I’m gonna make this post simple, clear and to the point. No fluff about gelatin.
Have you ever heard someone say, they can’t have that product because of the containment of gelatin used inside. Yep, I’ve said that A LOT myself. But why? What is gelatin and why do people try to avoid it?
Glad you asked!
WHY GELATIN IS MADE
Well, it’s largely made because we eat products that use it and we don’t typically demand other alternatives.
Gelatin is made to be used as a thickening agent found in commonly used confectioner and dessert products such as Jell-O products, gummies, marshmallows, fruit snacks, and many other food items.
Gelatin can also be found in personal care items, photography films, pharmaceutical capsules, cosmetics, in the fining of some beer and wine, and found in some of the medical vaccines.
I’m not saying don’t get vaccinated, but it’s interesting to point out because it further demonstrates that there may not be perfect veganism and that’s okay!
But we can be intentional with most aspects, if not all, of our daily lives. We can ask for change from companies to adopt a plant-based replacement, we can switch products and support a vegan + environmentally friendly company. There’s power in our choices, and as consumers we definitely have opportunity to create change.
You might find places stating gelatin is a natural polymer, but it’s not. There isn’t anything natural about boiling the skin and bones of animals. I can almost guarantee that if you go through your pantry of food items, you are bound to find a product that contains gelatin. It’s very commonly found in our snacks and candies.
In the U.S., the market for gelatin desserts exceeds 100 million pounds annually – That’s a lot of harm for us to just have a sweet treat!
WHAT IS IT AND HOW IS GELATIN MADE
To simply put it, it’s the boiling of cartilage, bone and skin of animals usually obtained from slaughterhouses.
Animals used for gelatin are inspected and cut, they’re then soaked with acid and boiled. The liquids are then separated to filter out any bones or skin that may be present, and then becomes pressed into sheets or ground into a powder form to be consumed into products.
Straight from Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America, “The principal raw materials used in gelatin production are cattle bones, cattle hides, and porkskins. Several alternative sources include poultry and fish. Extraneous substances, such as minerals (in the case of bone), fats and albuminoids (found in skin), are removed by chemical and physical treatment to give purified collagen. These pretreated materials are then hydrolyzed to gelatin which is soluble in hot water.”
ALTERNATIVES TO GELATIN
You can use or look for pectin or agar agar as a substitute in food for a jelly-like consistency.
Agar agar is a gelatinous substance obtained from various kinds of red seaweed.
Pectin is a fiber found in fruits and can act as a gelling agent. Pectin originates from plants, while gelatin originates exploiting animals.
You may also notice carrageenan in some gummy-like products, this is another substitute. You’ll find this ingredient in many household food and milk substitute products. But I don’t want to add it as a substitute to rely on, as there are some mixed reviews on this ingredient being healthy for us. I do not avoid this ingredient myself, but I am going to continue doing my own research and will report back. Read more about carrageenan here.
Now that you know a bit more about the ingredient gelatin, you can start making choices that align with your values and can educate others about gelatin who might not be aware!
Don’t be overwhelmed by the eye opening amount of items that contain gelatin, just do your part and start eliminating the products you can from your plates. Easiest place to start, are the products you buy.
Reach out to companies you love and nudge them into finding a cruelty free way to make their products.
Is there something about what I’ve written that you’d like a longer post about, just leave a comment below!
Resources to further your education on Gelatin
I wanted this post to be simple, but if you want to deep dive into Gelatin, by all means, please do!
Health Advisor has an easy to follow post about the process of gelatin.
Watch this video which shows a series of reversed images to reveal a detailed and truthful story on daily foods and its origin. It starts from wrapped candy, going all the way back to the living pig.
Until next time, my animal-supporting, not-about-that-gelatin-life, friend,
-Veg-head Ash