Homemade Fruit Snacks (aka Gummy Bears)

I have been a vegan for 22 years and am healthy – and, at 65, I do regular weight training. My doctor tells me that my protein and vitamin levels are fine (and I don’t take supplements). I’m glad that you agree that animal farming conditions need to be improved, but as long as there are so many people who insist on eating animals there will never be enough space to greatly improve their living conditions. Rain forests are being destroyed in order to use the land for farming animals, yet much greater quantities of plant food could be grown on land that is now used for raising animals. If we gave up the farming of animals we could abolish world hunger, as well as vastly reducing pollution. And, of course, there is tremendous cruelty in the meat, dairy and egg industries.

The world will be a much better place when folks learn that cruelty to animals, damaging the environment and contributing to human hunger by feeding crops to animals are unacceptable.

Then go find a vegan blog. Gelatin is a good protein, improves collagen, and helps eliminate stretch marks. Just because you don’t eat meat doesn’t mean you can go bashing people that do.

Wow, lady, get over yourself, do you wear makeup? that involves animals byproducts and animal testing. Do you own any leather, thats an animal, do you use anything plastic? that contains animal byproducts in some cases to. The wood used to build your house came from a forest that was home to many animals, the fossil fuels you use hurt the environment and poison wildlife, roads interrupt biomes, do you generate trash? which then goes to landfills or it burned hurting the ozone. Unless your living in the forest wearing nothing but a leaf and eating berries directly off a plant and sleeping in the dirt don’t preach about hurting the environment. I won’t even go into your internet use and the affects that has. Regardless of all those things, both plants and animals are living things, ever been to a poorly cared for green house, all the plants lined up unable to get enough light, some dean plants scattered about, being sprayed with chemicals, then one day in their prime they are cut and chopped and stuffed in packages. Whats the difference? Because animals have faces? Only 100% devoted people are allowed to preach, so get off your high horse.

My gosh Ann …. Look, I am all for eating the most healthy, animal-safe meats and cosmetics and everything else, but no one, ESPECIALLY Wellness Mama, needs your overly hippy lecturing on what people should eat and not eat. Gelatin is in fact very healthy, if you get good, grass fed hormone free gelatin. Please, pipe down and let us eat freely without your attacks.

Please get your facts straight before you bring the vegan dogma. Hooves are comprised of keratin, which is not gelatin. Gelatin cannot be recovered from eyeballs, hair, horn, or any other non-collagen part of vertebrates. Gelatin comes from the connective tissue in animals.

I was a vegetarian and vegan for 13 years, became very ill, and eventually got tired of hearing all the hypocrisy from my vegan friends were fundamentalist, dogma-spouting hate-fulled rage-addicts who were no different from other fundamentalists. And so this is your life, you come on a blog and hate-shame some mommy blogger for sharing her kids’ favorite recipe? Wow. Namaste.

Ann, I understand and agree with the arguments of the vegan community. I, too, HATE animal cruelty and what these companies are doing to animals just to make a buck. I grew up visiting my grandfather’s dairy, hog, chicken, etc., farm AND fields of crops. It makes me sick to see the beef and dairy “farms” nowadays.

But, you need to do a little more homework and understand how our world works and that we cannot simply just grow plant food on land that is now used for raising animals. We need animals for the manure they create and the “turning of the earth”, or nourishing of the soils. Unless we can deal with being overrun with earthworms, we need this to be able to grow these plants that you think are going to sustain every person on the earth. Also, have you ever thought about HOW MUCH of the earth would have to be CONSTANTLY planted, tilled, and depleted of minerals to sustain the population? Have you thought about the pollution from the farm tools/vehicles used to keep up with that much production? To produce enough, just doing everything without use of tractors, etc would take way too long.

I am sure you use all organic produce, but in order to produce enough for everyone, the use of pesticides, germicides, and other horrible chemicals will most likely be used to help production.

Another HUGE issue you need to do some research on is the fact that the plants being grown today are not as nutritious as 100 years ago, because of things like mineral depletion from OVERPRODUCTION, pesticides, pollution, and engineering. Half of our population (or more) has some sort of gluten intolerance or gene that they pass on that will cause the next generation to be gluten intolerant. This is due to all of the engineering that has been done to the grains to increase the gluten content and our bodies are NOT made to tolerate it.

Lastly, and I hate to bring religion into this, but we were created to eat meat AND plants/grains. In Biblical times they did not consume very much meat, but it was eaten as an addition to, or supplement to, the plants. They worshipped their animals and used them as sacrifices to God. God gave them the animals to use as food, and to be able to use for clothing, etc.

I really believe that we are meant to be able to use animals for food and other things, and not to waste any part of them. I also believe that humans have lost their reverence and respect for animals and in the rush to make more money, have been using cruel and unhealthy practices.

The same thing has happened in the race for more money to be made on plants. Our earth has been stripped, our food, dirt, rivers, and air have been polluted. Are you going to boycott plants to, or because they are not “living animals” is this ok?

Before going out and judging others and throwing your insults and beliefs around, you really need to research, and know what you are talking about. We all try to do the best we can with the way our world is today, but to completely stop everything that is harmful to something, would be impossible. We may as well just commit suicide and what good is that to helping our world to become better? Educate yourself and EDUCATE others, not insult others.

Ann, I was vegan for 10 years and nearly died from poor health. Choosing to eat animal protein again (12 years ago), was one of the most difficult choices for me. It took my body a while to get used to and if I think too much about it, I still gag a little. However, I am now in the better health of my life.

Like you, I DESPISE cruelty to animals. I LOVE animals so much. However, like the readers of Wellness Mama, I too believe that if you choose to consume animal protein, you should find a source where animals were well treated and allowed to roam freely and be fed naturally.

You do not have to agree. I felt exactly the way you do, and on some points, I still do. You are free to express your difference of opinion. But if you want to be well received by others, I would recommend that make an effort to share as you would like to be taught, without criticism and bite.

Blessings to you on your journey, Ann.

I’m sorry. I’ve always been taught to keep my mouth shut if it doesn’t concern me, however; did you not learn in school that plants, in fact, ARE alive? Did you know, then, that they also have FEELINGS? Yes, that’s right. Plants have feelings. Plants are therefore, Living, breathing and feeling! Trying to survive just like you and I, Ann. Don’t believe me? Look it up and tell me what you come up with. Why does the soap nut tree produce Saponin? For the same reasons that some plants are too hot or too bitter. It’s self defense! Some plant studies are showing an increase in the substances some plants produce, meaning plants are getting…yep, you guessed it…SMARTER! Ever witnessed a Venus fly trap in action or any carnivorous plant for that matter? These plants have survival mechanisms. Why do you think that is, Ann? They don’t want to die, that’s why! Now, how could a plant possibly know it doesn’t want to die, if it has set up this extraordinary survival mechanism?? 🙂 They want to thrive and reproduce, just like all those animals. I’m sorry you don’t feel this topic is worthy of real debate, but, I respectfully disagree with your reasoning and humbly urge you to educate yourself on the truth. So, yes it’s true (as per another user’s response to this topic) that every being of this earth eat’s as the result of the death of another being of this earth. Like it or not.

With respect, please check out The Geno Type Diet. We are scripted by our blood type, secretor status, and genetic makeup: these determine what is a healthy diet for us. it is interesting that happy, healthy vegans are usually type A or AB; they should be 🙂 Type O and B folks just do need meat.

First I would like to say awesome recipe! My child loves Welch’s fruit snacks, and this is a great alternative. Second, why do you think it’s fair Ann to make someone feel bad for eating meat? No one is trying to make you change your beliefs so please don’t ridicule others or try to make them feel bad for not having the same eating habits as you do. Why even be here if you are against the ingredients being used?

Gelatine actually has very little food value.
I’m afraid I think that there is no such thing as integrity when it comes to killing. And as for paying homage to animals by eating them – isn’t that what Jeffrey Dahmer said about the men he killed and ate parts of?

I wish I had a penny for every time someone has come up with that ridiculous comparison. Surely you cannot think that this makes any sense? This is what people say when they run out of sensible ideas to defend their appalling practice of killing animals for food. It is necessary for humans to eat plants; it is not necessary for humans to eat animals.

the also ate animal organs, are you saying that most of the population would volunteer for this, vegetarians won’t even do that…

I’m sorry. I’ve always been taught to keep my mouth shut if it doesn’t concern me, however; did you not learn in school that plants, in fact, ARE alive? Did you know, then, that they also have FEELINGS? Yes, that’s right. Plants have feelings. Plants are therefore, Living, breathing and feeling! Trying to survive just like you and I, Ann. Don’t believe me? Look it up and tell me what you come up with. Why does the soap nut tree produce Saponin? For the same reasons that some plants are too hot or too bitter. It’s self defense! Some plant studies are showing an increase in the substances some plants produce, meaning plants are getting…yep, you guessed it…SMARTER! Ever witnessed a Venus fly trap in action or any carnivorous plant for that matter? These plants have survival mechanisms. Why do you think that is, Ann? They don’t want to die, that’s why! Now, how could a plant possibly know it doesn’t want to die, if it has set up this extraordinary survival mechanism?? 🙂 They want to thrive and reproduce, just like all those animals. I’m sorry you don’t feel this topic is worthy of real debate, but, I respectfully disagree with your reasoning and humbly urge you to educate yourself on the truth. So, yes it’s true (as per another user’s response to this topic) that every being of this earth eat’s as the result of the death of another being of this earth. Like it or not.

Gelatin is protein (almost 100%) so how is it little food value (though as far as essential amino acids it may be low on, but i wouldnt recommend it as a complete protein substitute, even though you will have to eat a TON of gelatin to attempt so…)? As far as % of the animal it is made from: skin, bones, hides make up close to 99% of the total mass of gelatin

Live and let live? Unfortunately the animals don’t live. It’s time humans realised that we are not the only species on this earth, and we are not the only important ones. I am concerned not only with what is best for humans, but what is also best for the animals we exploit. The compassion you mention needs to be extended to other species.

If you had read my post properly you would notice that I did mention compassion towards humans. And from what you’ve said I very much doubt that you’re a vegan; if you were you would not be attacking and bullying me to this extent (exactly what you’re accusing me of doing)! Please read the post below by Chelsea Carbary.

My ‘hypothesis’ is that animals should be allowed to live in peace without exploitation by humans. Not so difficult to understand, is it?

I don’t know if you are referring specifically to the last posts I made in reply to Jenny. I actually consider Jenny’s posts to be begging for an acerbic reply, don’t you? I think her posts were far more offensive than mine were….?

Bel, you might be interested to check out the Vegetarian Health Institute.

I do agree with Ann. Unfortunately, this isn’t a choice that solely impacts an individual, It is the same reason we don’t condone dog fighting and cruelty to domestic animals. For some reason we turn a blind eye to animals we have been trained to eat. When the penny drops, you can’t help but wonder how you ever condoned it yourself.. and how some amazingly wonderful people are condoning and defending it. We don’t just eat animals. We breed them by forcibly impregnating them, remove their young, use the milk meant for the young, keep them in factory conditions which are often horrible.. and on and on. Yet we dress our dogs in sweaters and mourn when they die. I did it too, but not anymore.