Today we are going to talk about the importance of Gelatin in your sports nutrition supplementing.
The first thing to understand is, practically speaking, Gelatin is exactly the same as Collagen. Collagen has become sexier marketing term so consumers will gladly pay more money, however, it really is no different to Gelatin. Technically speaking gelatin is actually derived from collagen through hydrolysis.
There are two types
Hydrolyzed - dissolves easier because the gelatin molecule has been ‘hydrolyzed’ into its constituent amino acids
Regular (unhydrolyzed) - the gelatin peptide is intact and requires hot liquid to dissolve
Most of the commercial collagen available is made of skin collagen which is known as type 1 collagen. If you want to get the full benefit of collagen try the type 2 collagen which is most often derived from trachea. Don’t get too caught up on which one at this point just get started.
The absolute best and most bio-available forms are found in traditional foods! Bone broth is the current food form that is all the rage, however, Tripe soup, Menudo con Pata, Vietnamese Pho (with tripe and tendon) and Marrow are all traditional dishes commonly available and for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, these traditional dishes tend to be mentally offensive to the modern western palate - so stick with the capsules, making fortified broth and even Jello!
If you are interested in making your own broth check out recipes on our Pinterest site but also take a look into purchasing Dr. Kaayla Daniel’s book ‘
Gelatin is an essential part of ‘Whole Animal Eating’ or “nose to tail” - you will be getting the connective tissue that your body needs to support your joints, skin and hair.
What will you notice taking Gelatin / Collagen:
stronger / healther nails
better hair health / growth
better skin tone
Potenitally less pain and less prone to injury
If you are using the type 2 gelatin, you will also notice that your cartilage, tendon and joint problems will slowly go away. While modern medicine has been slow to acknowledge the benefits of incorporating therapeutic dosing of gelatin as a potential therapy the work of people like Dr. Kaayla Daniel and Dr.Prudden demonstrate gelatin has a place both as a therapy and complimentary therapy to treat a number of maladies. Most of all getting enough gelatin/collagen is vital as a prophylactic against injury and sickness….this is especially important for athletes!
So try and incorporate Gelatin into your sports nutrition regime, whether through actual nose to tail eating or through capsules or adding it to your favorite beverage or smoothie and you should notice the benefits.
As you know I don’t like people to spend too much on supplements, so brands like Great Lakes and Vital Protein are a bit more affordable and will get the job done. The Vital Proteins Type ll Tracheal Collagen is also available.
At the Vespapower shop, we also stock a really effective and affordable Gelatin by Bernard Jensen’s. Dr. Kaayla Daniel recommends the Flavor Chef brand of broth if you don’t have time to make fortified bone broth and desire a premium product.
Nourishing Broth
