Gelatin serves both nutritional and culinary roles in  nonvegetarian diets; however, a lot of vegetarians and  all vegans do not consume gelatin in its many forms  because it is often created out of boiled pig skins and dissolved veal cartilage and bones.

This leaves vegetarians with a gap in cooking  functionality when a recipe calls for a gel or thickening agent. It also leaves vegetarians with fewer options if they need a source of gelatin to increase bone and cartilage  health.

If you are a vegetarian and you are looking for something to replace gelatin, do not despair. Here are some alternative options for you:

1. Use a rice starch alternative. A&B Ingredients recently developed a rice starch alternative to gelatins that mimics the cooking functionality of gelatins closely.

2. Use a soy-based alternative. Soyfoods USA developed NuSoy Gel, a gelatin alternative which was created  entirely out of of soy isoflavones and contains 100% of  your vitamin c recommended daily allowance.

3. Use seaweed-based alternatives. Agar-agar, for instance, is a seaweed based alternative to gelatin that can simulate the culinary functions of gelatin.

4. Increase your calcium intake. One component of gelatin  supplements that allegedly increases joint health is  calcium. If you want to increase your calcium intake  without eating gelatin, you can simply consume more  calcium-fortified foods and even take supplements.

5. Increase your vitamin c intake. Another component of gelatin supplements that allegedly increases joint health is  vitamin c. You can increase your vitamin c intake by consuming more citrus fruit.

6. Increase your glucosamine intake. No foods contain  glucosamine, but you can increase your intake by purchasing supplements at your local grocery store or pharmacy. This  is rumored to improve joint health if taken regularly.

To reiterate - gelatin has two major functions: it works  as a thickening agent for foods and is rumored to improve  joint health; both of these functions can easily  be mimicked by structural and nutritional alternatives.

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