Marshmallow treats and other gummy candies owe their success on the shelves to olde Rusty's lack there of out in the show ring. Yikes! That is not a fact to share with the kids as they jiggle their Jell-O Jigglers; but one most adults tuck deep into that back pocket of the brain, in order to eat gummy bears AND then drive to the barn. So, while most people know horse hooves are in the vicious additive --gelatin-- they are unaware that loads of other byproducts are melted down and stirred into the colorless, brittle, nearly tasteless, substance. Gelatin production means derive collagen from inside animals' skin and bones. Gross Factor of 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. Now add pork skins, pork and cattle bones, perhaps some cattle hides; boil, cure and dissolve them using acid, and alkali to extract the dried collagen hydrolysate (a stage of gelatin which will later turn into the final gel form of the protein.) And The Gross Factor climbs.
But before you dump out the lime Jell-O hardening in your fridge, I must explain gelatin's ability to pervade almost everything else in your fridge: soda, cream cheese, and anything you buy reduced fat.' It would all need to go if you want to live gelatin-free. Why?
Well, gelatin makes beta-carotene water-soluble thus imparting a yellow color to any containing beta-carotene. It also is used to thicken cream cheese and jams; the gelatin stabilizes and texturizes them. Reducing fat content in foods involves gelatin adding volume without calories. As soon as gelatin is tied to reduced fat foods most change their tune and offer a counter to their original ethical dilemma, stating: “if the whole cattle is used instead of just the meat at least its resourceful!” Three cheers for gelatin?
Maybe not quite, but while something about this substance remains stigmatized it is only fair to applaud it for its positives. I would be remiss in posting this without also noting that gelatin helps us achieve more than just our culinary pursuits. Pharmaceutical capsules containing the medicine that saves us are coated in gelatin shells for a smoother ride down to our tummies.
I love eating gelatin to grow my nails, some hardcore horseman (called heartless by some) even strengthen their ponies hooves with it! Can you imagine: rubbing your great-grandma’s boiled remains on your nails to strengthen them? Oh the results-oriented equine world!
A closing thought that is sure to shock: that annoying neighborhood boy always shooting and running around covered in paint-- his paintball gun: gelatin provided the ammo.
