From a healthy gut to strong hair and nails, the benefits of gelatin are many! Here’s how to source high-quality gelatin and collagen, plus 14 different ways to eat this superfood… from bone broth and raw milk yogurt to butter tea and ice cream.
Gelatin’s many roles in the human body make it a supplement worth including on a daily basis.
Far beyond improving skin, bone, nail, and hair health, its nourishment of the human body is profound and broad. Just as it holds ingredients together when cooking, its components help to seal the gut or rebuild tissue.
High in animal protein, this multipurpose supplement soothes, ministers, and bolsters.
In this post:
- what gelatin is …and how it is different from collagen
- the benefits of gelatin …from healing the gut to balancing blood sugar levels!
- best gelatin and collagen supplements …plus what to avoid
- how to incorporate this healing food into your diet …from yogurt and tea to porridge and gummies
- and more!
Table Of Contents
What Is Gelatin?
Let’s start at the beginning. Broth and stock contain collagen, the protein that makes up the bulk of our connective tissues. Our bodies need collagen for healthy skin, tendons, bones, cartilage, etc.
When collagen is simmered by making broth or stock, it is irreversibly hydrolyzed into gelatin. Gelatin is very similar to collagen, and it’s what gives broth its “gel” once cooled.
Gelatin and collagen have the same profile of essential amino acids, but gelatin gels because it has been hydrolyzed, whereas collagen doesn’t. This means you can use gelatin and collagen interchangeably in many recipes (see below), unless you need a recipe to gel (use gelatin instead of collagen) or you don’t want a recipe to gel (use collagen instead of gelatin).
Gelatin Benefits
Gelatin is a digestive aid, drawing fluid into the digestive system for easier digestion. It is not a complete protein, yet it acts as a “protein sparer” — it helps the body fully use the other proteins that are consumed. In this way, gelatin helps stretch our healthy (and more expensive) meat purchases further by aiding our body to use other purchased protein completely.
The amino acid glycine is also present in gelatin (and collagen). It’s a neurotransmitter, guards against oxidative stress, and promotes healthy detoxification in the liver. It also stimulates the production of stomach acid for proper digestion. Other important amino acids, such as proline and glutamine, are present in broth and stock as well.
Gelatin helps provide the building blocks (protein) our bodies need. In this way, it is beneficial for healing the gut lining, and promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Additional benefits include helping to balance blood sugar, increase satiety, improve joint health, and wound repair.
For further information, check out Why is Gelatin Good for You? This post describes not only what gelatin does in our bodies, but also what co-factors are ideal for its assimilation.
Sourcing High-Quality Gelatin (Best Gelatin Brand)
Of course, the easiest and cheapest way to consume gelatin is by making your own homemade broth and stock. (Learn the difference between broth and stock here!)
The next best source of gelatin is to buy gelatin powder (or collagen hydrolysate). We love the gelatin from Perfect Supplements. Not only is it affordable and grass-fed… this gelatin is third-party certified to be glyphosate-free. Glyphosate, also known as Roundup, is the world’s #1 toxin by far and is found in many other collagen and gelatin products. Use coupon code TCS10 to get 10% off your order!
I recommend a combination of approaches — make your weekly batch of broth, and also incorporate gelatin/collagen powder into recipes (you’ll find many below). If the convenience of gelatin and collagen powder means you eat more of this superfood, it’s worth it!
Ways to Use Gelatin
Let’s get creative and have some fun! Gelatin is extremely versatile. It can be incorporated into many daily foods.
1. Make homemade raw milk yogurt.
Yogurt made from raw milk can be notoriously difficult. Instead of thickening, it stays runny. (The pasteurizing denatures the proteins which are essential for getting thick yogurt.)
Is there any way to skip the pasteurizing step, retain all the raw goodness of your milk, and still end up with thick yogurt?
Yes. 😉 Simply add gelatin!
Like clockwork, every week for years now, Wardee has made homemade raw milk yogurt thickened with gelatin. It is so nourishing, and her family loves it!
Find the raw milk yogurt recipe here. We have a dairy-free yogurt recipe, too!
2. Add it to your tea, butter coffee, or butter tea.
Oh yes, pleasure in a cup. Making a cup of tea is perhaps the easiest way to enjoy gelatin daily — for this reason, our family does it often. Plus, it’s delicious.
- Put 1 inch of room temperature water into your mug.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gelatin over it.
- Allow it to dissolve for 1 minute.
- Add boiling water.
- Add your tea bag or contained loose leaf tea. Steep according to preference.
- Remove tea and sweeten to taste.
If you have a blender, this treat can be bolstered further by blending in fat, which helps the gelatin to digest better. Try this gelatin recipe for coffee lovers and this gelatin recipe for tea lovers.
Gelatin in your tea is also a great way to “get your bone broth” when you’re traveling and can’t bring bone broth with you. While it doesn’t afford all the subtle nutrients that bone broth does, it can be thrown into a suitcase (canister of gelatin + tea bags), providing the gentle healing benefits that otherwise would be lacking.
The same goes for busy days at work, school, or even home. When it’s inconvenient to bring bone broth, or when you don’t have any on hand, gelatin tea is convenient and ready in minutes.
Enjoy these easy recipes from the TCS archives!
- Vanilla Ginger Chai Tea
- Instant Pot White Hot Chocolate (pictured above)
- Frothy Peppermint Mocha
3. Fortify cold or warm smoothies.
When I first learned that traditional spinach or kale-based raw green smoothies were potentially high in oxalates or cooling to the thyroid and best to be consumed in moderation or not at all, I started making myself the occasional warm or hot green smoothie! These are fantastic. One of the bonus videos provided with the purchase of my eCookbook walks you through a high-protein version of this concept.
By making warm or hot smoothies, you not only reduce oxalates, you also melt the gelatin you’ve added, thus creating a smooth and viscous beverage as soothing to your throat as it is for your digestive lining.
Only recently did I also start adding gelatin (not collagen) to my cold smoothies. The texture is largely indistinguishable and the warmth of the belly melts the supplement so its healing properties still come into play.
In this post, I share the basics of making truly healthy smoothies, including why you can’t rely only on collagen and gelatin for protein!
4. Make dairy-free fudge pops.
Gelatin ensures that these homemade fudge pops *aren’t* drippy even in the hands of littles! Yes, I think it’s safe to say that this summertime dream is best enjoyed poolside. 😉
You can also add collagen to popsicles as a fun treat for kids!
5. Bolster your bone broth.
If you make multiple batches of bone broth from the same bones, you’ll notice that the first batch is quite gelatinous. But once it’s been drained off and the bones keep boiling with fresh water, creating a new broth, there will be less gelatin.
What to do? Amend.
Add gelatin to your broth like this…
- Place 1/2 inch of cold or room temperature filtered water in the bottom of your mug.
- Add 1 tablespoon of gelatin, sprinkled evenly over its surface.
- Allow it to dissolve on the water’s surface for 1 minute, until it becomes wet and translucent.
- Add a bit more water and stir if necessary.
- Add very hot bone broth, filling the mug, and stir.
This cup of broth is now fortified. It contains the benefits of a long-simmered broth in addition to the healing properties of a gelatin-rich broth.
Similarly, gelatin can be added to leftover soup. Stir up to 1 tablespoon per serving into cold or room temperature soup. Then stir, heat, and serve.
6. Use it in baked goods.
Gelatin was first used broadlyin baked goodsas an excellent and healthful egg substitute. Combined with plantains or other starchy vegetables or roots, it binds well and makes bread-y foods — otherwise impossible without eggs, flax seeds, or factory-made egg-substitute products — possible. A completely healthy egg substitute is born.
But those of us who can eat eggs benefit as well. While too many eggs in baked goods can dry them out or make the taste and texture egg-y, using fewer eggs + a bit of gelatin can achieve the perfect balance.
Additionally, gelatin adds a nice goo to baked goods. I make a Crock Pot cinnamon roll coffee cake, for instance, that utilizes both eggs and gelatin. The gelatin gives the refrigerated leftovers a great texture and the warm, fresh cake a lovely stickiness.
Here are 60+ scrumptious egg-free dessert recipes (many of which are thickened with gelatin)… from chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies to deep dish blueberry pie and yes, even birthday cake.
7. Swallow gelatin in water or raw milk before going to bed.
Many claim a better night’s sleep when consuming gelatin before bed. In this setting, gelatin does not need to be dissolved first. Simply stirred into room temperature water or raw milk, it can be swallowed as you would a powdery supplement.
The high protein content is also beneficial to the metabolism when consumed before bed, due specifically to the amino acid arginine. Many body builders use this technique for rebuilding muscle tissue.
Full fat raw milk is an ideal beverage into which to stir the gelatin. The milk’s fat and protein help the gelatin to assimilate well.
Do you need help finding a local source of raw milk? Check out this #AskWardee for more raw milk resources.
8. Put it in ice cream.
1 to 2 teaspoons of gelatin* added to the blender puree of any ice cream mix will give the finished product a smoother and creamier texture, in addition to boosting the protein and nutrition of a sweet treat.
Lower fat kinds of milk, such as raw goat milk or dairy-free milk, really benefit. The gelatin aerates the ice cream and makes it creamier.
*To achieve this effect in ice cream, sprinkle 2 teaspoons gelatin over 1/4 cup of the liquid from the recipe, warming it in a saucepan to melt. Using a blender, puree this melted gelatin mixture into the remaining ice cream ingredients.
Here are Wardee’s best tips for homemade ice cream, plus one of my personal favorite ice cream recipes. And if you’re dairy-free, here’s a whole assortment of dairy-free ice cream tips and recipes!
9. Thicken cheesecakes, custards, mousses, and more.
So many desserts benefit from a small amount of gelatin used to thicken and achieve that perfect, wondrously moist texture that otherwise, too many eggs might dry out.
- Nourishing No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake {with a low-carb option}
- Instant Pot New York Cheesecake
- Allergy-Friendly Pumpkin Pudding in the Instant Pot
- Quick and Easy Vanilla Custard
- Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Custard
- Southern Coconut Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Panna Cotta: The Elegant, 5-Minute, No-Bake Thanksgiving Dessert
- Probiotic Panna Cotta With Caramel Apple Drizzle
- Healthy Probiotic Pomegranate Mousse
10. Make marshmallows.
If you want to put a smile on someone’s face, just mention naturally sweetened, nourishing chocolate marshmallows! This classic chocolate marshmallow recipe calls for gut-healing gelatin that thickens and whips into that familiar, spongy texture we love.
11. Thicken sauces and casseroles.
While you’re sauteing onions or other veggies for the base of a sauce or casserole, sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of gelatin, depending on the size of the overall recipe. This will thicken and make any sauce or base more viscous — almost as much as flour thickens a sauce. As the sauce or casserole cools, it will continue to function as a binder and thickener. For this reason, don’t add too much.
Sweet sauces, too, can be amended with gelatin. Homemade syrups and caramels need less sweetener when gelatin contributes to their viscosity, adding thick stickiness.
12. Make “Cream of Wheat”.
This is my new favorite. Whether it’s just before bed, or when I need a nutrient-dense yet cozy snack for breakfast, or between meals when I’m hungry, this porridge — made from just two ingredients — hits the spot. If you love raw milk, you know how naturally sweet it is. (Lactose can be a good thing!)
- Simply add gelatin to cold raw milk, whisking it in gradually so it absorbs the milk evenly and doesn’t clump.
- Allow it to set up and thicken for about 10 minutes like you would with chia seed pudding. The gelatin will expand slightly.
- Add up to 1/4 cup gelatin to 1 cup milk.
- Drink the milk and use a spoon to eat the porridge.
Add condiments if you prefer, like sprouted walnuts, dried fruit, or a drizzle of honey. I like mine plain. This is humble health food, a bit nutty, completely wholesome, and it sits well in the belly.
13. Fortify your soaked porridge.
For those who can have grains, soaked oatmeal (or other grain-based gruels) make a great alternative to eggs for breakfast. We like to eat egg-based breakfasts most days. We feel the benefit from all the fat, protein, and cholesterol. Eggs are also versatile and digest well. However, moderation in all things; we also love porridge.
While we can add homemade cultured butter or cream to hot cereal, the one downside to porridge is we don’t get the same dose of protein. Adding gelatin changes that. One to two tablespoons of the powder stirred in adds 6 to 12 grams of protein to each serving.
Thus fortified, we feel additionally pleased with our morning “cereal” and the benefits we will reap throughout the day. If you do this, still add plenty of butter and raw milk to your porridge. The protein in the milk and the fat in the butter help the gelatin to be more effective.
14. Make gummies and jello.
Finally, you can always make gummy candies and jello, treats beloved by children! 😉 Here are some gems from the TCS archives!
- Immune-Boosting Homemade Elderberry Gummies (only 4 ingredients!)
- Detoxifying Herbal Gelatin Gummies (THM-friendly!)
- Vitamin C Gummies
- Kombucha Jello
Which of these ideas do you like best? What’s your favorite way to use gelatin?
For more information on the health benefits of gelatin, be sure to check out these posts…
- Can I Eat Gelatin Instead Of Broth And Still Get The Benefits? #AskWardee 014
- The Gelatin Secret, Part 1 (KYF072)
- The Gelatin Secret, Part 2 (KYF073)
Wondering which gelatin we recommend? We love gelatin from Perfect Supplements. Not only is it affordable (and use coupon code TCS10 to get 10% off)… this gelatin is third-party certified to be glyphosate-free. Glyphosate, also known as Roundup, is the world’s #1 toxin by far and is found in many other collagen and gelatin products.
Looking for more nourishing, gut-healing foods that your family will love to eat?
Be sure to check my cookbook: Eat Beautiful: Grain-Free, Sugar-Free and Loving It (softcover version as well).
It contains all the recipes I’ve perfected through my family’s years on a gut-healing diet.
My eBook and video package is currently 50% off. One of the bonus videos you’ll get explains the grain-free baking technique I use to make amazing panini sandwiches for our gut-healing cafe in Eugene, Oregon!
Click here for more info or to buy my book, Eat Beautiful: Grain-Free, Sugar-Free and Loving It for 50% off (plus get 5 bonus videos).
This post was featured in 82 Ways To Heal Your Gut.
This post was originally published and written by Megan Stevens on 10/26/15. It was updated and republished on 12/15/21.
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