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How to Choose Gelatin / Collagen Brands…
I have written about gelatin a lot on this site and many of my recipes feature this nutritious food (I’ll give you a list of delicious gelatin recipes below to get you started).
I’m not going to go into detail about what gelatin is, so if you’re new to gelatin, please make sure you read this post where I discuss the health benefits of gelatin.
One of the best sources for gelatin is bone broth. If you’re not already incorporating bone broth into your diet, then you MUST read these two posts:
As with any animal product, quality is of the utmost importance when it comes to selecting a brand. {Tweet This!}
I get a lot of questions about gelatin daily and which brand I recommend and how to select, so that is why I wanted to write this post.
How to Select a Brand of Gelatin or Collagen
When it comes to selecting any sort of animal product, you want to make sure you look for the highest quality possible. The things I look for are:
- Where are they sourcing it (grass-fed free range cattle OR feedlot cattle)?
- What countries are they sourcing from?
- If grass-fed free range, are the pastures they graze on treated with any chemical fertilizers or pesticides?
- Are the animals 100% grass-fed or are they mostly grain-fed with a little bit of grass here and there?
I don’t worry so much about “organic” when it comes to animal products.
WHAAAAAAAAAT? I can imagine some of you are shocked at this statement.
Here’s why I don’t pay as much attention to “organic” for my animal products:
Cattle (and other animals) can be labeled as “organic”, but if you actually look at their living environment, you may find that they are stuck in feedlots (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation – CAFO) and are simply being fed organic grains.
A lot of “organic” meats that you see on the market are just this — feedlot animals that are fed organic grains and are never allowed to roam on pasture.
Feedlot, grain-fed animals are much more unhealthy than those allowed to pasture, as it goes against how they were designed to live. Feeding them organic grains makes them only slightly better than your regular CAFO animals.
For more detailed information, please read this post about the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef.
Most of the time, farms that use sustainable farming and ranching practices are also going to be anti chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, etc., even if they are not a certified organic farm.
So, when selecting any animal product, including gelatin, look at:
- What they are being fed.
- Where they are living.
- How they are treated.
This immediately eliminates about 98% of all gelatin/collagen brands out there. So, absolutely NO Knox, Jell-O, etc. Grass-fed and pastured only. If the farm uses organic practices, then that’s a bonus!
To find sustainable farms and ranches in your area, check out the Eat Wild site here.
What Brands Do I Use?
Now that I have established how best to select a brand of gelatin/collagen, I will discuss the brands I use and why I use them specifically.
As of the writing of this post, I am only aware of three 100% grass-fed and finished gelatin and collagen brands: Vital Proteins, Perfect Supplements, and Great Lakes.
UPDATE 10/15/15: Perfect Supplements has just released their grass-fed collagen (a cold-soluble version of gelatin) and has a regular gelatin in the works. I have tested their grass-fed collagen and love it.
UPDATE 6/28/16: Perfect Supplements has just released their grass-fed gelatin (the type you use for gummies, pudding, etc.). I have tested their grass-fed gelatin and collagen and love both products.
There are some other ones out there that claim to be “natural” and “organic” but they are not coming from grass-fed and pastured animals, so I steer clear.
I used Great Lakes for years, but a few months ago, I made the switch to Vital Proteins (who is now one of my affiliate partners because I loved their products so much and want to support the company’s mission).
UPDATE 10/15/15: I still love Vital Proteins, but have now added Perfect Supplements’ Grass-Fed Collagen to my rotation. They have been a trusted partner of mine for a long time now and I am so excited that they are expanding their products to include grass-fed collagen and gelatin products.
UPDATE 6/28/16: I have now added Perfect Supplements’ Grass-Fed Collagen and Grass-Fed Gelatin to my rotation. I love that there is now another clean product for us to choose from and both their gelatin and collagen products meet my taste, smell, and quality standards.
I heard about them through the traditional food community and immediately started researching the company. I quickly purchased a container of each type of gelatin from them so I could test it next to Great Lakes.
Great Lakes is still a great gelatin because it is one of the few that actually does come from grass-fed cattle. But, there are two main reasons I prefer Vital Proteins and Perfect Supplements now:
1. It tastes and smells better.
Great Lakes always had a slightly strange (stale?) taste and smell (I just thought this was normal). But, the batches of Vital Proteins gelatin and Perfect Supplements Collagen that I have tried taste and smells completely neutral. I don’t notice the same stale scent and taste that I did in Great Lakes and that makes it much more appetizing to me.
2. It comes packaged in an airtight container.
Great Lakes does not. Their packaging is cardboard and is not airtight. This allows air and moisture into the container, both of which can degrade the product. This could be why the taste and smell was always a little “off” for me. You also have to worry about potential contamination from the poor packaging.
The BPA-free airtight containers from Vital Proteins and Perfect Supplements assure me there is no contamination of the product from weak packaging. Their products are kosher, gluten-free, rGBH-free, and non-GMO.
After testing all products side-by-side (and I use A LOT of gelatin in my home), I am sold on the quality and taste of Vital Proteins and Perfect Supplements (plus the folks who run the company are SUPER nice!).
Price Comparison Between Vital Proteins and Great Lakes
When it comes to any grass-fed product, the costs are going to be higher. There’s no way around it. But, you’re paying for a superior product that will create HEALTH in the body and not DISEASE.
When it comes to food, you get what you pay for. {Tweet This}
Vital Proteins and Perfect Supplements are going to be slightly more expensive that Great Lakes. But, I am willing to pay extra for it because I feel the quality is much better (taste and smell mean a lot to me!).
Vital Proteins Per Ounce Cost:
Note: Vital Proteins has free shipping on all orders, so you don’t have to factor in shipping. At this time, it is not available in stores.
- Collagen Peptides Blue Top (Cold Water Soluble) | 20 ounce container for $37.00 | Per ounce price is: $1.85
- Collagen Protein Green Top (Hot Water Soluble) | 32 ounce container for $42.00 | Per ounce price is: $1.31
If you are a Thrive Market member, the prices are substantially lower for Vital Proteins gelatin and collagen there. Read why I love Thrive Market here.
Perfect Supplements Per Ounce Cost:
Note 1: Perfect Supplements does offer excellent discounts when you buy any of their name-brand products in bulk. So, if you buy 3 containers of collagen, you can save 25%, six container saves 30%, and twelve saves 35%. Something to consider if you go through a lot of it. They also offer free shipping on orders over $99.
- Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen (Cold Water Soluble) | 23 ounce container for $38.95 | Per ounce price is $1.69
- Perfect Bovine Gelatin(Hot Water Soluble) | 23 ounce container for $34.95 | Per ounce price is $1.52
Great Lakes Per Ounce Cost:
Great Lakes is available at many health food stores. I have found on average that it is a couple dollars more expensive locally than what I can get it for on Amazon, so for the sake of this break down, I am using Amazon’s prices.
For Great Lakes (off of Amazon), you’re looking at a per ounce price. This does not include shipping costs, so you would need to add those in if you don’t have Amazon Prime:
- Collagen Hydrolysate Green Can (Cold Water Soluble) | 16 ounce container for $21.49 | Per ounce price is: $1.34 ounce
- Gelatin Red Can (Cold Water Soluble) | 16 ounce container for $18.99 | Per ounce price is: $1.19
All in all, I much prefer the quality of the Vital Proteins over Great Lakes, so for me it’s worth the extra money. I think most of us have an aversion to things that taste and smell bad and Great Lakes was always a bit off-putting in that department, but I ate it anyway because I knew it was good for us!
Perfect Supplements Collagen Review and Breakfast Brownie Recipe
I recently did a review of Perfect Supplements grass-fed collagen and created a video about it as well. Included in my review is a recipe for a protein-packed superfood breakfast brownie. Yes, you can have brownies for breakfast. 😉
Read that post and get the recipe here. Watch my video below.
What is the Difference Between the Vital Proteins Blue Top and the Green Top?
Vital Proteins offers two different types of gelatin. It is important to know that these ARE NOT interchangeable when it comes to recipes! Watch this video:
Green = HOT
The blue top (Collagen Peptides) does not thicken or gel like gelatin does.Use it in things where you don’t want any gelling or clumping (i.e. cold drinks, smoothies, etc.).
Blue = COLD
If you want to get really technical, these are not both actual gelatin (but the term is used interchangeably, so that is the reason I still call them both gelatin).
The collagen protein (green top) is true gelatin, while the blue top is not. Confused? Let’s clarify with this quote from Vital Proteins:
The peptides and protein do indeed have very similar amino acid profiles. The large difference is that the peptides are enzymatically hydrolyzed using a water process This means that enzymes were used to break the gelatin protein down into smaller molecules which results in a product that does not gel in cold liquids and one that is also faster digested due to the fact that it is already partially broken down.
The collagen protein, which is gelatin, is a bit different. It is not treated with enzymes and is a larger protein molecule that is theoretically slower digesting as it has not been pre-digested like the peptides. When consumed, the gelatin does help to draw water into the gastrointestinal tract. It also forms a “gel” that can be beneficial to the digestive system. Since it seems to be slower digesting it may travel along the gastrointestinal tract further, potentially enhancing the gut health benefits.
Want EVEN MORE Info on Gelatin?
If you do, I simply have to recommend this book from my friend and affiliate partner, Sylvie of The Hollywood Homestead — The Gelatin Secret: The Surprising Superfood that Transforms Your Health and Beauty.
This is by far one of the best digital resources that has come across my desk in a long time. Sylvie dives into all of the benefits of gelatin, how it improves our health (especially bone, joint, brain, skin, dental, and gut health), plus she offers a ton of tasty recipes too!
Learn More and Download Your Copy Here
Want to learn more about gelatin and get some delicious recipes? Check out this post!
Here are some of my newest recipes using gelatin that are not included above:
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (grain and gluten free) – I created this recipe after a craving hit for the same type of muffin from Starbucks. Mine is MUCH healthier though!
- Pumpkin Brownies (grain, gluten, and dairy free) – These brownies are rich, decadent, fudgy, and oh so delicious.
- Elderberry Gummies with Ginger and Turmeric – Boost your immune system with these delicious and nutritious gummies.
- Honey Orange Fruit Snacks – A great way to get more gelatin into your diet. Your kids will LOVE this easy recipe!
- Strawberry Clouds Dessert – Rich, creamy, and fluffy, this light strawberry dessert is the perfect ending to any meal.
- Vanilla Bean Faux Cheesecake – This gluten, grain, dairy, egg, and nut free “cheesecake” is DELICIOUS! You don’t want to miss this recipe.
- Double Dark Chocolate Coconut Milk Pudding – What’s better than dark chocolate? Twice the dark chocolate! This rich pudding is filling and nutrient-dense. Everyone will love it!
- Coconut Tulsi (Holy Basil) Ice Cream – Delicious dairy-free ice cream that is perfect for those on the AIP.
- Strawberries & Cream Tart – This gluten and dairy free tart will be loved by everyone, but is perfect for those on the strict AIP.
What are your thoughts? Do you know of any 100% grass-fed brands that I am not aware of? Leave a comment below!
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I can barely afford Great Lakes Brand, and get most of my gelatin from bone broth, which I really have problems drinking all the time, wish the others were more affordable I do love working with gelatin many times I mix half, knox, with the Great Lakes brand to stretch it, some of us just unfortunately have the choice.
Hi Lori – I completely understand about being on a tight budget. My husband and I have had to cut back in pretty much every area of our life so that we can afford higher quality food. Bone broth is the best (and most affordable) way to get that gelatin into your diet. If you are drinking bone broth or eating soups regularly, then you may not need to supplement with a lot of extra gelatin. When it comes to gelatin, you do get what you pay for and sadly, some of the cheaper store brands are going to come from sick, feedlot cattle, so you may not be getting the biggest bang for your buck. All in all, we have to do the best we can with what our budget allows. I would focus your grocery budget on the foods that are going to give you the best ROI and then add these extra things in as you can afford them. Hope that helps! 🙂
Jessica, I appreciate your honest answer to Lori. I drink bone broth regularly so I probably wouldn’t need to spend extra money on extra gelatin. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t buy either the Vital Proteins or Perfect Supplements brands.
You mention that bone broth is the best way to get gelatin in your diet. I would presume bone broth would be equivalent to the ‘Blue’ (non-hydrolyzed), collagen? Also do you think that chicken or beef broth is better? For beef, I would think 100% grass fed, and 100% organic is best for beef and 100% organic true free-range chicken.
I have been using both for about two months which has helped with knee pain tremendously.
Thanks for putting out this info and I love all the technical info. Sam
Hi Sam! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. So glad you have experienced some healing with broth! That is fantastic!
I think it all comes down to putting our grocery dollars where we can get the biggest bang for our buck. In my case, gelatin and collagen has been an integral part of my healing journey, along with bone broth, so I supplement daily. For others, they may find that they don’t need to supplement with it as much (or at all, though I think everyone can benefit from extra gelatin/collagen).
Yes, you definitely want to look for 100% grass-fed when it comes to gelatin (and any meat/dairy product). I don’t worry as much about the “organic” label as much though and I explain why here: https://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2015/01/does-organic-really-matter/.
As far as which is better, beef or chicken, that depends on your tastes. They are both equally good when it comes to nutrition. Chicken/turkey broth is going to be much milder than beef so a lot of people gravitate towards that if they are drinking broth straight. As of right now I am not aware of any gelatin/collagen brand made from chicken. I will keep adding to this post as I find more quality brands because I believe everyone should have lots of options when it comes to quality products.
Hope that helps! Have a great week!!
OK, I ordered the Vital gelatin, hoping it works well as the ones Ive been using always impart a flavor that isnt so good in gummys and such
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Have just begun using gelatin/collagen to help my husband’s joints. Thanks for the great info. Next order for some will be “Vitality” to see diff. I appreciate the recipes too.
By the way, I would love the “Cuckoo” ebook. Any way for a brand new subscriber to download it without getting two newsletters or will I need to buy it. If I’d need to buy, I’d need to wait, since I’m an older woman on an already-tightly-budgeted fixed income, so would need to wait.
Glad I found your newsletter and site!
Hi Lynnette – Thanks for stopping by! I hope you like the Vital Proteins brand. It’s all I can use now — the Great Lakes taste/smell puts me off. The Coconut Oil eBook is exclusive for my subscribers and you can sign up here: https://www.deliciousobsessions.com/cuckoo-for-coconut-oil. The VIP newsletter list receives an email once a week (usually on Tuesdays). I will occasionally email an additional message if there is something important and/or time sensitive that I need to share. Have a great day!
Do you have an explanation posted anywhere about the 2 different types of vital protein blue and green top? Which do you need for different kinds of recipes are they interchangeable?
Hi Jackie – Yes, that is addressed in a different article, but I have gone back and added it to this post above! Check out the section “What is the Difference Between the Blue Top and the Green Top?”. LMK if you have any additional questions! 🙂
Hi Jessica,
I’m interested in starting out with being able to dissolve the gelatin in a hot drink. However, I don’t want it to “gel”. Can the collegian peptides be used with hot liquids as well or only cold?
Thanks!
Tonia
Hey Tonia! You could use either one in the hot drink. Gelatin won’t gel until it’s chilled, so if you drink the beverage while it’s still hot, you wouldn’t have any issues with the Collagen Protein. But, you can use the Peptides too with no issue! Hope that helps! 🙂
Great!! Thanks so much!! 🙂
You bet!! 🙂
Hi. I’ve always been told not to put whey protein in my hot coffee as it would denature the protein. Is that true for collagen protein as well?
Thank you in advance,
Michele
Hi Michele – There is some debate over this. I’ve seen info on both sides. If it’s a concern, then just focus on using gelatin in hot items and collagen in cold items. Gelatin is just cooked collagen and would be completely heat stable. It does have a tendency to clump and will thicken if the hot item is left to cool. It’s always fun to come back to a mug of coffee or tea jello. 🙂 Hope that helps!!
I have terrible food allergies and cannot do beef or chicken or lamb and many fish….I CAN do turkey–PLEASE can someone tell me where I can get a collagen made only from turkey so I can get my gut healed! I need this bad right now. TIA
Hi Chris – As far as I can find, there are no turkey gelatins on the market. So sorry to hear about your food allergies. That is tough, especially when it’s your main proteins! 🙁
Hi Chris, I recently went through a similar issue with my son. Needed to heal his gut from a round of antibiotics administered while in ICU, but any broth (except for turkey) resulted in terrible reactions. Through Weston A. Price group on Facebook, I sought out a local turkey farmer for a trusted source of bones to make bone broth. I also found the best help was a pinch of “Heathers Acacia Senegal Tummy Fiber, Organic” – only a pinch in his water as a little goes a long way. He had a very poor gut and the Heather’s Tummy fiber allowed him to start the path to healing, while the broth helped maintain a healthy gut. We still reach or the Heather’s Tummy fiber if he eats something that doesn’t agree with him. Works every time. Hope this helps and may the Lord heal you as He wills.
Thank you so much for sharing Angela! I know it will be helpful to a lot of people! Best wishes to you and your sweet little boy!
Hi, I know now how great grass fed gelatin is and I’m trying to have it everyday.
Awesome, Kelly! Enjoy! 🙂
Thank you so much for this post! I have been wondering about the differences between Great Lakes & the Vital brand. I really appreciate you breaking it all down. I’ve been using the Great Lakes brand without any unsatisfactory results, but considering I go through it so slowly I’d consider using the Vital brand next time I replenish my stock.
Thanks again
Hi Betty! So glad the info was helpful! 🙂
Great info. I have been taking Vital Proteins Peptides for some time now. Being a man I now know how to use collagen proteins for cooking from your site
Awesome Kerry! So glad the info has been helpful! 🙂
Hi Jessica,
I just tried the Great Lakes gelatin last night in some coconut pudding I made and within 45 minutes of eating it I was super nauseous (only 3/4 TBSP gelatin in the whole serving). A couple of hours later I then began to have lower stomach upset and it’s still upset right now. I’ve found online that the stuff in the red bottle makes some people sick but cannot find anywhere why it does. I’ve tolerated every other kind of store bought and homemade jello and pudding just fine. Could it be the Great Lakes brand? Or maybe my body is having a hard time digesting the red bottle version since it’s not as broken down as the green bottle veraion? I also found histamine intolerance as a possible cause and I did get a runny nose and felt like I was having spring allergies as soon as I started to feel nauseous. But there again, I’ve eaten every other food out there that is high in histamine and tolerated it fine. Any ideas or experience with this problem?
Hi Beverly! Oh no! I am so sorry to hear about this! 🙁 Did you email Great Lakes? I would definitely contact them. I personally have never had this issue or heard from anyone else about something similar, but maybe now that you can commented about it some other people may chime in. Gelatin can be tricky for people with histamine issues, so I wonder if that could be the issue. Though you said you’ve eaten other gelatin products with no issue, so I don’t think that could be the issue completely. 🙁 I hope you are feeling better!
Can you tell us the comparison between Great Lakes and Vital Proteins as to which one is which…You say the green is “hot” and “blue” is cold, but which one does this relate to in Great Lakes? i.e. the red/orange and the green? I am trying to make your ice cream recipe and I’m not sure exactly what the gelatin is supposed to do in the ice cream? Help set it up like pudding/gummies, or just a filler for cold stuff? Thanks
Hi Lynda! Great question! For Great Lakes, the orange would be the “hot” version and the green would be the “cold” version. You would want to use the orange canister for the gummies. For the ice cream, you could use either one and it helps to keep it from turning into a rock in the freezer. I typically use some sort of alcohol in my ice creams (rum or vodka, about 1-2 tbsp) to help with that, but many people prefer to keep the alcohol out and gelatin will help with that. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi
Just wondering if you are a registered dietician.
What is a wellness educator?
thank you!
Hi Sarah! I am not a registered dietician, but I am going to be going back to school next year to study nutrition and transformation coaching on a much deeper level. I’ve been working professionally and personally in the real food / natural living world since 2009 and have an extensive real world background that I can’t wait to enhance with some further education! I am currently a Certified 21-Day Sugar Detox Coach. You can learn more about that on my other site here: http://jessicaespinoza.com/. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Hi Jessica, Can you tell me your opinion on Zint gelatin/collagen hydrolysate? Thanks, Sherrie
Hi Sherrie! I have never heard of that brand before. It looks like they are promoting it coming from grass-fed cattle, which is my top priority. I would also be curious about where they are sourcing the product (U.S., Argentina, New Zealand, etc.). Hope that helps! 🙂
I’ve been using Zint for about a year now. I’d like to know the difference between the ones recommended here and Zint?
Hi Eva! It looks like I need to update the above post with this. Fundamentally all gelatin is the same, however, the most important things to look for are:
(a) Where are they sourcing it (grass-fed free range cattle OR feedlot cattle) AND what countries are they sourcing from?
(b) If grass-fed free range, are the pastures they graze on treated with any chemical fertilizers or pesticides?
(c) Are the animals 100% grass-fed or are they mostly grain-fed with a little bit of grass here and there?
I have never used Zint and don’t know much about the company. You will need to contact them to find out more if you are considering using their product. The last time I checked they do seem to promote it as grass-fed but they did not have info on what country, nor info on (b) and (c) mentioned above. Hope that helps!
So what would be your preference/recommendation between Vital Protein and Perfect Supplements? Thanx!
Hi Liz! I truly love both equally! They are excellent companies ran by some great people who just want to help get healthy food into the hands of everyone! I use both in my home to this day! 🙂
Disregard that last message. It finally came into my email. Thank you 🙂
Hi Sherry! Thank you for letting me know! Hope you enjoy the book! It’s one of my faves! 🙂
Jessica, an alert about possible pesticides in the Vital Proteins brand from Brazil: this is in an amazon review on the green top product, in Top Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars I do not recommend this product.
By Health&Happiness on July 10, 2015
Size: 32 oz Verified Purchase
I purchased 1 container of this gelatin because of the collagen and protein content. It thickens up when you mix in cold drinks, but I did not mind that. I simply ate with a spoon.
My issue with this product is that it is sourced from Brazil. I am Brazilian (but have been living in the USA for the past 10 years, visiting Brazil 2-4x/year) and am very aware of how cattle is raised in Brazil. The usage of pesticides is HEAVY in the country. This is “pasture raised”, but not organic and not “100% grass fed”, so it can be very much grain finished as it is done with pastured cattle in Brazil. Also, Brazil uses ractopamine. I did not see anything about testing for ractopamine anywhere on Vital Proteins website. Brazil had a bunch of meat returned from Russia not too long ago because it was tested and found ractopmine. I have tried other gelatin/collagen too and, for now, I am not satisfied with any product available on the market and am just back to making my own bone stock from locally raised organic and 100% grass fed cattle.
Hi Rebecca! Great questions and comments! This is definitely something that I was not aware of so it sparked me to do some digging. I emailed you regarding this, but also wanted to post it publicly as well as it is a very important concern. I reached out to my contacts at Vital Proteins to discuss this issue and this is what they said:
Ractopamine is prohibited for use in cattle and cattle feed in Brazil (since 2012) and New Zealand and is actively monitored and tested for illegal use. Ractopamine is a beta agonist added to feed to promote leanness in animals raised for their meat. Since our cattle are pasture-raised and grass fed, this further eliminates the risk of this substance in the cattle’s diet.
Vital Proteins conducts independent third-party laboratory testing of its collagen products and test results have shown our products to be free of ractopamine. Please find the following link for the analysis report:
http://www.vitalproteins.com/media/analysis/15A2723-15-04825-2.pdf
Our collagen is sourced exclusively from Brazil. The collagen is derived from Nelore breed bovine hides. The cattle industry in Brazil is still based on grass-fed and, pasture-raised, where the cattle live continuously on pasture. This constitutes an important advantage for Brazilian cattle. Brazilian beef operations are mostly based on perennial tropical grass pasture systems, and less than 3% of all cattle are in feedlots. Vital Proteins works with grass-fed farms and ranches in the region.
Vital Proteins also tests our products for any traces of heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides, and our third-party independent analysis have shown no traces of these substances have been found.
Please see the following link for third-party independent pesticides and herbicides analysis:
http://www.vitalproteins.com/media/analysis/2015-05-13-QA107-Pesticides-Acid-Herbicides-Beef-Gelatin-1477937.pdf
In addition, I reached out to my contact at Perfect Supplements because that is another brand I talk about in the post you commented on and they too source from Brazil. This is what they said:
When we source an ingredient like collagen, we work very hard to find a supplier that can provide, certified, all-natural, pesticide-free and nutrient dense collagen. We do not start by saying we want Brazilian, New Zealand, American or any other country. We start by saying – where can we find the absolute best collagen on the planet.
This begs the question – what is “the best”. We have suppliers send us beautiful pictures of their pastures and tell us wonderful stories about their lush grass. This is terrific, but we need something more scientific than this. We therefore turn to lab testing and certification. Unfortunately in this industry, some people will say one thing about their ingredient, but then testing shows a completely contradictory story.
We lab test our Collagen to make sure it does not have harmful pesticides or other contaminants. Our lab testing also shows the percentage of protein – 97% – in our latest testing. Thus we use testing to make sure our collagen and gelatin has all the stuff we want and none of what we don’t want!
Certifications are used by suppliers to declare their practices. So, our supplier will certify things like grass-fed, pasture-raised, no hormones, ethical farm practices, etc. Honestly, this does not carry the same weight as a lab test – but there are certain things you just can’t test – like ethical practices.
Anyplace in the world can have issues. Let’s say we got our collagen from a beautiful ranch in Nebraska. We visit it, everything looks amazing. If we lab test this beautiful Nebraska collagen and it does not pass – we absolutely can not sell it.
I say this, because the lab testing and certifications we do are much more important than the specific location we source from.
If there was a problem with our supplier in Brazil – our lab testing would show it. If we did find a problem, we would reject the material and find another supplier.
The customer’s question and concerns are very legitimate. This is exactly why we go to such lengths to put all that lab testing and documents on our site. We want to be completely transparent and NOT expect people to buy our collagen because it comes from a nice ranch in Brazil. We want people to buy it because it has testing and certifications.
I hope that helps, but please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any additional questions! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and share your concerns!
Jessica, I really appreciate that you emailed to let me know what you found, plus added your research to comments on this blog post. That’s the type of high-integrity action I’ve seen in the info you share with us. 🙂
Hi Rebecca! It was my pleasure! You brought up some concerns that I had never even thought of so I needed to investigate for myself and I also wanted to share here too! 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words and thank you for reading! 🙂
Hi Jessica!
Is Vital Proteins GMO free like Perfect Supplements is? And which one do you like better? I”m trying to decide which one is better quality. Thanks!
Hi Jackie! Yes, it is. I personally like both of them equally and I am guessing that they get their products from similar (or the same) places since they both source from the same region. I cannot tell a difference between the two to be completely honest. 🙂
What about Knox gelatin or even the Jell-O do they have any nutritional value?
Hi Kye – Not much, if any, especially Jell-O. They are full of artificial colors, flavors, etc. Also, they are going to be sourced from very low-quality, sick animals which I do not advocate consuming. As with any animal product, quality is key and that comes down to how the animals are raised and what they are fed. Hope that helps! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for this post! I’ve been trying to find this information for awhile and have also been looking for organic gelatin to no avail but your explanation makes perfect sense! My concern with vital proteins is that it is sourced from Brazil and I had read a review of vital proteins on Amazon by a Brazilian that they would never touch it knowing what kind of chemicals/pesticides/herbicides are used in abundance there- one’s even outlawed in the US (imagine that!). And so many of the toxins collect in the parts used. Where are the gelatin brands sourced from do you know? Thank you so much!!
Oops just read the comment and info answering my question sorry I missed it before! That is a great answer from Vital Proteins (better than the one from the Perfect one since they provided links). I feel much better about using it now and will be placing an order!! Thank you!!
Hi Phoebe! So glad it helped! Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions, or reach out to the folks at Vital Proteins and they would be happy to discuss as well! 🙂
I’ve been using Great Lakes on and off for years. I’m not that consistent about it because I do find it has a slight taste and smell. Right now I’m pregnant with my second kiddo and would like to amp up my gelatin intake to see if I can reduce stretch marks etc. I think I’ll switch to Vital Proteins since I might be more likely to take it.
Thanks for the review!
Hi Vanessa! I used GL for years too, but was happy to make the switch to Vital Proteins and Perfect Supplements. Much better quality and no weird taste/smell. Enjoy! And congrats on the upcoming baby! <3 🙂
Hi, I drink a high quality home made bone broth daily. Would you recommend taking a collagen supplement in addition to this or is this overkill? I had a severe allergic reaction (hives, wheezing) to the vital proteins bovine products so I’m thinking about trying the fish collagen. Unfortunately the fish collagen cannot be used to make gummies. Do you have any advice on a different product I can use for this? I’ve never had a reaction to jello as a kid but I would assume that any store bought product would have zero health benefit. Thank you and cheers to good health.
Hi Monica! Thanks for stopping by! It really depends on your health status and healing goals. That is fantastic that you are drinking homemade broth daily. You are way ahead of the pack (including me!). Go you! 🙂 I have not tried the fish collagen yet so I can’t speak to that specifically. I do know that Great Lakes makes a porcine version that some people have told me they have to use since they react to beef and bovine products. You could maybe try that and see how you tolerate it. I hope that helps! 🙂
How many scoops do you get in the 20z container?
Hi Kat! Perfect Supplements sells their gelatin and collagen in 23.3oz containers and there is approximately 60 scoops per container. Vital Proteins comes in a 20oz container and has approximately 56 scoops per container. Hope that helps!
Thankyou for writing an in depth article. I have been researching pure gelatin sources for a while & was suprised how hard it was to find one!
In researching the GAPS diet I read it is important to have a high-quality gelatin source in the diet. All proponents of this diet encourage boiling your own bones & making your own broth. This is not possible where I live so I am searching for ready-made sources. As far as I can tell most gelatin products, including the three brands in this article, are produced from skin, not bone. can you explain why this is & how much it would affect the potency of the gelatin in the end? Why would they NOT produce gelatin from the bones when it its the tried & true tradition method? Who’s using the bones while they boil the skins??
Thankyou!
Hi Candida! Thank you for your comment and question! I just spoke to the owners of Perfect Supplements and they had some great insight regarding your question. Whenever they look into sourcing a product, they have a list of specific criteria that the supplier must meet. They are always looking at things like:
Pasture Raised Cattle
100% Natural and Pesticide and Hormone Free
Humanely Raised Cattle
Non-GMO
High Bio-Availability
Low Molecular Weight
At least 90% Protein
Lab Tests Showing Purity
Best Quality at the Best Price
Their primary concern when it comes to sourcing is that their supply meet all of the above criteria. The part of the animal used a lesser concern. This is not to say bone based collagen is not excellent as well, it is just that when they looked for a source that could meet all of our criteria, the hide based collagen came out slightly on top.
In the end, the part of the animal used is a lesser concern than how the animal was raised, fed and the lab testing on the finished ingredient. Perfect Supplements is always looking at different sources for their products, so if they ever do come across a bone-based collagen that beats the current stats for their hide-based collagen then they would certainly look into that. I feel that this is probably the same for other gelatin brands too. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Jessica, Just put in my first comment but did not see a confirmation or a post. I imagine it went to you for moderation? Please let me know if you got it. Thanks, Sam
Hi Sam – It looks like your comments are going into the spam folder (which I rarely check so that is why there was a delay). I am not sure why, other than maybe your email address is flagged? I will go reply to your original comment shortly. Thanks for swinging back around!
Hi Jessica,
I just looked on Thrive Market and they do not sell Vital Proteins, just wanted to let you know that if they use to carry it, they no longer do. Thanks for the great article. Christiana
Hi Christiana! Thank you so much for letting me know! I really need to go back and do another updated price sheet since this post is over a year old now! 🙂
Hi! I am combating leaky gut and have had to stop bone broth and collegen products due to a new symptom… Histamine Intolerance!!! I miss my broth!! I am desperately trying to find a gelatin I can use with out coughing, wheezing and having my throat tighten and heart race. Any advice?
Thanks for the work you do!
Steph
Hi Steph! Just replied to your other comment! 🙂
Help! I am Histamine Intolerant and am desperately trying to find a gelatin I can use. I miss my bone broth.
🙁
Steph
Hi Steph! Thanks for stopping by! I honestly can’t advise you here as I am not super well-versed in the histamine issue. I would definitely speak with your practitioner about it. I know a lot of people who have had to go low-histamine for a period of time, but then as their body heals they are able to tolerate more of the histamine rich foods. Wishing you all the best on your healing journey!
I’m happy to have found your post on gelatin and collagen brands. However, Thrive Market no longer carries either Vital Proteins or Perfect Supplements. Please update your post. Thank you.
Hi Karen! Thanks for letting me know! There are quite a few updates I need to make to this post. It’s on my loooooooooooooong to-do list. 🙂
What are you thoughts about the idea that the collagen should have the 5 types ( 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 ) like the Dr. Axe site talks about? I have a friend who talks about it and suggests that collagen without it basically the same as jello in the store.
https://draxe.com/what-is-collagen/
Hi April – Thanks for stopping by! To be honest, I truly don’t think it matters as much to the majority of people. There could definitely be some people that could benefit from this, but truly the most important thing is where the gelatin/collagen is sourced from (grass-fed, organic pastures, humane treatment, etc.).
This is still a very new area (in regards to the different types) and as more research is done and information comes to light my perspective may change but for now I feel like it’s not as big of an issue as some people are making it out to be.
I am also regularly in touch with different manufacturers of grass-fed collagen and gelatin product so I do try to stay abreast of changes like this and will update my posts as needed. Hope that helps!
This is nice! I wasn’t really into the gelatin part of drinking bone broth before. I’ve been drinking Au Bon Broth’s organic bone broth and it improved my health. I’ll continue drinking it as part of my routine.
Hi Cameron! So glad the post was helpful! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Jessica,
I’m in the process of choosing the best collagen supplement l can get so I did some research but still have some questions, hope you can help me.
What do you think of ZINT collagen?
Is marine collagen better than beef or chicken ones?
Is it too bad if beef collagen is derived from hide, but not from bones or cartilige? It seems like zint and vital proteins ones are derived from bovine hide.
And what about big pipmples some people get from some collagen supplements? Is it just individual allergic reaction or the collagen gone bad or something like that?
Could bad taste and smell mean that collagen gone bad? In the reveiws on the products, even the good ones, some people say the product tastes or smells bad. It is so confusing.(~_~)
Hi Valeria! Thanks for stopping by! We’ve addressed a few of your questions already via multiple comments above so when you have a second, read through all of those and let me know if you have any additional questions. In regards to smell, I don’t automatically assume that it is bad. I think it has something to do with the way it is processed. I’m not sure regarding the pimples as I have not researched that. It could be a histamine reaction off the top of my head. Have a great day! 🙂
Hi Jessica
If I want to added to my coffee in the mornings, which one you would recommend; blue or green top?
Hi Elsa – You could use either one. Gelatin will dissolve into your coffee, but I prefer to use collagen powder (blue top) in all of my beverages. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi,
I am using collagen as part of a Lyme treatment protocol. However, I am very concerned about quality and sourcing. I am in Toronto Canada and it is hard to find Vital Protein but I found BulletProof Collagen which they say is 100% grassfed and pasture raised cattle in South America. They also claim that it is ‘organic’ but they don’t pay for the USDA labeling in order to keep costs down. Do you think this is a safe source?
Thank you!
Hi Yemma! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I think Bulletproof is a great brand. I trust the founder, Dave Asprey, to adhere to high-quality standards. That’s what he’s built his life on so I feel comfortable using his products. Hope that helps! 🙂
Vitamins Shoppe now has their own brand of collagen peptides.
Have you tried this one ? I am more interested in smell and taste difference as I have a very fussy son who needs this.
Hi Katerina! Thanks for stopping by! I never shop with them so I didn’t know they launched their own and can’t speak to their brand specifically. It seems like everyone is launching their own brand and to be honest, I suspect that the majority of them are all sourcing from the same place. I always encourage people to reach out to the brands directly and ask questions. It’s important for you, the consumer, but also for the brands to know what consumers are curious about.
Hi Jessica, I want to order gelatin. Do you know what countries your favorites are sourced from? I’d prefer New Zealand…
Hi Gina! Thanks for stopping by! As far as I know, the sources I use come from Brazil unless they have changed recently (which I think I would have been notified of). If you read through the comments above, I did address the Brazil issue awhile back after speaking to my one of my contacts about concern over the pastures these cattle were grazing on. I’m actually not sure of a brand right now that is sourcing from NZ. I’m sure there are some but they may be smaller companies that I haven’t come across yet. It’s been awhile since I’ve had time to devote to gelatin research. I think Great Lakes is even sourcing from Brazil. I haven’t used their brand in many years though because it always tasted and smelled so bad to me. You might try Googling it and see if you can find a brand that suits your needs. Have a great day!! 🙂
Is NOW brand beef gelatin ok?
I’ve been using NOW brand beef gelatin & it seems to be helping with my digestion blood type (O) food intolerances but only if I have 1T gelatin in 6oz water before eating.
I make gelatin with chicken feet, beef & pork shanks, it takes 4.5hrs. & is really good.. I make continuous bone broth also, but it is too low in gelatin fo
Hi James! Thanks for stopping by! I have not checked NOW brand in a long time, but if I recall correctly the last time I did they didn’t use grass-fed cattle. I would recommend emailing or calling the company to find out more about where they source their beef. On the whole, feedlot cattle are going to be far less healthy than grass-fed and pastured. Hope that helps! I also love making broth with chicken feet. So much gelatin in it! 🙂
I’m so happy I found your website! I’ve been researching information about beef gelatin for a week and your site just helped me more than all the other websites combined! Excited to check out some of your recipes too! Blessings to you & thank you!
Hi Jennifer! Oh wow! You just made my whole day with your kind comment. I am so happy that the info has been helpful! Please let me know if you ever have any other questions! Have a great night! 🙂
Are there GMOs in the Vital Protein gelatin?
Hi Claudia! Thanks for stopping by! No, neither Vital Proteins or Perfect Supplements have GMOs in their products. LMK if you have any other questions! 🙂
Hi! Thank you so much for this post! It was very thorough.
I got ready to purchase the Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin But it doesn’t appear that their products are 100% grass fed or pasture raised. They say 100% Bovine Beef Gelatin but no guarantees on the % of grass fed. Do you have any advice about this? I’m really wanting to make sure that what I feed my kids is a quality gelatin. Do you have any 100% grass fed suggestions?? Thanks!!
Hi Hope! Thanks for stopping by! I actually need to update this post since my opinions have changed in the years since I first published it. I now exclusively use Perfect Supplements brand collagen and gelatin. The products are 100% grass-fed and rigorously tested for contaminants (like heavy metals). They are also the first and only company as of now to be testing for glyphosate residue in their gelatin and collagen products. Lastly, the owners of the company are fantastic people. I’ve become friends with them over the years and they are some of the kindest, most hard-working, honest people I’ve ever met. You can find all their products here: https://www.deliciousobsessions.com/Perfect-Supplements. They gave me a coupon to share with readers for 10% off any order, any time. DELICIOUS10 is the code. Let me know if you have any questions! 🙂