Everything You Need to Know About Pectin and Why It’s Used in CBD Gummies

When’s the last time you looked through the ingredients of your Nectar Wellness Supercharged™ CBD Gummies?  If it was recently, maybe you recall seeing an ingredient called pectin on the list.  Pectin is a unique naturally occurring ingredient that makes gummies, well, gummies.  They give these tasty morsels their signature gummy consistency that makes them so enjoyable to eat.  But, what exactly is pectin, and why is it such a common ingredient in gummies?

What is Pectin?

Pectin is a naturally occurring starch found in many fruits and vegetables, existing in their cell walls.  When pectin is combined with a sugar and an acid, its consistency changes to become gel-like, which is why jellies, jams and preserves have such a sticky, gel like texture.  Certain fruits are particularly high in pectin, including apples, lemons and quince.  Pectin is usually sold in the form of a dry powder, derived directly from the fruits in which it’s the most abundant.

Why is Pectin Used in CBD Gummies?

Pectin is becoming extremely common in CBD gummies as the means to give gummies their gummy texture.  It’s used as an alternative to gelatin, an animal-derived product that comes from boiling the bones of livestock.  Gelatin gets its gel-like consistency from collagen, a lubricant found throughout the musculoskeletal systems of mammals. 

While gelatin is safe to ingest, it is animal-derived, and that may not appeal to everybody.  There are a lot of vegans out there who want to take CBD gummies, but the fact that gummies may contain gelatin turns them off.  Fortunately, pectin allows us to create completely vegan gummies that have the same desirable texture as those that are made with gelatin. 

Is Pectin Safe?

On top of being highly ethical, pectin is perfectly safe.  If you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, then you are eating pectin regularly.  Like we said, pectin doesn’t get its gel consistency until combined with sugar and an acid, so you have likely consumed pectin many times this week without even realizing it.

Does Pectin Change the Flavor of Gummies?

Another benefit is that pectin is completely flavorless and odorless, and so it doesn’t interfere with the taste of the gummies themselves.  Nor does it change the color of the gummies, since it’s ultimately a clear starch.

Is There More Than One Kind of Pectin?

In fact, there are different kinds of pectin.  They can vary depending on the fruit or vegetable used, as well as how they’re sold.  Most pectin is sold in powder form, but you can also find liquid form.  If you were to cook using pectin, you would need to be sure that you’re using the right type that the recipe calls for, since they can have different requirements in terms of how they need to be heated and set to achieve the desired consistency.

Vegan Gummies are Made Possible Thanks to Pectin

CBD gummies can be made from either gelatin or pectin, but vegan gummies must contain pectin since gelatin is an animal derivative.  The good news is that more and more companies are switching out gelatin in favor of pectin to make their gummies accessible to vegans and non-vegans alike, which has larger impacts on our environment by reducing reliance on the livestock industry. 

Nectar Wellness Supercharged™ CBD Gummies are made with pectin to be fully vegan, so if you’re looking to incorporate CBD gummies into your routine while avoiding animal derivatives, our gummies are an excellent choice.