Think gummy bears can’t be a health food? Think again...

Gelatin, the key ingredient that gives the candy their gummy texture, is rich in amino acids (the building blocks of protein).

Amino acids serve many roles in the human body from cell growth, tissue repair, immune function, energy production, hormone balance, and nutrient absorption. There are 20 amino acids, nine of which are essential (meaning you must get them through your diet)!

Traditional diets contained far higher amounts of gelatin because our ancestors ate more of the skin and tendons of animals (they hunted or farmed their own food, so they couldn’t afford to let any go to waste)! Today, our supermarkets are lined with boneless, skinless, chicken and turkey breast meat that hardly resembles the actual animals! Additionally, some people choose not to eat meat altogether. Either way, when we aren’t eating in a “nose to tail” fashion like generations before us did we tend to miss out on the awesome benefits gelatin (and collagen) can provide. Increase your gelatin consumption through tougher cuts of meat like chuck roast or beef shank, bone broth, orrrr... grass fed gelatin! I used one by Thrive Market, but Vital Proteins and Great Lakes Gelatin are also reputable sources!