Vegetarian Gelatin
Posted on July 18, 2009
What is Vegetarian Gelatin?
Traditional gelatin, the stuff that makes jello gel, is made from collagen which comes from the bones, tendons, ligaments, collegan and hooves of animals like horses, cows and pigs. "Gelatin" rhymes with "skeleton" and that's because it's basically made of bones and the stuff that holds bones together.
If you eat meat and other animal products, you might not give this a second thought. However, if you are vegetarian or vegan, jello and other gelatin products are probably not that appealing.
The good news is that you can have your gelatin products and then eat them too, even if you are vegetarian! Most animal alternatives are made from boiled seaweed. While this may not sound very tasty at first, but it's similar to unflavored gelatin made from animal products.
How do I find Vegan Gelatin?
Vegan gelatin is probably not going to be available in every local supermarket, so start with your local health food store. When checking the ingredient list on the package, look for things like agar-agar, guar gum or carrageen, all of which are derived from plants or seaweed.
Some of these products are sold like plain gelatin, without any color or flavor, similar to Knox brand gelatin. If you are looking for something more like Jell-o that comes already colored and flavored, try Hain Superfruits.
Enjoy!
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