Read This Before Eating Another Gummy Bear
Some things are best left untold and this certainly resonates when we start to take a deeper look into how some of our favorite foods are made. A prime example of what may look innocent, but have a darker background are gummy bears. While the obvious ingredient that might make you rethink excessive consumption of them is sugar, gelatin is really the source of widespread disgust toward gummy bears, according to HuffPost.
The site shared a short clip by Alina Kneepkens, a Belgian videographer, that received over 9 million views on Vimeo. The film might be responsible for turning plenty of people off the rainbow-colored bears as it depicts the process involved in extracting gelatin from animal carcasses. It's definitely graphic and can be a complete shock for people who've never considered how gelatin is made. Even if you were vaguely aware that gelatin comes from animals, seeing Kneepkens' short film is enough to make you think twice about reaching for another gummy bear.
What are gelatin alternatives?
While Kneepkens' clip focuses on gummy candies, they aren't the only common foods that contain gelatin. PETA shares a list of ordinary foods and items that contain gelatin including marshmallows, yogurt, and shampoo. To help you steer clear of these products, PETA mentions various alternatives to gelatin that are animal-friendly, including agar-agar and carrageenan, both of which are seaweed-based products.
It's important to keep in mind that animals are not slaughtered purely for gelatin production, food scientist Kantha Shelke explained to Mic. If you consume meat and can accept what goes on in a slaughterhouse, then the process to make gelatin should be seen as a way to use the entire animal without waste. Furthermore, gelatin is a good source of protein and there are claims regarding various health benefits, according to Healthline. For consumers who only eat meat from very specific producers or avoid it entirely, there are plenty of gummy candies geared towards vegans that do not use gelatin.