NOW Foods Empty Capsules Vegetarian Single 0" 1000 Veg Capsules"

What it is

This is a pouch of approximately 1,000 empty size "0" vegetarian capsules from NOW Foods — a home-encapsulation supply, not a finished supplement. The capsules arrive empty, with a net weight of 95 g (3.35 oz.) printed on the front of the package. Empty shells weigh very little and vary slightly from one to the next, so the pouch is filled by weight rather than hand-counted, which is why the package states "Approx. 1000" instead of an exact figure.

The package is a stand-up pouch with a tear notch at one corner and a press-to-close zip beneath it, so the capsules you have not used yet can stay in the original bag. A clear window across the front shows the capsules themselves: colorless, translucent, and supplied as two-piece shells — a body and a cap that slide together once the body is filled. You will find it filed under Capsules & Supplies.

What's inside the capsule shell

Each capsule is made from two ingredients and nothing else: hypromellose (cellulose) and water. That is the complete ingredient statement printed on the back of the pouch, and nothing further appears on it — no gelatin, no dyes, no preservatives.

Hypromellose, sometimes written as HPMC, is a modified cellulose derived from plant fiber. It is the standard plant-based material used where a capsule shell would otherwise be made of gelatin, which comes from animal collagen — the back of this pouch draws that same distinction, noting that NOW also supplies empty gelatin capsules in other sizes for people who do not need a vegetarian shell. Because a hypromellose shell contributes only the shell itself, whatever you put inside is the only thing carrying nutrients.

That last point is worth sitting with, because it changes how you read this listing. The pouch has no Supplement Facts panel and no nutritional content of its own. If you are new to buying vitamin and mineral ingredients loose, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a general consumer guide, Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know, and the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database lets you look up the labels of products already on the market. Neither source refers to this pouch or to any capsule you fill yourself.

Product Specifications

How to use them

A size "0" capsule holds 400 to 600 mg of most vitamin or mineral powders, which is the figure NOW prints on the back of this pouch. The spread exists because density varies: a light, fluffy herb powder fills the same volume at a lower weight than a dense mineral salt, so the same capsule can come out at either end of that range depending on what goes in it.

This pouch carries no directions panel and no suggested use, which follows from what it is — an empty container. How much to take, and how often, is set by the powder you put inside and by that powder's own label, never by the capsule. Read the label of the ingredient you are encapsulating and follow it. If a powder's label gives an amount in milligrams, compare it against the 400–600 mg a size "0" shell holds to work out how many capsules one serving comes to.

For the sizing question that usually comes next: the back of this pouch notes that NOW supplies veg capsules in "00" as well, and empty gelatin capsules in "1", "3", "0", "00" and "000". The "00" and "000" shells take more powder than this one; the "1" and "3" shells take less.

Who it's for

These suit adults who already buy vitamins, minerals or herbs as loose powder and want to portion them into capsules themselves. That is a practical choice more often than an ideological one: a powder you measure yourself can be mixed to a potency no pre-made capsule offers, and an unpleasant-tasting ingredient is easier to get through in a shell than off a spoon. The back of the pouch makes the same case, noting that powdered ingredients for home encapsulation need no fillers or binders and can be measured or mixed to create specific blends.

The vegetarian shell matters to anyone avoiding animal-derived ingredients, since the usual alternative is gelatin. If you are shopping for the powders to go with these, the Supplements category is the place to start, and the wider Health & Wellness range covers related items.

They are less suited to someone who simply wants a finished product — filling capsules by hand is fiddly, repetitive work, and 1,000 of them is a lot of repetitions.

Good to know

The allergen statement on the back of the pouch reads: not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients, and produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. That second clause is the part to weigh if you are highly sensitive — it describes the facility, not this product.

The front of the package carries the Non-GMO Project Verified seal and a kosher certification mark. Keep the pouch out of reach of children. As with anything you are going to swallow, if you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medication or managing a medical condition, talk to a licensed healthcare professional about the ingredients you plan to encapsulate — the questions worth asking are about the powder, not the shell. The FDA's questions and answers on dietary supplements sets out how these products are regulated in general terms, and applies to the ingredients you choose rather than to an empty shell.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much powder does a size "0" capsule hold?

A size "0" capsule holds 400 to 600 mg of most vitamin or mineral powders, as printed on the back of this pouch. Where a given powder falls in that range depends on how dense it is — fine, heavy mineral powders reach the upper end, and light herb powders the lower.

What are these capsules made of?

Hypromellose (cellulose) and water, and nothing else. Hypromellose is a plant-derived cellulose, so these shells contain no gelatin and no animal-derived ingredients, which is what makes them vegetarian capsules.

How many capsules come in the pouch?

Approximately 1,000, in a pouch with a net weight of 95 g (3.35 oz.). NOW fills this pouch by weight rather than counting each shell, so the package states the count as "Approx. 1000".

Do these capsules contain gluten?

The pouch states that the product is not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients. The same statement adds that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing those allergens, so the package stops short of calling the product allergen-free.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Your order ships in plain outer packaging with no product imagery, brand marks or description of the contents on the outside. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe product specifications directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition or a known allergy to any listed ingredient. Keep out of reach of children.