies will soften some (but still hold together) if left out at room temperature.

   

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If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites