What is Gelatin, and why do we need it?

Oldvatr said:

You omitted chicken and fish as sources too.
Gelatin is a dense protein for a start. It contains the following amino acids - Proline , choline, glycene, and glutamine that are essential in maintaining and synthesising collagen in our bodies. They also help protect muscle.snd joint maintenance. It helps reduce osteoarthtitis and osteoporosis. It is not just a cheap filler, and many vegetarians suffer deficiencies by avoiding it.

My grandparents were bought up to eat the bone marrow from the sunday joint and had specisl spoons to extract it. They also brewed beef broth from the caracass bones, and there were jars of beef or chicken extract available from the chemist to assist patients recover from illness. Not the same as marmite or vegemite at all. You do not get any of this from a supermarket shelf and is one of the aspects of the Old Times that may have actually made sense.

Click to expand...

Dark Horse said:

Gelatin is a protein which is broken down by digestion into its constituent amino acids. These amino acids can be obtained from other sources of protein in the diet so vegetarians who eat adequate protein will not suffer deficiencies by avoiding it.

Gelatin is an 'incomplete' protein as some amino-acids, e.g.tryptophan, are destroyed by the boiling process. Unless it is combined with other proteins in the diet not all the amino acids would be available for use in building protein as they are not present in the correct proportions. A diet that consisted of gelatin as the sole source of protein would lead to deficiency. This is not generally a problem as most people who eat gelatin combine it with other sources of protein in the diet.

Click to expand...

Tipetoo said:

I just love the sticky feel of gelatin on my fingers when eating boiled pig trotters and hocks.

Click to expand...

Diakat said:

Thank you for that delightful image as a I start my Saturday.

Click to expand...

Tipetoo said:

You're welcome @Diakat, I will think of you next time I cook some up.

Click to expand...