The reason you should think twice before eating the gummy bear candy

Gummy candies are loved by people all over the world for its unique plain and gelatinous taste. Do you know, most of the gelatin used to prepare these candies are sourced from animal parts? Read on to know why you should think twice before consuming these adorably shaped sweet treats.

Gummy candies are popular fun treats for people of all age groups. They are loved for their smooth gelatinous texture and subtle flavors. However, not many people are aware that these candies are usually not vegan and are prepared using animal parts. Here is the inside detail about this addictive candy that you wish you knew before.

Gelatin is an organic substance that is mostly a collection of stringy long protein strands called collagen, which is derived from animal parts such as bones, skin, and horns after boiling these parts for a long duration. Gelatin is the perfect ingredient to prepare these rubbery textured candies as it provides little elasticity and bounce to them. It is also tasteless and odorless in nature, which helps to easily create different flavor variants of gummy candies.

Apart from knowing the way gelatin helps chemically to produce gummy candies, you must also know the process by which gelatin is derived from different animals such as pigs! We recommend you to look online to find some videos that will help you to understand the way gelatin is extracted.

Even though the way gelatin is sourced is not one of the most pleasing visuals to watch, this ingredient is certainly not unhealthy to consume. It has been found that gelatin contains various amino acids found in collagen that we usually do not consume, as not many people consume the bones and other animal organs, which are rich in collagen.

In fact, it is not only the gummy candy that contains gelatin. Gelatin is also an important ingredient of marshmallows, some yogurts, cheeses, milk substitutes, a few frozen vegetables, and some medications.

It must have become very clear to you by now that majority of the gelatin containing products might not be fit for consumption by the vegan population. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no vegan alternative to gelatin present in nature. People who eat vegan just need to be extra careful and vigilant regarding the food labels and buy foods that are vegan or contain agar. Agar is a popular substitute for the animal based gelatin as it is sourced from algae. So, even if you are vegan, you can continue to relish your favorite sweet treats like gummy candies and marshmallows.