Now, I am not talking about that gross Jello you find on the shelves of supermarkets which contains all sorts of artificial flavors, colors, and loads of sugar. That Jello is right up there on the list of processed foods you should never feed your kids. What I am talking about is real jello made from gelatin – you know, the nutrient-dense superfood.
Before we get into all the reasons you should eat real Jello every day, let’s do a quick refresher on what gelatin is. Gelatin is basically a cooked form of collagen which is made from cooking down bones and connective tissues. When mixed with water, the collagen (gelatin) creates a jelly-like substance. It doesn’t have much of a flavor to it, so you can use it for all sorts of things from creating jiggly treats to thickening your smoothies.
If you want the full scoop on gelatin, you should check out my ebook, The Gelatin Secret. This eBook is loaded with information (plus lots of recipes) about all the ways gelatin can help you improve your health and wellbeing. Buy it here. Now, on to the top 10 reasons you should eat gelatin every day!
Table of Contents
Disclosure: This post was written by Sylvie McCracken from Hollywood Homestead. It contains affiliate links to her book. We receive a small percentage if you purchase her book but it doesn’t affect the cost. We thank you for supporting our site and the work we do!
1. Gelatin Gives You Gorgeous Skin
You know all of those expensive collagen creams that people put on their face to reduce wrinkles? Well, your skin can’t really absorb collagen. However, we can absorb collagen internally. And what better source of collagen than gelatin, which is just cooked collagen?! It certainly beats Botox!
2. Gelatin Will Heal Your Gut
Did you know that gut health is linked to everything from obesity to immune function? Unfortunately, our gut health doesn’t get much attention. After years of eating a junk-food diet and pro-inflammatory foods like gluten, our guts can develop holes in them – which means leaky gut disorder and a slew of problems so big we couldn’t address them all here (I talk about this a lot in The Gelatin Secret). What you should know is that gelatin basically acts like spackle to fill in the holes in your gut. No wonder bone broth (which is naturally rich in gelatin) is considered the go-to remedy for all gut problems!
3. Gelatin Improves Your Joints
You might not be too worried about your joints now, but unless you want to end up like your great aunt Martha with the debilitating arthritis, you’re going to want to make sure your joints are getting enough nutrients. We need the amino acids proline and glycine to produce new cartilage for our joints. Guess what gelatin contains. Yep – proline and glycine!
4. Gelatin Will Save Your Bones from Osteoporosis
Yes, you need calcium for healthy bones – but did you know that your bones are mostly made up of collagen? About 90%-95% collagen to be precise. Gelatin is just cooked collagen, and a form which your body can easy absorb. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that something made from cooked bones is going to be good for your bones!
5. Gelatin Helps Weight Loss
Aside from being a tasty low-calorie snack, Jello is good for weight loss in other ways. The main way is that it helps weight loss is by regulating blood sugar. In fact, gelatin has been used as a remedy for diabetes for over 100 years! In The Gelatin Secret, you can find lots of guilt-free savory and dessert recipes with gelatin in them.
6. Gelatin Keeps You Calm!
Feeling stressed? As a mom of 3 kids, I know what it means to be frazzled sometimes. Instead of freaking out, try eating gelatin gummy treat. Gelatin contains glycine, which is one of the body’s two calming neurotransmitters (the other is GABA). Glycine also gets converted into the neurotransmitter serine which helps you focus, reduces stress, and improves memory.
7. Gelatin Keeps Those Pearly Whites Healthy
With the exception of enamel, all parts of your teeth contain some collagen. The collagen is important for the structure of your teeth and anchoring them into your gums. Eating gelatin helps you get the collagen you need for healthy teeth. It also improves your gut health so your body better absorbs the nutrients needed to make hard, healthy teeth.
8. Gelatin is a Great Source of Protein
Gelatin is LOADED with protein! In just 2 tablespoons, there is 11 grams of protein. That’s about 10% of your RDA! Gelatin isn’t a complete protein because it lacks some amino acids, so you won’t want to use it for post-workout recovery, but it definitely can help you get much-needed protein in your diet.
9. Gelatin Beats Fancy Shampoos for Hair Care
I stopped using regular shampoo (opting for baking soda and apple cider vinegar instead) a while back because they just contain harsh chemicals which strip your hair of natural oils. My hair improved dramatically, but you know what? It improved even more when I started eating gelatin every day! Hair grows in a sheath (follicle) which is made up of collagen. By eating gelatin, you improve your hair follicle health, which means stronger and thicker hair.
10. Gelatin Could Help with Cellulite
I personally think this obsession with cellulite is ridiculous – it is normal and natural to have some cellulite! But, of course no one wants it and, if there is a simple thing you can do to reduce it, why not? Cellulite occurs when the collagen in your skin gets weak so adipose tissue (fat) can show through, creating that “cottage cheese” appearance. Eating gelatin – an absorbable form of dietary collagen – can increase in the collagen in your skin so you don’t get cellulite and reduce the cellulite you do have.
Want to learn more about gelatin and get loads of recipes for how to use it to make your own healthy Jello treats? Read my eBook The Gelatin Secret – which you can buy here.
About Hollywood Homestead: Sylvie is a mother of 3 unschooled kids, a former celebrity personal assistant who recently moved to Abu Dhabi where her husband, Eric, is teaching. She and Eric each lost over 65 lbs with paleo and continue to improve their family’s health with food and lifestyle tweaks. Sylvie is the author of Paleo Made Easy: Getting your Family Started with the Optimal Healthy Lifestyle and The Gelatin Secret: The Surprising Superfood that Transforms your Health and Beauty . She shares recipes and health tips at www.hollywoodhomestead.com.
I’m still waiting to see what your research has uncovered. Also is there a healthier alternative to the store bought little box of jello that you make yourself. I am not a vegetarian but I do try to eat a healthy balanced diet.
One good brand is Welches look at the difference on Amazon
Dude the gross brand is actually have you actually every tried it. Fucking retard
wow! dude can spell fu–ing retard!
Okay, can someone please translate for me:
“Dude the gross brand is actually have you actually ever tried it.”
WTF are you talking about?
Nice try, creep! This is clearly marketing by JELLO to the shiny-object set. Jello is as innocent as, well…
This is great news. Do you know what gummy candy is made of?
My wife is a kind of a sweet person and would gain wait eating very little food also my wife is losing her hair very fast. We eat very little junk food Most of the food we eat are vegetables and pork in our diet.
She may want to talk to her doctor about thyroid/metabolic tests if this is still going on.
I see a list of outlandish, unsubstantiated claims, made by someone whose credentials aren’t even mentioned. The link claims that jello “is a remedy for diabetes!” This claim is incorrect and dangerous. Please, PLEASE do not take medical advice from some blogger who is telling you quackery, just to sell her book.
Thanks for the awareness, your blog is very helpful for understanding the measures of gelatin.
we are offering a wide range of halal Gelatin, for more information please visit us at http://www.halalgelatin.org
I’m living proof that this gelatin idea works. I’m a lupus patient who has been battling hair loss for many years. I just had an urge to make and eat jello one night .. and now i make and eat jello every more before bed. I’d noticed that my nails were longer, stronger and much more whiter.. then i noticed where there was once a patch of my hair thinning… my hair was finally growing back and it was fuller..
Im going to continue.
Growing up many moons ago I ate tons of Jell-O everyday.. yes the kind you had to make on the stove.. I had the most beautiful nails people used to say to me you should be a hand model.. and a great head of hair. Don’t eat Jell-o anymore Nails I like crap and so is hair.. so I’m going to start eating jello again see what happens