"Kosher Gelatin" in my yogurt? lol?!

Gelatin can be made from a variety of animal products. If its kosher, that means it came from animals that are kosher and were slaughtered in a ritually appropriate way.

As a vegetarian, you probably won't want to eat it. If it was vegetarian, then A) it wouldn't be called gelatin and B) the question of being kosher wouldn't come up.

I'm actually a little surprised they make a point of it being kosher anyway, because no matter how kosher the gelatin, the same Jewish laws forbid mixing meat with dairy products.

Edit: it's about whether people will criticize you, it's about what you want. Do you think people should eat less or no meat? If so, once the yogurt has been purchased it's not going to make a difference whether you eat it or not. Do you think eating meat is disgusting? If so, then you did eat something you think is disgusting. It's as big a deal as you make it.

I doubt that your body is feeling bad because of the physical effects of the consuming gelatin, but it could be because of the guilt and anxiety you feel which is in turn messing up your digestive tract, etc.

And yes, for most vegetarians even one speck of knowingly-consumed meat product is not okay, but I assume most would consider innocently consuming an animal-based gelatin not something you knowingly did (and something many vegetarians don't know from the beginning and often find out only later).
How much of a vegetarian, or any other kind of "...ian" you are though is totally up to you and your analysis/decisions though as far as I'm concerned.

You can avoid gelatin in many yogurts, including greek-style ones, or you can make you own yogurt and use or avoid any extra ingredients you want and you can also use non-animal based proteins to make it (like soy, almond, rice, vegetables, etc...which can be found squeezed as "milks").
I think all kinds of homemade yogurt can be drained to create "yogurt cheese" or "greek" yogurt, though what you're removing in animal-milk yogurts is one kind of protein, leaving the other protein behind... something similar may be happening when draining vegetable-based yogurts.

Kosher gelatin is from an animal who has been slaughtered in accordance with the laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws). It's not vegetarian. Gelatin is made from the bones, connective tissues, and hides of animals, usually pigs, but if it's kosher, it's probably from fish or cows.

Don't feel terrible; you didn't know better. But if you see "gelatin" on anything, put it back. There are vegan gelling agents, but these typically are listed as carrageenan, agar, pectin, or any other plant-based item.

And I agree, if you're vegetarian, you should always, always look at the labels of foods before you buy them.

Gelatin is an animal product.

Don't feel so bad, just try to look at the ingredients of things before you buy them and don't eat things like this from now on. Of course you can still be considered a vegetarian. :)

You shouldn't have checked the ingredients "just out of curiosity". You should check ingredients on EVERYTHING you eat, before you eat it.

all vegetarian gelatin is kosher but not all kosher gelatin is vegetarian. kosher gelatin could come from any animal bones that is considered kosher.

They are just stating that it's suitable for Jews to eat. Kosher and vegan are completely different, it's still an animal byproduct.

It is still a waste of money, regardless, seeing it contains cow milk in it. If it is not soy yogurt, coconut yogurt, etc. is not healthy.

The Truth about Dairy

Acordincg to many studies and reviewed the research on this topic, there are many reasons to pass up milk, including:
1. Milk doesn't reduce fractures.(i) Contrary to popular belief, eating dairy products has never been shown to reduce fracture risk. In fact, according to the Nurses' Health Study dairy may increase risk of fractures by 50 percent!
2. Less dairy, better bones. Countries with lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption (like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.
3. Calcium isn't as bone-protective as we thought.(ii) Studies of calcium supplementation have shown no benefit in reducing fracture risk. Vitamin D appears to be much more important than calcium in preventing fractures.
4. Calcium may raise cancer risk. Research shows that higher intakes of both calcium and dairy products may increase a man's risk of prostate cancer by 30 to 50 percent.(iii) Plus, dairy consumption increases the body's level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) -- a known cancer promoter.
5. Calcium has benefits that dairy doesn't. Calcium supplements, but not dairy products, may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
6. Not everyone can stomach dairy.(v) About 75 percent of the world's population is genetically unable to properly digest milk and other dairy products -- a problem called lactose intolerance.

Based on such findings, you can come to some important conclusions:
? Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our government's recommended daily allowance (RDA) and calcium from diet, including greens and beans is better utilized by the body with less risk than calcium supplements.
? Calcium probably doesn't prevent broken bones. Few people in this country are likely to reduce their fracture risk by getting more calcium.
? Dairy may be unhealthy. Advocating dairy consumption may have negative effects on health.
If all that isn't enough to swear you off milk, there are a few other scientific findings worth noting. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked the UDSA to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the "milk mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the truth clearly:
? Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.
? There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it contains may help cause bone loss!
? Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.
? It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
? Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose intolerance.
? Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.

Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -- and the answer was NO!

Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:? Allergies, Sinus problems, Ear infection, Type 1 diabetes, Chronic constipation, Anemia (in children)

Due to these concerns, many have begun to consider raw milk an alternative. But that isn't really a healthy form of dairy either ... Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me, these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks. From an evolutionary point of view, milk is a strange food for humans. Until 10,000 years ago we didn't domesticate animals and weren't able to drink milk (unless some brave hunter-gather milked a wild tiger or buffalo!).

If you don't believe that, consider this: The majority of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase - the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk -- sometime between the ages of two and five. In fact, for most mammals, the normal condition is to stop producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and metabolize milk after they have been weaned.
Our bodies just weren't made to digest milk on a regular basis. Instead, most scientists agree that it's better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from other food sources, like whole plant foods -- vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed.

Tips for Dealing with Dairy:
? Don't rely on dairy for healthy bones. If you want healthy bones, get plenty of exercise and supplement with 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
? Get your calcium from food. These include dark green leafy vegetables, sesame tahini, sea vegetables, and sardines or salmon with the bones.
? Try giving up all dairy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O-ehIkwG…