More About Gelatin
As those of you who have been reading since at least last summer know, I started taking gelatin as a supplement back in September, and was dazzled by the results. I've been taking it ever since; I just bought another 5 pound box of plain gelatin powder. I take a couple of teaspoons first thing in the morning, and 2-3 teaspoons before bed every night. Plan to continue forever, or until I die, which ever comes first.
But I got a question recently from a reader -- he said he'd started taking gelatin, with good results, but had heard rumors it had MSG in it. It seemed unlikely to me; I couldn't figure out why a company would put a flavor enhancer in a flavorless product. However, in the interests of my readers, I called NOW Foods, the company whose bulk gelatin I've been buying. I asked if their plain beef gelatin contained any MSG, and they stated flat out that it did not. I am inclined to believe them. Companies that lie when asked if their consumable products contain a specific ingredient open themselves up to very major lawsuits, especially if they lie to someone who has openly identified herself as a blogger/author who is going to pass their information on to thousands of people. Too, I have used a fair number of NOW's supplements over the years, and always thought well of them. And again, I can't figure out what the purpose would be of putting a flavor enhancer in a flavorless product.
Just so you know, what I have been buying is the 5-pound bulk box of beef gelatin. I special order it through my local health food store (for locals -- I got it slightly cheaper through Sahara Mart than through Bloomingfoods); it takes about a week to come in. It's a cardboard box (that word wanted to come out "carbboard") about the size of a toaster, with a big plastic sack inside full of powder. That's all. Ran me $32 plus tax.
But I learned something else interesting about gelatin just today: It's a good source of the ultra-trace mineral vanadium. Vanadium has a reputation for improving insulin sensitivity and glucose control in diabetics. It is, as I say, an ultra-trace mineral; you only want teeny quantities, but those teeny quantities are apparently important. Looks like this could be another of those nutrients that have been depleted from our diet as we moved away from eating the whole animal to eating only the lean muscle meats.
Just thought it was interesting.
