What Eating Gelatin Does for Your Joints?
Gelatin may not be the first thing that comes to one’s mind when thinking of a healthy food. However, it is not just a hospital staple or a childhood snack.
Gelatin is a protein manufactured by boiling the cartilage, animal bones, and skin for extracting collagen. Collagen is fibrous protein which connects bones, muscles, and skin in mammals and some other animals.
Collagen when further processed, becomes a colorless and flavorless mass which is then named gelatin. When this gelatin cools it becomes a jelly like mass. Gelatin liquefies in hot water, unlike collagen, and the texture of gelatin makes collagen useful for being utilized in soups, sauces, and desserts.
Most individuals take collagen supplements to help improve the collagen in joints, thinking the collagen in gelatin will go directly to the joints. But it unfortunately doesn’t work like that. Collagen within the gelatin is dissolved when eaten. It can’t travel to the joints directly.
Aid to bones via amino acids
Gelatin is made up of several amino acids. These are compounds which combine with each other to form proteins. Amino acids are vital for providing energy and making sure many parts and functions of the body are working properly including bones and joints.
Characteristically, amino acids found in abundance in gelatin are proline, valine, and glycine. It also includes the arginine, alanine, and lysine.
Valine is a very important amino acid which is not produced by human body, meaning it should be obtained from intake of food.
Easing the joint pain
Collagen present in the gelatin may reduce joint pain connected to inflammation. Some studies at the U.S. National Library of Medicine show that gelatin may improve joint function and reduce pain in individuals suffering from osteoarthritis.
Maintaining healthy bones
Lysine helps in strengthening the bones and is found in gelatin. Lysine aids the body in absorption of calcium. Calcium is in turn required for preventing bone loss and keeping bones strong.
The human body is not able to manufacture lysine. It is vital that an individual gets appropriate amount of lysine by food intake.
Obtaining Gelatin
Gelatin can be manufactured at one’s own convenience by roasting the leftover bones of beef and poultry for a long time, ideally several hours.
When this broth cools, you will be able to see a gel like mass on the exterior, this is known as the collagen.
It is easy to add gelatin to various dishes, including stews, soups, and broths. Gelatin may also be utilized for making mousse, sauces, and smoothies.
But the easier and slightly less gross way to get collagen is through supplements. The supplements will aid in the absorption of necessary amino acids and lysine necessary for joint health. To learn what supplements are available to improve and maintain joint health, check out (send to specific landing page)
References:
The Spruce Eats. (2018). Where Does Gelatin Come From?. [online] Available at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-gelatin-1328467 [Accessed 4 Dec. 2018].