In one of my former entries, I commented that, as a vegetarian, I don’t eat marshmallows. I got a comment in reply asking why, so I thought I would write today’s entry about gelatin. Most vegans and vegetarians do not eat gelatin at all, but some do and consider it a grey area in vegetarianism. I do not eat gelatin, but this is becoming an increasingly difficult thing to avoid at the grocery store.
Gelatin is derived from boiling animal bones, skin, and/or tendons and is used as a thickening agent in all types of food products (marshmallows being one of those). Others treat that contain gelatin include gummy bears and worms, jello, and certain types of yogurt. It is even in those cute little Easter Peeps and Halloween candy corn (SOB!). Gelatin can be a point of contention for vegetarians because there is a small camp of veggies that claims that gelatin is not derived from meat itself and is therefore okay to consume. Kind like those vegetarians that say it is acceptable to wear leather since you are not consuming it. I do not agree with eating gelatin simply because gelatin is gathered from the same mass farming structure that I morally disagree with. The fact that gelatin is not made from “meat” is just a technicality.
You have to be very careful when grocery shopping to avoid gelatin altogether and here are a few personal examples of what to look out for. I bought the Kroger brand of sour cream the other day and didn’t bother to check the label like I usually do. The next day when I opened the fridge, to my surprise there was a large handmade note taped to the top of the sour cream that read “Contains Gelatin.” My boyfriend is also a vegetarian and was so kind as to create this sign for me when he read the ingredients list. Other brands of sour cream, like Daisy, have only one ingredient (that being sour cream), but some brands use thickening agents like gelatin and you have to look out for it.
Soon after, I was studying amongst a group of classmates and one of my buddies offered each of us a mint. Altoids. They are curiously awesome. We all took one, then one of the guys asked to read the label. After looking at the tin, he immediately left to table to spit out the mint. I read the label and saw gelatin in the list of ingredients. This guy isn’t a vegetarian, but he is Muslim and gelatin isn’t halal. Gelatin can be derived from a variety of sources, including cattle, pigs, and fish.
Now, there are a wide variety of substitutes for gelatin, including kosher gelatin. If you are vegetarian, be mindful that kosher gelatin is probably still derived from an animal source. However, there are vegetable-based alternatives to gelatin and if you see them on labels, feel free to purchase. These are agar-agar, carrageenan, guar gum, hypromellose, konjak, and pectin.
Gelatin is derived from boiling animal bones, skin, and/or tendons and is used as a thickening agent in all types of food products (marshmallows being one of those). Others treat that contain gelatin include gummy bears and worms, jello, and certain types of yogurt. It is even in those cute little Easter Peeps and Halloween candy corn (SOB!). Gelatin can be a point of contention for vegetarians because there is a small camp of veggies that claims that gelatin is not derived from meat itself and is therefore okay to consume. Kind like those vegetarians that say it is acceptable to wear leather since you are not consuming it. I do not agree with eating gelatin simply because gelatin is gathered from the same mass farming structure that I morally disagree with. The fact that gelatin is not made from “meat” is just a technicality.
You have to be very careful when grocery shopping to avoid gelatin altogether and here are a few personal examples of what to look out for. I bought the Kroger brand of sour cream the other day and didn’t bother to check the label like I usually do. The next day when I opened the fridge, to my surprise there was a large handmade note taped to the top of the sour cream that read “Contains Gelatin.” My boyfriend is also a vegetarian and was so kind as to create this sign for me when he read the ingredients list. Other brands of sour cream, like Daisy, have only one ingredient (that being sour cream), but some brands use thickening agents like gelatin and you have to look out for it.
Soon after, I was studying amongst a group of classmates and one of my buddies offered each of us a mint. Altoids. They are curiously awesome. We all took one, then one of the guys asked to read the label. After looking at the tin, he immediately left to table to spit out the mint. I read the label and saw gelatin in the list of ingredients. This guy isn’t a vegetarian, but he is Muslim and gelatin isn’t halal. Gelatin can be derived from a variety of sources, including cattle, pigs, and fish.
Now, there are a wide variety of substitutes for gelatin, including kosher gelatin. If you are vegetarian, be mindful that kosher gelatin is probably still derived from an animal source. However, there are vegetable-based alternatives to gelatin and if you see them on labels, feel free to purchase. These are agar-agar, carrageenan, guar gum, hypromellose, konjak, and pectin.
This is a good post. I always wanted to know why vegans avoid gelatin. I'm attempting to avoid beef and pork; so, I should probably avoid gelatin as well.
ReplyDeleteYou know what else contains gelatin? SKITTLES! Just kidding, yo. They actually went gelatin-free a few years ago to cater to a larger vegan-y market.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of which, you know what's delicious in a weird way? Butternut squash ravioli. Seriously. Look it up. Serve with some mixed veggies and a light alfredo sauce, and boom! Best din-din ever.