Time was when you kick-started your day with some bran, nuts, and raisins, a superfruit Smoothie, and buckets of coffee; Now, a full breakfast is not complete without a mouthful of “Turn Back Time” age-defying skin cell protection, adrenal support capsules, Uber Energy (energy without the jitters) boosts, a palm full of tasty B5 and B5 adaptogens, one hair growth Hum, two Glow Sweet Glows and some high-potency anti-photo-aging “Here Comes the Sun” vitamin D3 and you are set up for the day. Such a healthy, balanced start enhances sexual wellness, improves cognitive function, and builds cardio-respiratory endurance and immunity. Lunch might be a probiotic snack to enhance microbiome diversity, maybe followed by an online skin quiz.
Gummies get you through the day and Ashwagandha keeps the hypochondria at bay. We are popping more gummies than ever now. They are called Hums in the US. And Wicked Gummies in the UK. Richard Staveley is Mr. Gummy, and he believes a Gummy or two a day can keep the doctors well as well as pill fatigue at bay. Sweets can be nutritional and good for you. Surrey born and educated at Epsom College, Richard’s father was Head of Global Emerging Market Equities at Merril Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Nomura. The family lived in Hong Kong for a while.
He began consultancy work for a nutritional supplement start-up, Protein World, becoming head of global marketing. Richard worked a couple of years in the “nutritional space” before devoting his business life to vitamin-filled gummies, healthy fruity pastilles, and general wellness sweeties.
The supplement scene has changed over the last few years, gone is the bulking supplementation meant gym bunnies with protein shakers. A much wider market now appreciates the benefits supplements can bring to general wellness. “We realized that so many people were still reliant on pills and capsules which can be a somewhat joyless experience. In other words, boring and unpleasurable.”
The flavoring process is more complex than many people imagine as vitamins have their own taste. “That’s why our Multivitamin is lemon flavored, it complements the citrus of the vitamin C, for example. The apple cider vinegar is, unsurprisingly apple flavored. We’d need a huge amount of flavoring if we wanted to make that orange. “We always wanted to make a turmeric gummy, but we wouldn’t be able to get enough active ingredient into the gummy to make it effective.”
You can now drop Beat the Bloat yogurt-flavored Happy Tummy Gummies, liver detoxifying gummies iron gummies, and Peaceful Zzzzz gummies. There are also strawberry Kidz gummies and CBD which help boost the production of oxygen-carrying proteins, helping the body to perform at optimal levels during activity and rapidly repair muscle tissue during rest, and, to supplement your supplements, you can also chew GoBeDio immune-boosting peppermint gum with zinc and chitosan particles which, apparently. are a type of sugar derived from shellfish and mushroom. And forms a barrier against viral attacks. Even COVID. Raspberry-flavored ashwagandha pastilles are on-trend too
The herbal adaptogen has been a flagship of Ayurvedic medicine for many years. A natural agent that reportedly helps the body cope with stress, it is known for increasing energy levels and creating a general sense of well-being. Usage has been growing steadily and the global Ashwagandha market is predicted to be worth $102.74 million by 2029.
Ashwagandha extract proves beneficial for reducing blood sugar levels, improving concentration, enhancing brain functioning, and relieving stress. Vahdam makes great tea. Says Maryam Tantawy, HUM Nutrition’s Director of Product Marketing and Innovation about sour cherry ashwagandha stress gummies. “We made our Calm Sweet Calm stress gummies for several key reasons. According to the American Institute of Stress, an average of 75% of adults in the US experience physical and/or psychological symptoms caused by stress.
“The release of cortisol—aka the stress hormone—over prolonged periods of time can negatively impact your body and mind. Side effects of stress include mood fluctuations, sleep issues, compromised skin health, hormonal imbalance, and digestive discomfort.”
Calm Sweet Calm is formulated with Sensoril®, a patented form of ashwagandha that’s significantly more potent than other formulations on the market. “We chose this form since you need much less of it for the same stress-fighting effects,” Maryam explains.
The co-starring ingredient in Calm Sweet Calm is L-theanine. While green tea is one of its best natural sources, L-theanine is completely caffeine-free. “L-theanine is linked to improving relaxation, increasing your resilience to stress, and boosting your mood,” Maryam adds.
“It’s non-drowsy and non-caffeinated. It works gently over time to beneficially address how stress affects your body.”
The idea of HUM was born out of Austrian co-founder Walter Faustroh’s personal struggle with his skin and prescription drugs. Based in London at the time and with the help of a leading nutritionist, he came up with a skin and mind fix. In yummy gummy form. His co-founder is an Englishman, Chris Coleridge.
HUM Nutrition was launched in 2012. Oxford history graduate Coleridge had already launched the vitamin-enhanced water brand V Water acquired by PepsiCo in 2008.
As well as clean clinical formulations at reasonable price points, they wanted to offer free nutritional education. HUM’s proprietary online quiz pairs every consumer with a perfectly curated selection of products,
Your data is analyzed by a “black belt nutritionist” and registered dietitian. Recommendations are free and the supplements can be ordered within a few clicks and delivered every 4 weeks. Shipping is free and subscriptions can be stopped at any time. Each subscriber also has one-on-one support from a dietitian and can exchange ideas on Hum’s digital forums.
Hum’s approach was developed with leaders in the field of nutrition, Professors Carl Keen and Robert Hackman of UC Davis. Faustroh attended NYU Stern School of Business and INSEAD.
Based at Healthy Towers on LA’s Hollywood Boulevard, HUM raised $23M from a small group of investors including Sonoma Brands, Circle Up, and Imaginary Ventures. “We captured the zeitgeist and are transforming the way people approach beauty, with millions of new users now tapping into our free online resources,” says Faulstroh.
HUM has reinvented the vitamin experience with over 40 formulations and self-care supplements.
Continues the founder of the UK‘s Wicked Gummy, the new gummy on the block founder: “We believe that taking your vitamins and supplements should never feel like a chore – that’s why our mission is to make getting and staying healthy as easy as ever. We strive to make Wicked Gummy Co everyone’s little daily treat – they’re packed with good stuff but taste like sweets, so it adds a bit of fun to something many people traditionally view as boring.
“Our range is formulated by science and engineered by our team of health and nutrition experts for fast absorption and ultimate efficacy.”
Everyone should have a handful of wicked gummies in their life. And, if doctors are all HUM-ming, HUM along with them. Supplementation is the name of the game.