Did you know that many lollies and types of jelly contain gelatin made from animals? This means it’s not suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Luckily, they don’t have to go without because there are many vegan gelatin substitutes so you can have your vegan jelly and eat it too!
What is gelatin?
Gelatin is made of collagen that is sourced from a variety of animal by-products. In Australia, these animal by-products come from boiling the skin, joints and tendons from pig, horse hooves and bones from animals (usually cattle). Gelatin has several uses. It can be used as a thickener, gelling agent, and stabiliser in cooking. Gelatin can be found in a lot of products and industries, from lollies to jelly and cosmetic products to photography.
Because it is made from animal products, gelatin is not suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Instead they use vegan gelatin substitutes.
Is vegan gelatin healthy?
Vegan gelatin alternatives are perfectly healthy as substitutes are often plant based, making them as natural as meat based gelatin, although both kinds require some processing. Regular gelatin contains collagen and this is an essential nutrient for the human body with
health benefits, meaning many health professionals recommend it’s intake. However, it's important to note that the human body naturally produces collagen, and that foods gelatin is added to aren’t always healthy themselves, negating the health benefits of the collagen in it.
Vegetarian and vegan gelatin substitutes have many of the same health benefits as regular gelatin and there are few known health risks associated with it. The choice between the two simply comes down to lifestyle.
Brands that use vegan gelatin
Some Australian brands use vegan gelatin powder in products such as marshmallows, gummy bears, lollies and jelly (which can be used to make jello shots) already, below is a list of products with vegetarian-friendly gelatin in the ingredients:
- Aeroplane Glitter Jelly – Berry Blue, Lime and Strawberry flavours
- Macro vegan jelly
- Dandies All Natural Vanilla Marshmallows
- Skittles
- Eco Vital Gummy Bears
- Licorice twists - Coles Brand (original and strawberry) and Darrell Lea (black, raspberry and grape)
- Hubba Bubba bubblegum
- Sour straps - Homebrand and X-treme brands
- Sour Patch Kids
- Wonka Long-lasting Gobstoppers
