Table of contents:
- What is gelatin?
- Benefits of gelatin for health
- 1. Build muscle
- 2. Reducing joint pain
- 3. Maintain healthy skin and hair
- 4. Improve brain function and mental health
- 5. Lose weight
- 6. Improve the function of the digestive system
Do you like to make pudding or other desserts? You must be familiar with the use of gelatin. Usually available in powder form, this cooking ingredient is useful for producing a chewy and quite dense texture. Apart from being able to thicken food, it turns out that gelatin has many great benefits for the health of the body, you know.
What is gelatin?
Before knowing its benefits, you must first know what gelatin is. Gelatin is a protein extract from animals such as cattle or fish. This material is made by boiling animal bones, soft bones, and skin to extract the collagen content. Collagen is a fibrous protein that connects muscles, bones and skin in animals.
Collagen that is processed will turn into a substance without taste and without color. This material is soluble in hot water so it can be used to prepare puddings, cakes, sauces, soups, or other dishes.
Benefits of gelatin for health
1. Build muscle
Amino acids are protein building blocks that are essential for building muscle mass. Although the human body can make several types of amino acids, most people still need to get additional amino acids through food.
The amino acids contained in these cooking ingredients vary depending on the method of preparation and the animal tissue used.
2. Reducing joint pain
Many studies have looked at how effective this animal protein extract is as a treatment for joint and bone problems, such as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of joint inflammation. This disease occurs when the cartilage pads between joints are damaged, causing pain and stiffness.
In one study, 80 people with osteoarthritis were given gelatin supplements and a placebo drug (empty drug, nothing in it) for more than two months. As a result, participants who received this supplement reported significantly reduced joint pain and stiffness compared with those who received placebo drugs.
3. Maintain healthy skin and hair
The same supplement has shown to be good for repairing damage to skin and hair. The collagen content in these supplements is proven to make the skin more supple and moisturized.
Other studies have also shown that consumption of gelatin can increase hair thickness and growth, even in people with alopecia (baldness) problems.
4. Improve brain function and mental health
Gelatin is very rich in the amino acid glycine, which is a natural substance related to brain function. A study found that taking glycine can significantly improve memory and concentration.
Glycine consumption has also been linked to progress in treating various mental health disorders, for example schizophrenia.
5. Lose weight
Do not be afraid to eat gelatin fat. Apparently, this cooking ingredient can actually help you control your weight by suppressing your appetite. Appetite itself can arise due to the production of certain hormones in the body.
Well, the natural ingredients in this one cooking ingredient have succeeded in increasing levels of hormones which function to reduce appetite. You will also be full longer after eating dishes made from gelatin.
However, keep in mind the calorie levels. For example, from added sugar, milk, or other ingredients used when processing dishes.
6. Improve the function of the digestive system
This versatile cooking ingredient can aid digestion in various ways. For example, amino acids are able to maintain the health of the mucosal lining in the stomach.
Glycine can also stimulate the production of gastric juices which can aid in the digestive process. In addition, gelatin is water binding so it can help food move efficiently in the digestive system.
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