To throw-back to the lingo of my college days, gelatin is the bomb. It promotes the production of collagen — the lovely protein that provides the building block of our skin cells — thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, and cellulite.
In a recent study out of Tokyo, researchers studied the effects of gelatin (aka “collagen peptides”) on mice exposed to UV rays.
The first group of mice weren’t exposed to UV light. The second group were exposed repeatedly with growing intensity over time. The third group were exposed to UV light with the same frequency and intensity of the second group, but were fed gelatin.
The results were amazing:
Mice exposed to the light without the gelatin had a 53% average decrease in the collagen content of their skin, compared to the mice that received no ultraviolet light exposure at all. Astonishingly, the mice that were exposed to the light, but also fed gelatin had no collagen decrease at all. They actually had an average collagen increase of 17%.”
(source, study)
Translation: Consuming gelatin increases collagen production, despite sun exposure.
But why is collagen production so important?
Collagen actually makes up almost a third of all the protein in the human body. It is a big, fibrous molecule that makes skin, bones, and tendons both strong and somewhat elastic. As you get older, your body makes less collagen, and individual collagen fibers become crosslinked with each other. You might experience this as stiff joints (from less flexible tendons) or wrinkles (from loss of skin elasticity).”
(source)
Lack of collagen causes wrinkles, stretch marks, and even contributes to cellulite.
So, if you want to keep your youthful skin and joints, you need to support your body’s ability to make collagen.
A number of nutrients work together to promote collagen production (including vitamin C, zinc, and protein), but the one our western, industrialized diet is actually deficient in is gelatin. (That’s because we don’t make homemade bone broth daily.)
The good news is that more than 90% of collagen peptides you ingest are immediately digested, absorbed, and distributed to your body’s collagen tissues, making consumption of these nutrients an ideal way to promote collagen production. (source 1, source 2)
How to increase your gelatin consumption.
- Drink more homemade bone broth. — A slow-simmered bone broth is rich in gelatin. I make this pressure-cooker bone broth. (Read: Why your bone broth doesn’t gel if you’re having problems getting a gelatin-rich broth.)
- Use recipes that call for gelatin. — My family loves these Sour Gummy Stars from Mommypotamus.
- Stir gelatin into your morning beverage. — This is, by far, my favorite way to consume it. I just add a scoop of this to my morning cup of hot tea.
Where to find grass-fed gelatin from truly pasture-raised cows.
Until 6 months ago, I was an avid fan of what I thought was the only grass-fed gelatin on the market (Great Lakes Kosher brand).
But while attending a breakfast fundraiser for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund one morning last November, I tried a new brand of gelatin from pasture-raised cows.
Not only do they proudly display “Pasture-Raised” on their packaging (something I could never understand why Great Lakes didn’t do), but their blue-label Collagen Peptides stirred right into my morning cup of hot coffee with no problems.
It was smooth, tasteless, odorless and dissolved completely (and far better than Great Lakes ever had)!
How to Save 20% on Pasture-Raised Gelatin
In a wave of serendipity, I kept bumping into the group at Vital Proteins repeatedly over the past 6 months as we all kept attending the same conferences and events. During that time, I forged fast friendships with the team, and now I get to pass on friendly savings to you!
They’re generously offering 20% off your order plus FREE SHIPPING so you can try their products. Just use coupon code FOODRENEGADE1 at checkout.
Hurry, the coupon code expires at midnight on Sunday, June 14th, 2015.
(Click here to use coupon code FOODRENEGADE1 to save 20% on grass-fed gelatin.)
This post is sponsored by Vital Proteins. As always, I only ever recommend products I myself use, love, and wholeheartedly endorse. Thank you for supporting the companies I love, the companies that are affecting positive change in the world!
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Kristen, I’m reading your Beautiful Babies book as I’m pregnant with number 7. I’ve already had 6 fabulous children with no nutritional knowledge, but I can tell that the equipment is not working as efficiently as it once did!
2 questions:
1.What’s the difference between collagen and gelatin, and which do you recommend for pregnancy/nursing?
2. Magnesium oil: I used to have great results by drinking a magnesium powder drink during pregnancy, but I can’t bring myself to down the saccharin anymore. What should I look for in a Magnesium oil? Is it magnesium chlordate or magnesium citrate? If I get Life-flo Magnesium Oil Lotion, do you think it would work as well?
Thanks and God bless!
Beth
Hi Beth,
1. Gelatin is the building block of collagen. As far as the two Vital Proteins products go, “Beef Gelatin” (previously labeled “Collagen Proteins” on their labels, as seen in my photos) will gel when cooled. So, you stir it into hot things, and when it cools you have jello. This is slower to digest, and the gelatin helps coat your intestinal lining and can be an integral part of a gut-healing protocol. Their other product, “Collagen Peptides” is broken down one step further from gelatin (breaking the proteins into the peptides that make them up using an enzyme & water processing). It’s digested within minutes of ingestion, and won’t solidify or gel when cooled. It’s advantage is that it can be easily stirred into cold or hot beverages, but you can’t use it in recipes that call for gelatin. Both products have an almost identical nutrient and amino acid profile. Whether you use one or the other depends on how you’ll use it (making jello snacks? use gelatin. stirring into smoothies? use collagen peptides). Hope that helps!
2. As for magnesium oil, I recommend making your own: https://www.foodrenegade.com/how-make-magnesium-oil/
Cheers,
~Kristen
Glad you asked your questions. I found Kristen’s response very helpful, even though I’m not a mother or pregnant.
Kristen, thanks for the informative article. I just finished a course w/ Dr. Axe and bone broth and collagen kept coming up. He’s a big fan and now I’m becoming one too. 🙂
I remember seeing some folks I knew after 15 years or so. The diets in that area are unconsiously bad- people eating from cans, processed foods, no real grasp of nutrition principles, lots of junk food in the diet. They looked , some of them, terribly much older, with lots of wrinkles, sallow skin, tired effect, and the like. I used to consult there (naturopath) and saw similar manifestations. Diet is major- it’s not so much “looking ones age” or not, its looking decrepit or not.
Thanks for the info. I am making bone broth as I write this, but smoothies with gelatin sound more palatable for the summer months ahead!
Oh, goody! I just started my regimen. For the aching joints, etc.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been interested in upping my gelatin intake and getting high quality gelatin. I can’t wait to try this product. I LOVED your last recommendation (primal pit paste) that I purchased. I’m sure this will be the same. And the mango tummies on their site look divine!
We we’re talking about this last year Emily Wisniewski
I was starting to wrinkle up a good bit since I passed 40, but I’ve noticed a huge, blooming, beautiful change in my complexion since I started using bone broth regularly. And I learned it from you, Food Renegade. Thank you!
Aw, thanks! Gelatin is sooooo important, and bone broth is such an integral part of traditional diets everywhere.
for those of us with arthritis it’s terrific for joint pain also~~ thanks for the share on this wrinkle remedy, I love it~~
You’re welcome. I’m planning on writing a separate post about why gelatin’s a better supplement than glucosamine/condroitin for joint health.
So timely! My nails are becoming brittle and my doctor said I’m deficient in silica — another reason to consume gelatin. Looking forward to trying Vital Protein’s version, thank you!
You’re welcome!
What about if you’re allergic to beef?
I’d make broth from other jointy animal bones (like chicken). As far as buying gelatin, you can buy a porcine or fish based gelatin to use. But Vital Proteins doesn’t currently have a non beef option.
Talia Krainock Maddock!!! I know you have one that you use but this one clearly states “pasture raised”
I have not been consuming broth as much as I once had. Could this be why I’m creaking EVERYWHERE! Seriously every joint creaks! I’m glad I started making my broth again today!
I’m currently using Great Lakes, and actually prefer the taste it gives my coffee…is there anything wrong with it, or is it just preference with consistency and such?
Sipping mine away right now!! Love my afternoon tea with Vital Proteins mixed in! 😀 Just today, I told someone that my 25th high school reunion was coming up in August. She got a funny look on her face and said, “You have some REALLY GOOD genes”.
Thank you very much
Thanks for the tip! I’m just shy of 30 – and much to my dismay – starting to notice crows’ feet. I’ve never fully gotten on board with bone broth before, but I’m definitely motivated to do it now! 🙂
Well, I mustn’t be taking enough. I have gelatin daily and collagen tabs, the wrinkles keep coming:/
Can we just take collagen pills?
Kristen, do you know if vegetarian gelling products like agar have the same benefits? (For substituting during fast periods.)
They do not. They will serve many of the same culinary purposes (creating a gel-like texture in desserts, etc.), but nutritionally they are not similar. Gelatin is literally the building block for collagen, which is our body’s primary structural protein. It’s made up of amino acids that are strung into peptide chains. Agar is simply a plant food and is mostly fiber, not protein.
I don´t like the use or better I disapprove the abuse of these mice in order to prove something which is long known ! 🙁
Kosher labeling is a taxing scam.
Thank you for your comment, Chris. We always appreciate feedback and the opportunity to engage with current and prospective customers alike. We would also like to clarify we have nothing to do with the governance surrounding the kosher certification process. At the same time, we would like to emphasize we have gone to great lengths to ensure we are in compliance with a multitude of processes and procedures, and we do not want your opinion surrounding the kosher certification process to mislead other readers when it comes to the cleanliness, purity and quality of our pasture-raised collagen.
Our Collagen Peptides and Collagen Protein Beef Gelatin products are certified Kosher by Rabbi David Sheinkopf. A copy of our current Kosher Certificate can be found here: http://www.vitalproteins.com/media/certificates/kosher-cert-2015.pdf
Ericka Gavin
i’m still waiting. still have the wrinkles and cellulite!
I use a high concentration of straight vitamin e oil around my eyes. Works really well!
What is the difference between the blue and the green other than price and quantity?
Thank you for the great question, Michelle. For clarity, please note:
Collagen Peptides (blue lid – 18g protein/serving):
Our peptides offer a convenient form to add collagen to your diet. You may add our peptides to cold or hot beverages such as a smoothie, juice, flavored water, tea or coffee, as well as a variety of foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, pudding or ice cream to boost the protein content. Our peptides will not “gel” in cold liquids and they do not alter the texture or thicken liquids.
Collagen Protein Beef Gelatin (green lid – 17g protein/serving):
Our gelatin will solidify or “gel” in cold liquids. As a result, it is ideal for hot beverages such as herbal teas, hot juices or a pumpkin spice coffee. Hot liquids with collagen protein beef gelatin will solidify once cooled. Our gelatin is a 100% pasture-raised beef gelatin and is a staple in many recipes. It can be used to make fruit gelatin and healthy gummy snacks, or added to soups, broths and gravy as a nutritious protein booster and thickener.
In addition to Kristen’s fantastic recipes, you can also find delicious preparation ideas on our blog: http://www.vitalproteins.com/blog/
Vital proteins already gave a good answer. Basically the green is gelatin, which you can stir into warm liquid and it gels when cooled. You can use it in recipes that call for gelatin (like jello snacks or desserts). Health wise, it has the advantage of taking slightly longer to digest and coating the small intestine (which is beneficial in gut healing diets like GAPS or AIP or SCD).
The blue is collagen peptides, which are just gelatin proteins broken down into their constituent peptide chains. (This is what happens naturally when you boil broth too hard and it won’t gel; the gelatin’s been broken down.) The collagen peptides have the advantage that you can stir them into cold/cool things as well as warm things without them gelling (so they can go into smoothies or iced tea!), but you can’t use them in recipes that call for gelatin. Hope that helps!
I am excited about the health benefits of the gelatin from Vital Proteins. Regarding wrinkles, do you think I would see an improvement in my 60 year old skin?
Thanks for the information and the discount! Looking forward to trying this product. 🙂
Thanks didnt realize.
So I so not drink coffee or tea; can I put a scoop in another beverage? How is it in water? I really only drink water or sparkling water. But I would drink juice w a scoop of it if it was better than in water. What are your thoughts?
Stephen Singleton
I’m wanting to get started with gelatin. What’s a better deal for more gelatin….buying it powdered like this or buying bones? How much gelatin would like….2.5 pounds of chicken feet yield, for example? I know you can re-use them but I’m not made of money so just seeing if anyone has any opinions or knowledge on that. Thanks :].
What’s a better deal? Buying gelatin like this or buying grass fed bones and making broth? Anyone know a cheap way to get bones? Or is this a pretty good deal. I want to get started with gelatin. What’s cheaper? :]
“Not only do they proudly display “Pasture-Raised” on their packaging (something I could never understand why Great Lakes didn’t do)” Pasture raised doesn’t mean the same thing as grass fed. That’s probably why great lakes doesn’t say pasture raised on their packaging. “Pasture raised” animals can still be fed grain, 100% grass fed animals cannot.
Thank you for the very interesting article. You stated that the gelatin that needs to be added to hot liquids in order to melt will gel when cooled. Does this mean that if I stir the gelatin powder into my coffee and then consume does it congeal within my digestive system as it cools? You stated that it lines the digestive tract. I’m concerned about this as I’ve had a gastric bypass and have a shortened intestinal length. Also I’m concerned about a blockage if it does gel as it cools, or will body temperature keep it liquid. Thank you very much.
Thanks for the tip!.I’ve never fully gotten on board with bone broth before, but I’m definitely motivated to do it now!