Everyone has heard about collagen supplements and their health benefits, but what about gelatin? Is there a difference between the two? Should you supplement them both in your diet? This post will dive into what the differences are, how they are similar, and some of my favorite recipes for incorporating gelatin into my diet!

What is the difference between collagen and gelatin?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. Unlike other proteins in the body, collagen has a helix structure making it much stronger and supportive- making it the primary protein in the building of support structures in the body- skin, nails, muscles, bones, joints, etc. 

Our bodies are able to make collagen when nourished properly, but as we age this production declines (causing common signs of aging like wrinkling and sagging skin)

Gelatin is simply a form of hydrolyzed collagen- meaning it is a type of collagen that has been broken down. This process makes it react differently with water than collagen does! If you have ever made bone broth before, you know the sign of a good batch is for it to be jiggly like jello when cooled. This jiggliness is due to the collagen from bones, skin, and cartilage, being broken down into gelatin! 

Benefits of Gelatin

With gelatin having a less-complex structure than collagen, it can be digested easier by some! But other than the change in structure and behavior with water, collagen and gelatin are pretty similar. They both are made of the same amino acids, support structures in the body, and can improve gut health!

Gelatin can be especially beneficial because it has the building blocks the body needs to make its own collagen as well! This helps to keep skin integrity strong and delay signs of aging, optimize bone and joint health, and help to reinforce the inner lining of the gut which can aid digestion and absorption of important nutrients.

Should I Supplement Gelatin?

While there is not a set recommended daily allowance set my the FDA (food and drug administration) for collagen or gelatin specifically, there are some bodily signs you can pay attention to, that may indicate them being helpful in your diet. These include peeling, weak or brittle hair and nails, joint pain, or struggles with digestion. 

I am always an advocate for whole foods before supplements! Not only are whole foods typically filled with more bio-available nutrients, but they also are a lot more affordable than purchasing supplements! It can also be a lot easier to prioritize quality sourcing and eliminate unnecessary added ingredients. 

But I do believe there is a place for supplements when they are difficult to incorporate into the diet or in the optimal quantities!

While gelatin is pretty easy to incorporate into your diet, it is not very common in modern diet culture. This is because people rarely practice nose-to-tail eating, or prioritizing the gelatinous, collagen-rich cuts of meat from an animal. One of the most common primary food source of gelatin is bone broth!

Beyond that, you can find gelatin added into other delicious dessert and treats like the recipes I have listed below! While you can find gelatin in recipes made in the store, they typically use low quality gelatin and lots of other additives and artificial ingredients. So when possible, I always recommend trying to make it yourself! Thankfully the recipes I have below are all easy to make!

My Favorite Brand for Grass-Fed Gelatin

When shopping for gelatin I always prioritize grass-fed beef gelatin from companies that have vetted sourcing! When supplementing from animal proteins, I always want to ensure they are high quality and only made of natural ingredients. 

Perfect Supplements Grass-Fed Bovine Gelatin not only has superior quality with sourcing, but also in taste and functionality. Unlike other gelatin products that clump up really quickly, I feel like this one has a more consistent texture. I also love that Perfect Supplements honors a money-back guarantee and makes sure all of their supplements are glyphosate free.

I also regularly use their collagen in recipes and coffee!

You can use code kaelyn10 for an additional 10% off of any order! 👏

My Favorite Easy Gelatin Recipes

Gelatin Gummies (think Jell-o but without the artificial flavoring or artificial colors and a whole lot better for you!)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder 

​2 cups juice 

1. Pour your two cups of liquid into a small sauce pan, and sprinkle the powdered gelatin across the top.

2. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and you will see the gelatin "bloom" or get a thick, jelly-like consistency. Allow the juice to fully absorb before moving onto the next step!

3. Turn your stove on to medium heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves fully.

4. If you want to add any additional flavorings or natural sweetener (maple syrup and vanilla extract are other ingredients I occasionally add in mine) this is the time

5. Once fully dissolved, pour mixture into silicone molds. If you do not have silicone molds you can also use a glass dish and then cut down to your preferred size and shape!

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is SO flexible. You can use different flavors of juice, or make it less sweet by using water or coconut water! I have also played around with adding coconut cream for a more tropical flavor! Truly there are endless options and varieties you can make!

Homemade Marshmallows

1 cup cold water

4 tbsp gelatin

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 tbsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of cold water and gelatin. Allow it to stand for 5-10 minutes until fully bloomed

2. Once bloomed, heat the gelatin mixture on low heat until fully dissolved

3. Add maple syrup and vanilla and mix well

4. transfer your mixture to a stand mixer or mixing bowl with a hand mixer and whip until marshmallows form

5. Start on low and increase as the mixture begins to thicken. 

6. Immediately stop mixing when you see small soft peaks begin to form! (if you over mix, you will end up with a lumpy dense marshmallow-- but still tasty!)

7. Transfer to glass dish and let set up in the fridge for several hours

We love to put these marshmallows on top of bone broth hot chocolate in the evenings, or just eat them on their own as a sweet treat!

Again, this is a highly customizable template recipe! I have added cacao powder to have a chocolatey version, but you can also use spices and other herb extracts for natural flavor varieties!

Bone Broth

Have you ever made a batch of bone broth and ended up with a thin water-like consistency that doesn’t gel up when cooled? This is a sign that the gelatin content is a bit lower. A quick and easy way to “cheat” this is to simply add a powdered gelatin supplement! Rather than sprinkle the powder directly into the broth, follow these simple steps to prevent it from clumping up!

1. Bloom the gelatin in the filtered water until the water is fully absorbed

2. Heat up the broth over the stove and add the bloomed gelatin and stir until fully dissolved

This will increase the gelatin content without creating any weird clumping! 

Bone Broth Recipe:

bones (prioritize grass-fed, pasture-raised animals)

-1-2 pounds of chicken feet

-vegetables (carrots, celery, and kale are some of my favorites to add)

-aromatics (onion, herbs, garlic, ginger, etc.)

-spices

-apple cider vinegar (this will help to break down the cartilage tissue)

1. Throw all of this into a large pot, instant pot, or crock pot and fill with water until the ingredients are just covered.

2. If cooking on the stove or crock pot, cook on low for 8-12 hours or until the contents have reduced in size by half. I have simmered bones for upwards of 24 hours before if they seemed to not be broken down fully.

3. If using an instant pot, pressure cook on high for 3-4 hours and let the pressure release naturally.

4. Then strain through cheesecloth (you can also use a fine colander, but I don’t like sediment in the bottom) and store in the fridge. Once cooled, the extra fat will harden on the top and the golden color jelly will be beneath. I usually skim off the extra fat on top and use this to cook with.

The bone broth can stay in the fridge for up to a week, or you can store it in the fridge for several months.

This really isn’t a set recipe, more just a guideline of the basics to incorporate and then there are limitless variations you can make!

What I love about bone broth is that it is so versatile and can be used in so many different meals and cooking styles. Some of my favorites include:

- braising meats

- using as the base for soups and sauces

- switching out the water for bone broth when cooking rice

If you are not interested in making bone broth, I also love this bone broth powder! It is a great addition to soups for added nutrients, or I sprinkle it in the pot when I am cooking rice for a more savory flavor and extra nutrition.

Gelatin is a great part of a healthy diet and helps support your body to produce collagen, keeping your skin, joints, and nail strong and healthy! Give some of these recipes a shot and let me know how you are incorporating gelatin into your diet.

Kaelyn

Related Reads:

• Health and Easy Collagen Coffee Recipes

• Bone Broth Recipe and Benefits

• My Holistic (and Budget-friendly) approach to Supplements

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