Making your supplements at home gives you greater control over your health than relying on store-bought options—you get to choose the ingredients, ensure their quality, avoid unwanted fillers, customize your dosages, and even save money.
Ready to start your wellness journey with DIY supplements? Vegetarian capsules are the perfect way to do it. In this guide, we’ll show you why they’re ideal for homemade supplements and how they support a natural, health-conscious lifestyle.
What are vegetarian capsules?
Vegetarian capsules are made from plant-based ingredients like hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), pullulan, or corn starch, making them an ideal alternative to gelatin capsules, which are derived from animal byproducts.
Thanks to their plant-based origin, vegetarian capsules appeal to the growing number of consumers seeking non-animal products, especially vegetarians and vegans. But even if you're not vegetarian, they offer key formulation advantages that make them ideal for homemade supplements.
Why choose vegetarian capsules for your DIY Supplements?
By choosing vegetarian capsules— like Capsule Depot’s high-quality HPMC capsules for your homemade supplements, you unlock a variety of health and formulation benefits that go beyond what non-vegetarian capsules can offer. These include:
1. Compatible with most dietary and lifestyle preferences
Vegetarian capsules are a great fit for most dietary and lifestyle needs. They’re free from common allergens like gluten, dairy, and soy, contain no animal-derived ingredients, and are typically made without preservatives or artificial colors. This clean, plant-based profile makes them ideal for people with food sensitivities or those following vegan or vegetarian diets.
Whether you're making a simple herbal blend or a custom multivitamin, HPMC capsules help ensure your supplements are clean, plant-based, and of high quality.
2. Excellent Ingredient Versatility
Vegetarian capsules are highly versatile and compatible with a wide range of supplement ingredients—especially those that may not perform well in gelatin capsules. These include hygroscopic powders, acidic formulas, stable oils, essential oils, and probiotics.
HPMC capsules offer strong resistance to moisture and moderate protection against oxygen, while pullulan capsules provide even greater protection for air-sensitive ingredients. This makes vegetarian capsules ideal for encapsulating everything from magnesium ascorbate and powdered mushrooms to MCT oil, probiotics, and antioxidant-rich herbal blends that require enhanced stability.
3. Neutral Taste and Odor Masking
Some herbs and natural ingredients—like garlic, valerian, or adaptogens—can have strong smells or bitter tastes. Vegetarian capsules help you mask those odors and flavors, making your supplements much easier to take. Which means you don’t have to compromise the purity of your blend with added flavorings or sweeteners. With Capsule Depot’s HPMC capsule, even potent powders like neem or turmeric go down smoothly.
4. Easy to Digest
HPMC capsules dissolve smoothly and consistently in the digestive system—and many users find them gentler on the stomach than traditional gelatin capsules. This makes them a great option for DIY blends that can sometimes cause mild discomfort, like iron, zinc, or certain herbal supplements. Switching to vegetarian capsules can help improve tolerability and make your daily routine more comfortable.
5. Long Shelf Stability
Vegetarian capsules resist humidity and temperature fluctuations better than their non-vegetarian alternatives. This makes them ideal for formulations that are moisture-sensitive or prepared in large quantities for long-term use.
If you are encapsulating a month’s worth of blends, vegetarian capsules will maintain integrity without clumping or softening.
How to Fill Your Vegetarian Capsules: Six simple steps for filling with herbal powders, vitamins, or probiotics at home
Ready to enjoy the benefits of vegetarian capsules? Here's a simple step-by-step guide to help you make your own supplements at home.
Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients
Start by choosing the powders you want to use—like turmeric, curcumin, or your favorite herbal blend. Powders are a budget-friendly and flexible option for DIY supplements.
Mix your ingredients well so each capsule contains a balanced blend. A small kitchen bowl or even a mortar and pestle can help you combine everything evenly.
Next, decide how much of the mixture you want to put into each capsule. This will depend on the size of your capsule and your personal wellness needs.
Step 2: Choose the Right Capsule Size
Vegetarian capsules come in different sizes, typically ranging from 000 (the largest) to 4 (the smallest). The size you choose depends on how much powder you want to fill and how easy the capsule is to swallow.
- Size 4 to 3: These are the smallest sizes. They hold less powder but are the easiest to swallow—ideal for kids or very light doses.
- Size 2 to 1: Slightly larger, still easy to swallow, and great for moderate amounts of powder.
- Size 0 and 00: The most used for DIY supplements. They offer a good balance between fill capacity and ease of use.
- Size 000: The largest option. It holds the most powder but may be harder to swallow- Ideal for sport supplements.
Step 3: Fill Your Capsules
Once your workspace is ready:
- Open the capsules (manually or using a filler—just separate the top and bottom).
- Gently fill the bottom half with your powder blend. For probiotics or moisture-sensitive ingredients, work quickly and in a dry space.
- Use your tamper or spoon to press down the powder slightly if needed. For oily blends, make sure the powder is dry and fully absorbed.
- Close the capsule tightly to keep everything sealed.
- If you’re using a capsule filling machine, you can fill up to 50–100 capsules at once—perfect for saving time.
Step 4: Store Properly for Maximum Potency
Proper storage helps maintain the strength and freshness of your homemade supplements. Since different ingredients have different needs, here are a few simple tips:
- Herbs and adaptogens: Store in airtight containers, away from light and moisture.
- Probiotics and enzymes: Keep them refrigerated to preserve their effectiveness.
- Oily blends (like fish oil or MCT oil): Store in a cool, dark place to prevent spoilage.
- TIP - Label everything: Write down the ingredient name, dosage, and date on each container. This helps you keep track of freshness and avoid confusion later.
Conclusion
Getting the most out of your DIY supplements isn’t just about making them effective—it’s about making them safe, stable, and aligned with your lifestyle. When your supplements reflect your values, wellness becomes more personal and empowering.
Vegetarian capsules help make that possible. With Capsule Depot’s high-quality, plant-based capsules, you get dependable performance, clean ingredients, and excellent value—everything you need to create supplements that truly fit your wellness routine.
Ready to take control of your health?
Explore Capsule Depot’s vegetarian capsules and start crafting supplements that work for you.
