Who would have thought that some sweet treats can be so good for you?

But eaaasy tiger! Read this blog post first before start making (alcohol-free) jello shots!

Gelatin, the main ingredient in Jell-O and gummies all around the world is not only healthy but also a very necessary nutrient. If you don’t believe me, keep on reading.

In this blog post we will go over:

What is gelatin and where does it come from
The importance of gelatin for overall health
The importance of gelatin for gut health
Easy “jello” recipe
What is gelatin?

Gelatin is a type of protein that comes from the bones, skin, and cartilage of animals. The most used type is bovine gelatin. I love getting my gelatin from bones in the form of bone broth, but I also love buying cuts of meat with tons of connecting tissue, like chuck and ribs. Do you think this is gross? Think again! Many of your favorite desserts are made of gelatin, such as jello or your favorite gummy bears. Gelatin helps foods “stick together” and that’s how we get that consistency that we love in our favorite desserts and candy. That glue-like factor of gelatin does kind of the same for our bodies: it helps with the lubrication and flexibility of our joints, the absorption of water in the gut, and the elasticity of our skin.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about gelatin is that its consumption nowadays is probably more necessary than ever before. This is because our modern diet doesn’t contain enough of it. Even if you consider yourself a healthy eater, if you don’t consume enough gelatin, your diet is incomplete. Let’s explore why.

The Importance of Gelatin for Overall Health

There are so many benefits to consuming gelatin that I could write a whole book about it, but let’s keep it short and sweet and talk about the main 3 benefits (aside from digestion) that comes from eating gelatin and gelatin-rich foods.

Gelatin neutralizes our muscle meat intake

If you don’t eat organ meats already but your diet is high in protein, you may be eating mostly one type of meat: muscle meat. Think chicken breast and chicken thighs, pork chops, ground turkey, and ground beef. These meats are nutritious and are part of a healthy lifestyle, but if those are the only cuts you’re eating, you might be eating too much methionine. Methionine is an essential amino acid, but when it’s eaten in high quantities, can raise homocysteine in our blood. “We don’t want high homocysteine in our blood because homocysteine is a significant risk factor for serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, mental illness, and fractures. (This might even explain why researchers sometimes find a correlation between high meat intake and various diseases.)” (Chris Kresser)

Consuming gelatin neutralizes the levels of homocysteine in our blood. Whether that is from bone broth or from homemade jello or gummies (recipe at the bottom of this blog post), eating gelatin-rich foods can keep us healthy and can prevent future diseases.

2. Gelatin Can Make Your Skin Look Bright and Young

The amino acids found in gelatin, in particular lysine and proline, help in the formation of collagen, which promotes skin elasticity and health. As we age, we lose a lot of collagen, so having a diet high in gelatin can aid in its production to keep you looking young and healthy.

3. Gelatin Can Improve Joint Function

Gelatin can help you mitigate the inflammation and pain in your joints and improve their elasticity. There are several studies backing this up. In one study “175 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to receive either a daily gelatin supplement or a placebo. Those who ate a supplement containing 10 grams of gelatin plus calcium and vitamin C had significant improvements across the board in pain, stiffness, and mobility measures.” (WebMD) .

The benefits of Gelatin for Digestion

Think food sensitivities, allergies, bloating, and pain (leaky gut)

This is probably my favorite benefit of consuming gelatin and gelatin-rich foods: the GUT HEALTH stuff! (I am a gut nutritionist after all)

One other component of gelatin is glutaminic acid, which is transformed into glutamine in the body. Glutamine is incredibly important in restoring/sealing the lining of the gut. I go in-depth into what this means in my course The No Bloat Code, but to give you the most important point: a permeable gut (also called leaky gut) is the main driver of gut-related symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and food sensitivities. There are also several diseases associated with leaky gut such as rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, Hashimoto’s, and many more. If you suffer from any of the above, I beg you to start incorporating gelatin + and gelatin-rich foods ASAP.

Gelatin-rich foods

Homemade jello (no, the commercial one has too much sugar, and the sugar-free one has too many chemicals)
Homemade gummies (like jello, but thicker)
Bone broth (bonus points if you add chicken or pork feet!)
Meats with lots of cartilage and connective tissue such as ribs, chuck, and shanks.

Are regular jell-O and gummies healthy, then?

Ha! Nice try. Unfortunately, they are not. The benefits of gelatin are quickly shadowed by the sugar, artificial flavors, and artificial colorings that these foods contain. I haven’t researched nor come across any brand that does this, but if you do find some gummies or jello with natural ingredients (grass-fed gelatin, juice, honey, for instance) that would be a good, healthy option!

Gut Gummies Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of your favorite healthy juice (organic + no additives added) I like the brands Evolution, Pressed, and Lakewood. For the gummies pictured used Lakewood’s organic mango blend.
⅓ cup of unflavored bovine gelatin. Grass-fed is best. I used the Perfect Supplements brand.
Optional: honey or maple syrup to sweeten them a little more.
Optional: coconut oil to coat the dish

Preparation:

Place 3 out of the 4 cups of juice into a saucepan and gently simmer.
SEPARATELY, mix the remaining cup of juice with the gelatin and whisk vigorously. This will create an apple sauce-type consistency.
Add the mixed gelatin and juice to the simmering juice. Add more sweetener if desired and mix until everything is homogenous.
(optional) coat a glass dish of coconut oil and pour in the hot mixture.
Let it cool to room temperature and then take it to the fridge and let that thicken overnight.
The next day cut your gummies into squares and enjoy!

(to make “jello”, lower the amount of gelatin from ⅓ cup to 2 tbsp.)

If you have any questions about this post, let me know in the comments below!

Talk again soon!

Jell-o for digestion? Heck yes!