Gelatin - Is It A Useful Food?
Author: Dean Rouseberg
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
In this article, learn more about Gelatin - Is It A Useful Food?. Many people consider gelatin harmful, but this is not the case.
Many consider gelatin a harmful food. It is used to make a large number of desserts, dishes, children's favorite candies, to cover medicinal capsules and in the form of a dietary supplement. Scientists prove that it contains ingredients that bring benefits to our health.
Most people think of flavored, full of colorants and preservatives gelatin, but can hardly assume that the better quality is composed mainly of protein.
Gelatin contains the same amino acids as collagen. These are compounds that combine proteins and are essential for the proper functioning of various organs, as well as for providing energy to the body. These amino acids are commonly found in the bones and organs of some animals. But since most people cannot consume them and get gelatin through them, it is good to take it in another way.
Usually the richest amino acids in gelatin include glycine, proline and valine. There are also lysine , alanine and arginine. Interestingly, valine is the main amino acid that cannot be produced by the human body, which means that we have to get it through food.
People's skin changes over the years due to the reduction in the amount of collagen in it. It loses its elasticity and quickly becomes covered with wrinkles . Because quality gelatin contains collagen, it can be a natural way to improve the appearance of the skin. One of its advantages is that in half a standard drinking glass there is almost 2 grams of protein. It is considered a macronutrient - it provides energy needed by the body for growth, metabolic processes, and other important functions of the body.
Gelatin can aid digestion . The glycine in it has the property to form a stronger lining of the stomach. This stimulates the production of juices and facilitates proper digestion. Gelatin also binds to water and can help food move more efficiently in the digestive system.
The collagen in gelatin can reduce joint pain associated with inflammation. This is shown by data from the National Library of Medicine in the United States, collected from various clinical studies . The results prove that it reduces joint pain in people with osteoarthritis - a degenerative disease due to biochemical breakdown of hyaline cartilage in the joints. In addition, lysine, which is found in gelatin, strengthens bones . Through it, the body absorbs calcium more easily , which prevents thinning of the bones.