On the Healing Powers of Gelatin, Collagen's Versatile Twin
Plus: two beauty recipes to add to your August rotation 🫐
Note: this post is written in partnership with Perfect Supplements. Use code LILY for 10% off the Perfect Bovine Gelatin.
Once a staple of ancestral diets and 1950s recipes, gelatin has been making a comeback in wellness circles — both for its beauty benefits (more on that below) and ability to balance out the amino acid profile of muscle meats.
Many past (and probably future) Health Gossip guests maintain a gelatin habit. Lauren makes bovine grape jelly. Eyren adds it to her ceremonial cacao. Olivia makes marshmallows. Carlisle’s preferences vary.
In the Discord, people are experimenting. Maggie added chlorophyll (“which turned out to be a not awesome addition taste wise but still very nice”):
Alex used a tea base:
Personally, I’ve grown fond of incorporating gelatin into nearly everything I can, from coffee and smoothies to scrambled eggs and pancakes. When I consume it consistently, I notice stronger nails, faster-growing hair, bouncier skin, and better digestion. What once was an ingredient that I avoided as an (emaciated) vegetarian is now a daily staple.
Whether you’re looking to incorporate more gelatin into your diet or curious to learn more, here’s a breakdown (plus some recipes at the end).
What is Gelatin?
In simple terms: a protein derived from collagen, extracted from animal’s connective tissues (bones, skin, cartilage). Rich in amino acids, particularly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which are essential for building collagen in the body and can help balance out the amino acid profile of muscle meats.1
It’s the main ingredient in marshmallows and jello, and often used as a thickener in sauces and gravies. It’s what makes bone broth jiggle.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, gelatin is known for replenishing yin and blood. People use eijao (derived from donkey skin) in cakes, porridge, and more.
Gelatin vs. Collagen
Both collagen and gelatin come from the connective tissues of animals. Collagen is the raw structural protein — the scaffolding that holds skin, bones, and joints together. Gelatin is simply its cooked form, what happens when collagen is broken down with heat (like when you simmer bones into broth).
Health Benefits of Gelatin
Skin + hair: Gelatin stimulates collagen production for firmer, more elastic skin.2 With consistent use, it can reduce fine lines and dryness; it also strengthens nails and helps support keratin formation and hair growth.
Digestion: Helps seal and heal the gut lining. Soothes inflammation and supports a balanced microbiome.
Healthy joints: Strengthens cartilage and supports bone density. Protects connective tissues. Helps reduce stiffness and pain in active individuals and older adults
Sleep: Contains glycine, which promotes relaxation by lowering core body temperature and calming the brain. (Glycine also boosts glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in the liver that boosts the body’s detox pathways.)
Further explorations: “Gelatin, stress, longevity” (Dr. Ray Peat); “The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Bovine Bone-Gelatin Derived Peptides…” (Pubmed).
Recipes
Hibiscus Green Tea Beauty Jelly
This is a version of my most commonly made gelatin recipe, using a tea base (juice or coffee also work). Hibiscus is high in Vitamin C, which boosts collagen synthesis. For extra Vitamin C and hormone-balancing magic, I’ll add rose hips and green tea.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. loose leaf tea
12 oz. filtered water
3 scoops (30g) grass-fed gelatin
Honey or sweetener of choice
Optional: trace minerals, blueberries, powdered acerola or vitamin C*
Instructions:
Combine the tea with 6 oz. of water in a small saucepan and heat.
While the tea is steeping, whisk gelatin into an equal amount of cold water in a glass container of choice.
Once the tea is ready and the gelatin has bloomed (at least 1 minute), combine the tea with your bloomed gelatin. Whisk to dissolve.
Add sweetener to taste, and stir in any optional ingredients like blueberries or trace minerals.
Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator and let it set for at least 3 hours.
Once firm, enjoy your tea jelly as a snack or dessert.
(Another hibiscus recipe, courtesy of Weston A. Price.)
A note on quality…
Apply the same standards that you would to meat to gelatin (pasture-raised + grass-fed = ideal). Right now, I’m using a Zen Principle’s beef gelatin.
Great Lakes and Perfect Supplements (10% off with code LILY) are two other great options.
Skin Glow Berry Smoothie
Fruit and minerals are a great way to start the day. While I’ve been leaning more towards warm meals, in the summertime, I do love a smoothie. This one is satisfying and keeps me full for hours. It’s also a nice way to incorporate some gelatin into your diet without much extra effort. (Just make sure to wash your blender straight away — hardened gelatin can be a bit difficult to clean off.)