The present invention provides oral delivery systems for functional ingredients, such as drugs, nutritional supplements, botanicals, and vitamins. The delivery systems comprise an ingestible matrix within which the functional ingredient(s) are substantially uniformly and completely dispersed and in which degradation of the functional ingredient(s) is minimised. The matrix comprises 1) one or more carbohydrate; 2) one or more sugar, sugar syrup and/or sugar alcohol; 3) one or more hydrocolloid; 4) one or more polyhydric alcohol; 5) one or more source of mono- or divalent cations, and 5) water. The combination of carbohydrate and hydrocolloid in the matrix ensures that the delivery system readily retains the solvent component and thereby prevents separation of the solvent from other components of the matrix. The invention also provides methods of preparing and using the delivery systems.