Revealing Here 8 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

When you think about health foods, how often do you consider chocolate?

Fortunately, dark chocolate is a superfood! When you consume the right type of dark chocolate, you can look forward to surprising benefits, like boosting your antioxidants, lowering blood pressure and even reducing your risk of cancer.

Read on to discover the surprising benefits of dark chocolate, as well as what type you should be eating.

Dark Chocolate: A Sacred Food with Healing Benefits

Throughout history, dark chocolate (or cacao, as it’s called before being made into a chocolate bar) has been hailed as a health tonic. This is especially true throughout Mesoamerican cultures, who held the belief that the cacao bean was a sacred food handed down by the gods to provide stamina, heal numerous diseases, and reduce fatigue.

In fact, the effects of cacao were thought to be so powerful that consumption was reserved specifically for priests, high government officials, military officers and great warriors. It was considered unsuitable for women, children, and the lower classes due to its potency.

What exactly is it about dark chocolate that makes it such a cherished health food? Let’s dive into the research-backed facts behind its benefits.

8 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Many of dark chocolate’s surprising benefits stem from its potent antioxidant compounds epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins, along with flavonoids and polyphenols.

These antioxidants are responsible for putting a halt to DNA damage, reducing inflammation, regulating glucose levels, slowing aging, and more.

Read on to see just how powerful they are in dark chocolate.

1. Lowers Blood Pressure and Improves Heart Health

Not only does dark chocolate make you feel similar to being in love (okay, maybe not that good), but it has major benefits for your heart and blood pressure levels.

Studies show that the compound prostacyclin in dark chocolate is able to help lower blood pressure by increasing vasodilation, the opening and loosening of your arteries and blood vessels. In addition, another study revealed that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events.

The Kuna Indians of the San Blas islands of Panama, who drink roughly three cups of a cacao beverage daily and have a very low prevalence of hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke compared to those on the mainland, are a good example of chocolate’s benefits at work. In addition, studies have found that their blood pressure doesn’t rise with age.

2. Fights Aging

As we mentioned earlier, dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidant compounds that help fight the DNA damage that causes aging symptoms like wrinkles, graying hair, and disease.

In fact, research shows that just a single serving of cacao contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods and more antioxidants than many Americans get on average per day.

Research also shows that the polyphenols and flavonoids in dark chocolate can help protect your skin from UV damage, which is a huge factor in preventing skin aging.

3. Reduces Cholesterol

Alongside lowering blood pressure and improving heart health, dark chocolate also has a few cholesterol-lowering tricks up its sleeve.

Studies have shown that just one week of dark chocolate consumption was enough to improve lipid profiles and decrease platelet reactivity for both men and women.

This may be due to the fact that the cocoa butter in dark chocolate contains some of the same heart-healthy fatty acids found in olive oil.

4. Improves Brain Function

Dark chocolate has been studied for its ability to boost cognitive function by improving cerebral blood flow, thanks in part to its high flavanol content. One study showed that the intake of flavonoid-rich foods, including chocolate, wine and tea, results in improved cognitive performance, especially in elderly participants.

Another study out of Italy also found that the flavanols in chocolate could prevent and even reverse age-related memory decline.

5. Anti-Diabetic Effects

Research has shown that dark chocolate improves glucose balance, insulin sensitivity and inflammation markers – all symptoms that contribute to the development of diabetes. In one particular study, scientists found these benefits occurred only when participants ate dark chocolate; those who consumed white chocolate received no benefits.

Interestingly, a study in Japan found that the risk of developing diabetes was reduced 35 percent among men who consumed “chocolate snack pieces” once per week or more versus those who never or almost never ate chocolate.

6. Potentially Reduce Risk of Developing Cancer

To date, studies have confirmed that chronic inflammation contribute to factors that increase your risk of developing cancer, including DNA mutations and cancer cell growth.

Research has confirmed that the antioxidants in dark chocolate have a strong ability to fight the DNA damage that could lead to cancer development, as well as reduce certain inflammation enzymes that could encourage its growth.

7. Reduces Risk of Developing Neurological Diseases

Flavonoids have been shown to offer significant protection for neurons in your brain and nervous system. Specifically, they reduce neuroinflammation, which has been found to be a major cause of the development of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, their ability to increase cerebral blood flow encourages the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, which processes memory.

8. Increases Satiety and Reduces Appetite

Just when you thought chocolate was banned from your diet while trying to lose weight, research shows it may actually help you keep cravings in check, which can help keep the pounds off. Studies have found that the smell of dark chocolate reduces appetite and improves satiety.

How to Choose the Best Dark Chocolate?

Obviously, not all chocolate is created equal. To get the most benefits associated with dark chocolate, you want to steer clear of any of the candy bar varieties (even if they are “gluten-free” or “Paleo”) and be sure to choose a bar that contains at least a 75 percent cacao content. This will ensure there are minimal added sugars, so you get the bittersweet goodness without the damaging effects of sugar.

How Often Should You Indulge in Dark Chocolate?

While dark chocolate is loaded with benefits, more doesn’t necessarily equal better.

Most of these studies used a moderate amount of dark chocolate consumption, which could be comparable to a square of dark chocolate per day, or a tablespoon or two of dark cacao made into a hot chocolate drink (just make sure you don’t add any sugar).

Even if you don’t eat it every day, try to get in a dose of dark chocolate at least three times a week to boost your antioxidant levels and cash in on the many benefits of this true superfood.

Watch this video – 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate & Side Effects, You Need to Know

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Cacao vs Cocoa: The Difference and Why It Matters

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Chocolate is a delicious treat. That’s simple enough. What’s not so simple, though, is figuring out the difference between “cocoa” and “cacao.” If this has you scratching your head, you’re not alone.

Understanding the difference won’t just satisfy your curiosity. It also reveals some key insights about how your favorite indulgence can affect your health. A Common Misunderstanding – “Why do some people say cocoa and others say cacao?”

That question lingered in my mind for years. I thought “cacao” and “cocoa” were just two ways to say the same thing. As far as I was concerned, chocolate was chocolate.

But the reality of cacao vs cocoa is a bit more complicated than that. While cacao and cocoa start from the same place, the way they end up (and what they go through along the way) has different effects on their nutrition benefits.

The Difference Lies in the Processing

Everything we know as chocolate, in all of its forms, starts at the same source: the Theobroma cacao tree. This tree, native to South America, produces seed pods. Harvesters crack them open and take out the seeds, which are called cacao beans. They actually kind of look like coffee beans.

You can eat cacao beans raw. Their flavor is like a very bitter form of chocolate, and it varies depending on the growing conditions (soil, sunlight, etc.) of the cacao tree. Beans are usually fermented and dried before they’re processed any further. Raw cacao beans taste bitter, but they’re the healthiest when eaten this way.

What happens next determines whether the beans become cacao or cocoa. They start from the same place, but the processing makes all the difference.

If you’re a chocolate hound, you probably already know that cocoa and cacao are available in many forms: nibs, chips, butter, powder, and chocolate bars, just to name a few.

Watch these 2 videos-

BREWED CACAO ELIXIR DRINK (Delicious!) from ROASTED CACAO NIBS

Keto Chocolate Bark Recipe – Almond & Pecan Nut, Low Carb Snack / Dessert – No Bake (2g Net Carbs)

Chocolate Health Studies Can Be Misleading

It’s understandable if you’re excited about all of chocolate’s health benefits. Every day seems to bring another article or news report about science’s latest incredible chocolate discovery. Maybe you remind yourself of these whenever you pick up a few candy bars at the store!

Here’s the thing, though. The vast majority of studies exploring links between chocolate and health benefits are not dealing with chocolates you’d find at the store. They’re focused on cacao beans themselves, either in raw or minimally-processed forms.

That’s a key distinction. Unfortunately, it often gets lost in translation by the time it makes its way to articles, news reports, or posts online.

With that said, cacao and cocoa are delicious and still have plenty of benefits to offer. Just as it’s key to understand how scientists frame their chocolate studies, it’s important to understand the differences between cocoa, cacao, and what they mean for your health.

A Host of Health Benefits

Raw (or minimally-processed) cacao beans are superfoods. Here’s a quick rundown of some of their awesome health benefits:

• Antioxidant effects. Cacao beans are absolutely packed with phenolic phytochemicals and flavonoids, which protect your cells against damage from free radicals. Oxidative damage can result in premature aging and many of the modern health conditions today.

• Boosts your mood and cognitive performance. Epicatechin, the main flavonoid in cacao, improves various aspects of cognition, preserve cognitive abilities during aging, and even puts you in a better mood.

• Lowers blood pressure. Recent studies found that flavanols lower blood pressure and increase blood vessel flexibility.

• Protects your heart. Researchers found that flavanols and procyanidins from cacao increased antioxidant capacity in the blood plasma and reduced platelet reactivity, resulting in a healthier heart.

• Regulates insulin levels. Epicatechin, a flavanol in cacao, activates key proteins and help regulate glucose production, even among diabetics .

Cacao beans are also rich in nutrients like magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese. They’re actually thought to be one of the richest food sources of magnesium around!

Cacao

Remember how cacao beans are harvested from the cacao tree’s seed pods?

That’s where cacao’s journey begins, no matter its final form. Once beans are dried and fermented, manufacturers heat them at a low temperature. The heat separates the fatty part of the bean from the rest, a key part of the process.

Cacao nibs are just cacao beans that manufacturers chop up into small pieces. They’re like chocolate chips, but a little less sweet, without all the added sugars and artificial sweeteners. You still get all the nutrients and antioxidant power of cacao beans.

You can munch on these all by themselves, add them to a homemade Paleo trail mix, or use them like you’d use chocolate chips. Cacao nibs are the perfect replacement for chocolate chips. Plus you get all the nutrients and antioxidants!

Cacao butter is made from the fattiest part of the cacao bean. This stuff is white, with a rich, fatty texture. It actually looks and tastes a bit like white chocolate, and you can use it during baking or even as a moisturizer.

Manufacturers remove the fatty, buttery parts from the rest of the beans during processing. Then they take what’s left and mill it into a fine dark powder: cacao powder.

Cacao powder is popular in baking sweet treats – everything from brownies and cookies, to fudge and cake. You can even use it in smoothies or teas.

Cocoa

Cocoa starts the same way cacao does: as harvested beans from the plant’s seed pods. During processing, however, it’s heated at much higher temperatures. This results in a slightly sweeter flavor and different health effects.

Cocoa powder is extremely popular in dessert recipes. There are actually two types available:

Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This variety, also known as dark cocoa, undergoes additional processing with an alkalized chemical solution. This is done to make the taste of the end product richer and less acidic. Unfortunately, further processing only increases degradation off all those awesome antioxidants and nutrients.

Natural cocoa powder. This variety is a bit more acidic and bitter than Dutch-processed powder. You’ll find it often in recipes that call for baking soda because the soda alkalizes the natural cocoa powder.

If you’re in the market for cocoa powder, stick to plain versions. Cocoa powder “mixes” often contain added sugar or other sweeteners. Cocoa butter is also available for baking or moisturizing, just like cacao butter. You won’t find cocoa nibs. They’re packaged as chocolate chips, which are unfortunately usually loaded with other ingredients.

Cocoa tends to be cheaper than cacao and a bit easier to find. The challenge is finding a high-quality option without any added sugars, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or emulsifiers – “fillers” companies use to kick up the flavor and cut production costs.

Why Cacao Vs Cocoa Matters

The heavier processing (heating at higher temperatures) that transforms cacao to cocoa doesn’t just affect how manufacturers label the end product. This heat actually affects the beans on a molecular level, changing their structure and degrading nutrient content. Heavy processing is what makes cacao turn to “cocoa.” Much of the nutritional content dissipates in this state.

That means that cacao, which is less processed, has more powerful antioxidant effects and health benefits. 100 grams of raw cacao powder has an ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 95,500, which represents antioxidant capacity. This drops to 62,100 for cacao nibs, and 26,000 for cocoa powder.

It’s not that cocoa is inherently bad for you; it’s just that cacao is more beneficial.

Baking with either kind probably decreases some of the nutrients and antioxidants, but unfortunately research quantifying just how much is non-existent at this point.

Bottom line: heating cacao or cocoa probably degrades some of the nutrients and lessens potent antioxidant effects. But cacao is the ideal choice because it starts with more of them than cocoa.

A Key Note on Dairy

It’s not antioxidants or nutrients chocolate lovers should be obsessed about. It’s dairy.

Why?

Dairy creates enough health issues as is. Adding it to chocolate is no good because dairy limits the body’s ability to absorb the phytonutrients, including those found in chocolate.

You probably already know that opting for darker chocolate is better for you. That stuff is made of much higher percentages of cacao (70 percent or more) than milk chocolate. The more cacao, the more nutrients and antioxidants.

Milk chocolate – commonly found in chocolate chips and chocolate bars – has less. It also tends to have more sugar, dairy, and artificial sweeteners.

Don’t add dairy to chocolate. It limits the body’s ability to absorb the phytonutrients.

Unfortunately, you aren’t off the hook even if you stick to dark chocolate every time. Most people don’t know this. But practically every chocolate product you buy from a manufacturer contains dairy in some form. They add “fillers” like powdered milk to bring down production costs and add sweetness. You might get more cacao, but you still have to deal with dairy blocking your ability to absorb it effectively.

Check your labels carefully! You can find dairy-free chocolate treats, though they tend to be more expensive than the other stuff. Fortunately, there’s another option:

Making Your Own Chocolate at Home

Instead of hunting for dairy-free chocolate treats, you could always make your own.

It’s actually easier than you might think. There are plenty of simple, Paleo-friendly recipes online that swap coconut oil, honey, or other sweeteners for dairy and sugar. This gives you total control over how your chocolate turns out – without having to worry about any unhealthy ingredients.

All it takes to get started is a high-quality organic cacao (or even cocoa) powder, which you can find at health stores or online.

There are also plenty of raw chocolate dessert recipes available. You can make these and enjoy them without putting them through the baking process, helping to preserve nutrients and antioxidants.

Baking with Cocoa and Cacao

If you’re going to splurge a little, organic cacao is ideal. Whether you go for nibs, butter, or powder, they’re less processed than cocoa alternatives.

A quick note on baking before you get started. You might be using Paleo dessert recipes designed for cocoa, as those are more common. Can you simply use cacao in a one-to-one-substitution? Most of the time, yes. Every once in a while you might run into a recipe where doing so makes the taste a little off.

Cocoa is a bit sweeter than cacao due to the higher processing temperature. That means you might need to tweak cocoa-based recipes a little to get the taste you’re looking for. Buying top-quality cocoa, or following recipes designed with cacao in mind, are other options. Play around with it, experiment, and find out what tastes best to you!

A Sensible Indulgence

While cacao has greater antioxidant capabilities and potential health benefits than cocoa, this isn’t something to stress out about. It’s far more important to watch out for the dairy, sugars, and artificial “fillers” that chocolate manufacturers like to slip into their products.

Opting for organic cacao nibs, butter, and powder is ideal. But, as long as you avoid the harmful ingredients chocolate companies add to their products, you can still use quality cocoa and avoid harmful effects. Just remember that you might have to tinker with your recipes a bit if you decide to use cacao when they call for cocoa (or vice versa).

Chocolate works best as an occasional indulgence in a healthy diet. Eat it mainly for the taste, not the health benefits. You can always find plenty of antioxidants in Paleo fruits and vegetables!

Watch the below 2 videoes –

Cacao Vs Cocoa, Top 6 Differences and Similarities

Cacao vs Cocoa – Cacao Benefits, What’s The Difference, Is It Healthy?

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

What is Gelatin, Gelatin Benefits and How to Use Gelatin

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Top 14 Benefits of Gelatin and 4 Tasty Ways to Use It

If Mother Nature had a beauty routine, gelatin would definitely play a big role.

Gelatin, the cooked form of collagen, is full of amino acids that can help strengthen teeth and hair, smooth out wrinkles, and give your skin a healthy glow.

But aesthetics aside, gelatin is an all-in-one superfood that can heal your gut, rebalance your hormones, and boost your immune system.

What Is Gelatin?

Gelatin is an all-in-one superfood for boosting immunity, repairing your digestive tract, improving your skin’s appearance and texture, and eliminating sugar cravings.

Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen, which is found in animal bones and connective tissue. Gelatin contains lots of amino acids, which is why it has so many health benefits.

Bone broth is an excellent source of gelatin, but you can also find powdered gelatin sourced from grass-fed cows at your local health food store. Gelatin powder can be added to almost any recipe, including soups, stews, smoothies, coffee, and even DIY skin care recipes.

From healthy recipes to your beauty routine, here are ways to use gelatin in your everyday routine to improve your health and lifestyle!

Top 14 Benefits of Gelatin

1. Gelatin Boosts Skin Health

As mentioned above, gelatin is cooked collagen. And collagen is the structural protein that helps maintain skin elasticity and keep your skin looking smooth, plump, and supple.

Our bodies naturally produce collagen, but as we age, we begin to produce less. In fact, research shows our natural collagen production begins to decline by 1% beginning at the age of 20. Natural collagen production declines by 1% once you hit age 20.

Many anti-aging skin cream formulas contain collagen, but most collagen molecules are too large to penetrate the skin’s surface. Even when collagen molecules are hydrolyzed or broken down into smaller fragments, they’re still unable to interact with the skin’s natural collagen supply. This means most topical anti-aging collagen creams may be ineffective.

Eating foods that increase collagen production naturally, such as gelatin, has been shown to effectively improve the skin’s elasticity and appearance from the inside out.

2. Gelatin Helps Hair + Nails Grow Faster

If your hairdresser took off far too much during your last trim (or you just can’t seem to get your hair to grow), the protein in gelatin may help your hair grow in faster and thicker.

Since hair and nails are made from protein, increasing the amount of quality protein in your diet can help provide the amino acids needed to stimulate hair and nail growth.

3. Gelatin Repairs Gut + Digestion

Gelatin is rich in the amino acid glycine (in fact, gelatin is approximately 30% glycine), which helps repair the gut lining by strengthening and protecting the mucous membrane layer of the stomach.

This is essential for improving general digestive health as well as healing a chronic digestive condition called leaky gut syndrome. Gelatin is rich in glycine, which helps repair a leaky gut.

Leaky gut plays a major role in the development of allergies and autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel disease (IBD) and inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Gelatin also takes a longer time to digest, which helps coat the small intestine. This is why gelatin is commonly recommended on dietary protocols for healing digestive conditions, including the GAPS diet.

4. Gelatin Supports the Immune System

Approximately 80% of immune system cells are located in the gut, which means your immune system is a reflection of your digestive health.

By strengthening the mucous membrane layer of the stomach and “healing and sealing” the gut lining, gelatin can also help support and strengthen immunity based on its positive impact on gut health.

5. Gelatin Protects Joints

The ends of our bones are covered (or “protected”) with cartilage, which is formed from collagen. Cartilage prevents our bones from rubbing together, which otherwise causes pain and inflammation.

As we age, our cartilage can begin to degrade, which not only causes pain, but loss of joint motility and chronic inflammatory joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis.

Here’s where gelatin comes in.

Since collagen is needed to form cartilage, taking a hydrolyzed gelatin supplement (which means it’s easily absorbed in the intestinal tract) has been shown to help the body rebuild cartilage, which “cushions” the joints and reduces pain and inflammation.

Proline, an amino acid found in gelatin, is also needed to help the body make hydroxyproline, which forms collagen.

This suggests adding gelatin to your diet may be preventative for joint degradation as well as managing symptoms of inflammatory joint conditions.

6. Gelatin Repairs Damaged Hair

A gelatin hair mask can help restore the natural shine in dull, dry or damaged hair.

If you’ve ever heard of whisking eggs and applying them to your hair for natural moisture, gelatin has the same benefits: it helps deliver protein and moisture to the hair shaft, which is needed to strengthen and improve your hair’s texture. Is your hair lacking luster? Try a gelatin hair mask with apple cider vinegar.

To make a gelatin hair mask, use a ratio of 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder to ⅓ cup of water (you may need to adjust the amount you use depending on the length or thickness of your hair).

You can add other ingredients to your hair mask that promote shine, such as apple cider vinegar or coconut oil.

7. Gelatin Helps Reduce Inflammation

As mentioned above, gelatin is rich in the amino acid glycine. Glycine has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and cardiovascular system.

Glycine has been shown to suppress the activation of cytokines (proteins that play a role in cell communication), and move cells towards the sites of inflammation, trauma, and infection. The systemic inflammation of cytokines has been linked to cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression.

In other words, the anti-inflammatory action of glycine can help reduce the inflammatory response of elevated cytokines in the body.

8. Gelatin Balances Hormones

Hormones are the chemical messengers that regulate every function of your body, from your metabolism to your sleep cycle. When your hormones are functioning optimally, you feel energized, maintain a healthy weight, and in general, have a happier mood.

Since hormones are made up of amino acids (some amino acids become hormones, while others are required for hormone synthesis), getting a wide variety of amino acids in your diet is essential for general hormonal health and for rebalancing hormones. Grass-fed gelatin is almost pure amino acids, which help rebalance hormones.

Grass-fed gelatin is made up of approximately 98% protein, which means it’s almost pure amino acids.

Gelatin also contains several amino acids that stimulate the production of the human growth hormone, including glycine, lysine and arginine.The human growth hormone (HGH) is responsible for stimulating cellular repair and regeneration, and plays a role in energy production, strength, and endurance.

9. Gelatin Reduces Signs of Aging

One study showed that regularly ingesting collagen supplements was just as effective for reducing wrinkles and signs of aging as cosmetic procedures. The study stated that when ingested, collagen can directly reach the dermis in the skin, which is needed for the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to fade.

10. Gelatin Prevents Cellulite

Cellulite is the bane of many women’s existence: it’s almost inevitable, and it’s difficult to get rid of (no matter how many squats you do).

The reason why we get cellulite as we age is due to a decrease in collagen production and skin elasticity. Regular exercise and avoiding foods that deplete collagen (such as refined sugar and trans fats) are important for cellulite prevention, but adding gelatin to your diet may help boost your efforts because it stimulates collagen production.

11. Gelatin Strengthens Teeth

We often relate collagen to healthy skin and anti-aging, but do you know that collagen is also the building block of teeth and bones?

Since collagen is found in tooth enamel, adding gelatin to your diet may help strengthen your teeth and prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

12. Gelatin Helps Detox Liver

Animal products, such as chicken, fish, beef and eggs, are high in methionine. Methionine is an essential amino acid, which means we cannot survive without it – but when consumed in excess, it can build up in the blood, which causes systemic inflammation.

When methionine is metabolized, it produces a byproduct called homocysteine, which depletes vitamins B6 and B12. This is why elevated homocysteine levels are an indicator of B vitamin deficiencies. Methionine has also been shown to deplete your natural glycine stores – which is where gelatin comes in.

As we’ve covered, gelatin is a rich source of glycine, and studies have shown glycine helps the body eliminate excess methionine. Gelatin helps your body eliminate methionine, which plays a role in liver detoxification.

Now, glycine and methionine have an interesting relationship: methionine depletes glycine, but glycine is needed to help clear extra methionine from the body. It’s like a Catch-22 situation. Adding gelatin to your diet can help increase your glycine levels and support your body’s natural detoxification processes. This is especially helpful if you eat a variety of animal products daily.

Glycine is also a precursor to glutathione, which plays a role in phase II liver detoxification – the phase in which your body prepares to eliminate toxins.

13. Gelatin Promotes Restful Sleep

Gelatin has been recommended as a sleep aid for those who have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, especially due to stress. This is because glycine acts as a neurotransmitter and helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

14. Gelatin Curbs Cravings

As a protein, gelatin is a slower nutrient to digest, which helps keep you full for longer periods of time. This helps balance blood sugar levels, which reduces cravings for excess carbs and processed sugar.

Gelatin has also been shown to reduce blood sugar spikes and reduce the body’s response to glucose when ingested with sugar.

4 Easy Ways to Eat and Use Gelatin

1. Homemade Gummies

You can make homemade gelatin gummies by combining grass-fed gelatin powder with your favorite puréed fruits and Paleo sweeteners, such as raw honey.

We recommend trying this simple and delicious homemade Paleo gummy vitamin recipe: Easy Sugar Free Gummy Bears.

2. Smoothies

Gelatin powder is tasteless, and you can add it to your green smoothies or smoothie bowls. However, gelatin is a thickener due to its gelatinous texture, so be prepared to eat your smoothie with a spoon if you add gelatin powder to it.

3. Soup or Stew Thickener

Gelatin powder is flavorless, which means it won’t change the taste of your recipes, but it will create a more gel-like texture. You can use gelatin powder to thicken and to add an extra protein boost to your favorite soup and stew recipes.

A good starting ratio for adding gelatin powder to your recipes is ½ tablespoon of gelatin per 1 cup of liquid – however, the ratio of gelatin to liquid you use will depend on how “thickened” or “gelled” you want your recipe to be.

To be on the safe side, you may want to start with only ¼ tablespoon of gelatin powder and work your way up and adjust as needed once the gelatin powder begins to set.

4. Egg Substitute

If you’re sensitive to eggs, gelatin makes an excellent Paleo egg replacer in baking recipes that require a binder, such as pizza crust, pancakes and muffins.

To replace 1 egg, use a ratio of 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder and ¼ cup of water. Let it sit for 15 minutes to thicken before adding it to your recipes.

How to Find High Quality Gelatin Powder?

Most health food stores or online natural health retailers carry gelatin sourced from grass-fed cows.

It’s important to make sure the gelatin powder you choose is from grass-fed animals, otherwise it won’t be as high in anti-inflammatory amino acids, such as glycine, which allow it to be such an amazing health food (this means, unfortunately, the packaged gelatin you find in grocery stores doesn’t qualify).

Watch these 2 videos below –

How to Make Homemade Jello | Easy & Healthy Recipe 

How to make alovera gel by gelatin powder and store it for years

Written by Brandi Black

Author Bio:

Brandi Black is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and the creator of Feel Best Naked, a health blog for women who want to clear up their skin, lose the muffin top and make the bloat disappear. After years of experiencing (and then healing) her own unbalanced hormones, she’s now obsessed with helping other women feel spectacular in their own skin with natural remedies for hormone balance.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook