I Think You’re Ready for this Jelly

To those of you who have Bootylicious stuck in your head now, you’re welcome.

It doesn’t take long (or much) for me to get a little silly on here, does it? In my defense, it’s been one of those days, in one of those weeks. And I don’t like to take myself too seriously anyway, because that would just be seriously boring.

But one thing I DO take seriously is jelly gut health. In my books, the two most important things for good gut health are 1) probiotics and 2) gelatin.

The first is pretty intuitive. It’s generally very well accepted that probiotics are good for you. In my mind, however, this goes WAY beyond having yoghurt once a day (although yoghurt is rather fantastic). In fact, I created a whole list of awesome probiotic-packed recipes from some of my favourite bloggers, just for you guys. If you missed the Probiotic Power Round-up, just click here.

Aaaand I even spread the love, teaching people how to make their own fermented foods in my workshops.

But gelatin? This isn’t everyone’s first thought when someone mentions the gut.

Gelatin contains all kinds of amazingness that helps rebuild cells (a scientist at heart, I really don’t like to get too sciencey on here unless absolutely necessary). Not just gut cells, but all over the body. Gelatin is fantastic for strong hair & nails, firm & ‘young’ skin, muscle, joints (great for joint pain/arthritis), and sleeeeep. I find that a teaspoon of gelatin in a herbal tea before bed is just the ticket to send me nodding off into slumberland.

But back to the gut; gelatin is said to aid gut health twofold. First, it helps everything move smoothly in the digestive track. And second – well, rebuilding cells! (Okay, I kind of gave that one away in the paragraph above…) The benefits of gelatin don’t stop at skin, hair & nails. Gelatin rebuilds all kinds of cells, including those in the gut that may be damaged from less-than-desirable foods (as well as medications, antibiotics and other environmental factors).

Unfortunately, with all the skinless chicken breasts and the likes on the supermarket shelves, we’re simply not eating as much gelatin as we used to. There’s a lot of gelatin to be found in animal parts such as skin, bones, marrow, organ meats and other ‘offcuts’… all those things that are getting discarded more and more in our modern world. And let’s not even talk about vegetarianism/veganism.

So, in a bid to increase gelatin content worldwide (aim high, right?!), I have put together a great list of gelatin-containing foods for you all. Scroll down to the very bottom of the post if you want to see my favourite brand of gelatin!

 

Now… can you handle this? Are you ready for this jelly?
(I hope you all realise I’m singing old school Destiny’s Child as I type…)

 

 

The Power of Oatmeal, over on How We Flourish
Paleo Banana Pancakes, from Paleo Gone Sassy
Paleo Egg McMuffins, by Paleo Gone Sassy
Peach Tea & Banana Iced Latte, by Raia’s Recipes

(Photo credit: DC Healthy Bites, featured on Homegrown & Healthy)

Chocolate Dipped, Gummy Filled Strawberries, from Homegrown & Healthy
Homemade Orange Jello, from Hollywood Homestead
Herbal Jello, by The Nerdy Farmwife
Healthy Gummies for Cold, Flu & Sleep, over on Real Food RN

(Photo credit: Hollywood Homestead)

Strawberry Fruit Snacks, from Raia’s Recipes
Paleo Orange Gummies, over on Hollywood Homestead
Pumpkin Pie Gummies, by Raia’s Recipes
Strawberry Lemonade Gummies, by Hollywood Homestead

  (Photo credit: Happy Healthnut)

Sour Kiwi Gummies, over on Happy Healthnut
Kombucha Fruit Gummies, by Real Food RN
Lemon Gummy Bears, from Hollywood Homestead
Easy, Healthy, Homemade Gelatin Snack from the Curious Coconut

  (Photo credit: Health Starts in the Kitchen)

Kefir and Fruit Gelatin Dessert, over on Real Food RN
Cranberry-Mint Mousse, from Happy Healthnut
Lemon Lime Kefir-ello, by Divine Health from the Inside Out
Super Food Chocolate Pudding Cups, from Health Starts in the Kitchen
Peppermint Mocha Pots de Crème, by Happy Healthnut
And Homemade Marshmallows, by me!

  (Photo Credit: Divine Health From the Inside Out)

How to: Chicken and Beef Broth, by The Organic Kitchen
How to: Gelatin-rich Bone Broth, from Hollywood Homestead
How to: Never Need Collagen Injections, by Divine Healthy from the Inside Out
The Complete Guide to Bone Broth, over on Mindful Meals
Chicken Soup for the Paleo Soul, by Hollywood Homestead
Pumpkin Puree, on Hollywood Homestead

 

Now, let’s take a super quick minute to talk about type of gelatin.
I find powdered gelatin to be cheaper and easier than leaf gelatin. I use this stuff for setting things like marshmallows & jellies, and I use this stuff to mix in my tea. I also make lots of bone broth, for an extra source of gelatin (and many other minerals!).

So tell me – what is YOUR favourite use for gelatin?

 

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