Why You Need Gelatin in Your Diet + Blueberry Herbal Gummy Recipe 

It’s no surprise that our ancestors embraced a more nose-to-tail approach to eating, harvesting an animal, and then using every single part of it including the hide and bones. Nowadays, our society favors boneless, skinless muscle meats (like chicken breast and ground beef) and it’s increasingly rare to see things like oxtail, short ribs, lamb shanks, and chicken feet in grocery stores. Yet, these cuts of meat are absolutely loaded with gelatin and collagen, which means that we are all getting a LOT less of these than our ancestors did.

So what are we to do!? Well, you can start by eating more of these bone-on, connective-tissue-rich cuts of meat if you’re open to trying them. In our humble opinion, they are undeniably the most delicious way to eat animal protein, they just require a bit more time to stew, roast, or simmer. Bone broth is a super approachable way to get in a nice dose of gelatin without too much thought or effort. Tip: the thicker your broth is at room temperature, the more gelatin it has in it. Alternatively, you can incorporate gelatin supplementally, through things like gummies and jellies – which we are going to teach you how to make today!

The benefits of gelatin:

• Rich in amino acids you can’t get from meat – While muscle meats are super high in amino acids like methionine and tryptophan, gelatin is high in amino acids like glycine and proline. Therefore, eating foods rich in gelatin will balance out your meat intake and ensure you’re getting all of your essential and non essential amino acids (1).

• Extremely healing for your gut – The amino acids in gelatin help to heal any damaged cells in your intestinal wall, ensuring that your gut lining is healthy and intact. It also increases gastric acid secretion which aids in the digestion of your food (2).

• Protects your joints – Since gelatin is derived from collagen, a key structural protein found in your connective tissues like ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, it can act as building blocks for your body’s own collagen production (3, 4). 

• Improves your sleep – Gelatin is rich in glycine, the amino acid and inhibitory neurotransmitter that quells anxiety and promotes a deep, restful sleep (5). It’s particularly helpful for people who have trouble staying asleep throughout the night.

• Keeps your skin glowy and plump – As we mentioned earlier when discussing joint health, gelatin contains amino acids that are key for collagen production. And, collagen is a primary component in the structure of your skin, meaning that consuming gelatin increases collagen and leads to improved skin elasticity and firmness. This is especially important for us as we age, since we lose collagen as we grow older!

Blueberry Herbal Jelly Recipe

Ingredients:

• Herbs of your choosing (we used a few handfuls of calendula and a sprig of lemon verbena)
• 3 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 8 tablespoons of high-quality grass fed gelatin
• A splash of lemon juice
• Optional: sweetener (honey, sugar, maple syrup, agave)
• Optional: a sprinkle of blue butterfly pea powder to get a deeper blue/purple color

Method:

1. Scoop your herbs into a quart-sized French press or quart sized mason jar and cover with hot water. Let this steep for at least 1 hour.
2. Add the blueberries to a high-speed blender and pour 2 cups of the brewed and strained herbal infusion over top. 
3. Blend until completely smooth.
4. Pour the blended mixture into a wide, heavy-bottomed pan.
5. Sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid in an even layer, then allow it to “bloom” for a few minutes by leaving it untouched. When it’s ready, the gelatin will look wet and wrinkly. 
6. Turn the heat on to low/medium and whisk until the gelatin is liquified and combined. 
7. Add in lemon juice, optional sweetener, and butterfly pea powder if you are using it. 
8. Filter the mixture through a sieve to catch any clumps first, then pour the filtered liquid into a glass/heat proof baking dish or silicone molds. Note: you may have to encourage the mix through the sieve by using a spatula. 
9. Refrigerate the jelly until it is totally set.
10. Slice and enjoy!

* These will keep in a covered glass container for several days