Gelatin

Gelatin (also gelatine) is a brittle solid matter that is translucent, colorless or slightly yellow, and nearly tasteless and odorless. The word is derived from the Latin “gelatus” meaning “stiff” or “frozen.”

Gelatin is created by prolonged boiling of animal connective tissue. Since it comes from animal tissue, gelatin therefore is protein-based. When the collagen extracted from skin, bones, cartilage, ligaments, etc. from animals are partially processed through a reaction called hydrolysis, this substance is produced.

The natural molecular bonds between individual collagen strands are broken down into a form that rearranges more easily. Thus, when heated, gelatin melts and when cooled again, it solidifies. If mixed with water, gelatin forms a sticky semi-solid substance called colloidal gel.

Uses

The best known use for gelatin is as a jellying agent in cooking. Different types and grades of gelatin are used in a wide range of food and non-food products. Common food groups that contain gelatin are trifles, jelly, aspic, marshmallows, peeps, or gummy bears. Gelatin commonly used in cooking as a stabilizer, thickener, or texturizer in foods, including ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese, margarine, et cetera. Most importantly, it is used in fat-reduced foods to create the feeling of fat in the mouth and to increase volume without necessarily adding calories.

For centuries, scientists and various experts have been studying gelatin and its potential uses. The substance has no apparent smell or taste of its own. It is very adaptable, not to mention flexible. During the Napoleonic Wars, the English blocked incoming trade ships from France and the French soon grew desperate for nutrition sources. To keep their stomachs filled, they were reported to have turned to this compound as a source of protein.

In the 1890s, Gelatin began its long run as a popular consumable. However, only after heavy promotion by Charles Knox, the founder of the Knox Gelatin Corporation was it heavily produced as a commercial product.

With its flexible, dissolvable structure, gelatin is also used to manufacture capsules – both hard and “soft gel.” In addition to its “jiggly” food uses, gelatin was therefore used to hold medications, vitamins, and other dietary supplements.

It also has a whole range of alternative uses, chiefly in the fields of industrial and medical engineering applications. One of the ingredients in film coatings is gelatin. It is also used in medical devices such as artificial heart valves and in specialized meshes used to repair wounds. Today, gelatin is also marketed as a dietary supplement.

Health Benefits

For decades now, gelatin has been touted as a good source of protein. It has also been said to be great for adding strength to nails and hair. However, there is little scientific evidence that can prove these claims. For the most part, this compound is protein-based but health claims based on this fact are vague.

The protein found in this compound is in an incomplete form and the body cannot readily use it. This is probably part of the reason why so many died of malnutrition in the 1970s while on popular liquid diets where gelatin was supposed to serve as the main protein source.

Specifically, this compound most commonly helps in: possibly promoting joint health and possibly promote nail health.