5. Consuming Gelatin
According to Nourishing Traditions and much of the information I’ve read from the Weston A. Price foundation, there are various health benefits to Gelatin, including:
- Gelatin supports skin, hair and nail growth
- It is good for joints and can help joint recovery
- Can help tighten loose skin (like the kind you get after having four babies in five years…)
- Can improve digestion since it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily though the digestive track
- Rumored to help improve cellulite
- Great source of dietary collagen (side note: collagen is too large to be absorbed by the skin, so those skin creams are pretty useless… get it internally and use coconut oil for lotion!)
- Source of protein (though not a spectacular one) but its specific amino acids can help build muscle.
Gelatin is largely composed of the amino acids glycine and proline, which many people don’t consume in adequate amounts as they are found in the bones, fibrous tissues and organs of animals and as a population, we don’t consume these parts as much anymore. These amino acids are needed not only for proper skin, hair and nail growth, but for optimal immune function and weight regulation!
One theory is that the decline of gelatin containing foods in our diets has led to an increase in cellulite as we don’t have the needed building blocks for healthy connective tissue. Either way, it is another remedy that is good for other reasons and worth a try.
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