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In the past, all capsules were made of gelatin. Even vegetarians in those days have taken gelatin capsules simply because they are the only ones available then. But with the increased awareness about the consequences of eating animal products, and the growing market for vegetarian products, many manufacturers are now producing different kinds of vegetarian capsules. The first vegetarian capsules are actually made of HPMC, another material by which veggie capsules are made of is pullulan which is produced from starch made by the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans. These organic plant alternatives to animal-based gelatin are ideal for making edible coating and blends well with moisture sensitive substances.
Vegetable based capsules or made of Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or HPMC, which is a semi-synthetic inert material consisting of purified water and plant fiber-or cellulose.
This makes the vegetable capsule 100% plant-based, non toxic, 100% animal-free, Kosher, Halal, and Vegetarian. It’s also friendly to patients on gluten free diets.
Vegetable capsules are plain and straight forward. There is no guess work when using them. You don’t have to worry about what animal the gelatin came from, how the animal died, what part of the animal they used, whether the animal was carrying any diseases. You do not have to wonder whether the vehicle that carries your medication into your body is going to cause you any additional problems, and so on.
All the benefits of vegetable capsules make them a more expensive capsule than gelatin capsules but in my opinion, their benefits far out-weight their higher price.
