Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Edible Gel Films
What is a Gel Film?
Gel film pouches and squares are both different forms of one thing: "Gelatinized” Potato Starch.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s made with gelatin! These are a very thin edible film made from potato starch. It can be used for many things, including; candy-making, cooking, and wrapping single doses of powdered supplements.
In that last respect, they’re similar to capsules but can perform even better.
Video example of how to use gel films
That’s because gel films are made completely of natural starch that’s been mixed with water, heated, pressed and dried. This results in what we call an edible “gelatinized” film… or “gel film” for short.
The word “gelatinized” is used only to describe the form the substance takes once it’s been heated… so it doesn’t relate to the ingredients within the product itself.
When the gel film gets wet, it quickly absorbs and turns from an edible film back into a gel-like substance!
So when filled with powder and dipped in water, this gel acts as a barrier between the powder and your tastebuds, while also becoming soft and slick.
This action allows you to swallow more of your powdered herb, supplement or medication at one time comfortably.
Where Did Edible Gel Film Come From?
The idea for gel films came from a little-known powder consumption technique dubbed by many, “parachuting.”
Blated founder Harrison Cohen had recently overhauled his entire diet and lifestyle. This included switching most foods and supplements he used to a bulk, clean form that could be mixed together from scratch.
So for something like a “pre-workout supplement,” Harrison would buy just the few main ingredients found in all the top-selling products… things like;
L-Citrulline
Creatine
Betaine
Beta-Alanine
Taurine
Obtaining these as single-ingredient powders and mixing them himself was not only cheaper, but he was able to take the exact dose he wanted without any artificial additives or “fluff” ingredients.
But his problem then became the taste. Big supplement companies add in all sorts of extra chemicals to modify the taste, texture, and other properties. Although this results in an easier-to-drink substance, it’s rarely better for you.
This is when he learned about parachuting.
Although the official origin of parachuting can’t be confirmed, it’s believed to have begun as a method to recreationally ingest crushed or powdered pharmaceuticals. The user would use a very thin paper, such as tobacco-rolling papers or toilet paper to wrap the substance and swallow it. Its purpose being that powder absorbs more rapidly than a coated tablet or a filled capsule.
Harrison realized that if he separated 1-ply of toilet paper from a single sheet and filled it with these bulk supplement powders, he could quickly drop the ball of powder into the back of his mouth and swallow it with water before it broke open!
However, this was by no means perfect…
After months of using this method, he faced problems such as:
The paper often broke in his mouth
It sometimes scratched and hurt to swallow
He had two scary and intense moments of choking
Eventually he learned that toilet paper contained chemical bleach, dyes, and plastic
The unsafe and harmful chemicals were the ‘last straw.’ Him and his girlfriend at the time, Hannah Barrett, began looking for a safer wrapping paper.
The Discovery of Gel Films
Their search led them to test edible papers from all over the world. From all their trials and testing, they quickly learned it had to be as thin as possible without tearing apart easily.
Most paper is made from cellulose, which is insoluble dietary fiber from plant matter (sawdust). Although this isn’t harmful when consumed in its pure, natural form.. it isn’t necessarily healthy either. Today, much of what’s considered “diet food” contains either cellulose or a modified version of it to be used as filler that fills your stomach without calories.
The majority of “vegan” capsules on the market today are also made from an artificially modified version of cellulose called Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC). Harrison and Hannah strongly considered HPMC to be a bane on our environment and individual health. For this reason, they kept searching.
Through many iterations via small productions, they finally landed a specialty film that was not only different from everything available today, but it could be made single-ingredient, with only the purest, natural form of starch from non-genetically modified potatoes.
The difference was in how they worked: It wasn’t paper like nearly all other “edible films” out there. The main ingredient, when mixed with water and heated, naturally formed into a gel-like substance. This substance could be pressed and dried to become a very, thin and clear sheet, with no stickiness either. This unique film could also be re-gelatinized by soaking up water again, which, when tested, proved to better than ever could have been expected.
After extensive testing with this incredible film, Hannah and Harrison immediately knew they had to share it with the world via Blate Papes.
How Gel Films Are Made
Starch/water mixture
Production of the film is a bit technical. And of course, it’s important a company protects its trade-secrets.
But generally, a starch-water mixture is combined together and rapidly dried to a moisture level between 10% to 15%.
Here, the gelatinized starch can easily stay fresh for more than 5 years.
It’s possible to add oils and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin to improve strength and make it easier to remove from the drying racks.. but this can have a detrimental effect on powder absorption.
Starches take longer to digest in the body than other foods, so unless the gel film breaks open in the stomach, it might actually delay and hinder absorption of the powder! So it really needs to be made just right.
That’s why we only produce the thinnest, starch-only films that always break open within seconds of consumption.
Gel film rolls on the drying rack
Blate Papes are the thinnest edible film available at just 10 microns.
With this in mind, it’s no secret that hard capsules or pills are better-suited to withstand the transportation of consumer drugs than these films.
However, in most other aspects for the regular consumer, especially filling and swallowing single doses, “Blates” are king.
One significant contributor to the growing popularity of Blate Papes is the imported pain-relief herb known as Kratom.
The Rise of Gel films: Kratom
Although not technically an herb, kratom is a leaf from the Mitrygina Speciosa tree, which grows wild across Indonesia. These leaves are dried and ground into a very fine powder and imported in mass to be resold in the US.
To produce effects, it requires the user to consume quantities typically ranging between 2 and 6 grams. Because of this, blate papes are a very popular method for consuming kratom.
Kratom leaves
More About Kratom
There is a lot of misinformation floating around the internet about kratom and its effects.
Kratom is a partial opioid agonist, meaning that it partially affects the same receptors as our natural endorphins and prescription painkillers do.
But unlike prescription painkillers, kratom has an immensely lower abuse potential. The leaf can only be ingested orally, and must be done in quantities greater than 2 grams.
In addition, it has a ceiling effect. So taking more won’t produce a stronger effect for the user. This also makes it a highly effective tool in fighting opioid addiction.
In terms of natural, legal pain relief, you won’t find a better substitute.
For more information on kratom, it’s effects, and how to purchase it, we recommend visiting our close friends over at Otie’s Botanicals. They’re high atop the list of most trusted kratom distributors in the USA.
The Rise of Gel Films: Fitness Supplements
Using Blate Papes Pouches
Because of their ability to hold more than multiple capsules, their very high ease of use, and being more pleasant to swallow, our gel films have risen in the health and fitness sector.
This also has to do with holistic, herbal remedies becoming popular. There are many herbs that people take daily for general health that go better in Blate Papes.
Examples include turmeric, matcha, maca, camucamu, reishi mushroom, ashwagandha, wheatgrass and spirulina.
Compared to pre-made capsules and drink mixes, single-ingredient powders are cheaper and healthier. There are no added artificial sweeteners, flavors, nor colors, and no unnecessary fillers, calories, nor carcinogens*.
*Few people realize that their “health and fitness” supplements contain cancer-causing ingredients. Some examples are Saccharin, Apartame, Red #3, Red #40 and Yellow #6.
Who Uses Edible Gel Films?
Blate Papes serve many needs, but are still only most-known within certain niches.
The most common are:
Kratom Users - Because of the nature of the herb and the quantity it’s consumed in, kratom users are the prevailing gel film consumers. In 2018, the estimated amount of kratom users in the USA alone was 0.8% of the population, or about 3 million people. This number has already grown substantially.
Fitness and Gym-goers - In 2019, it was reported that there were 64.19 million gym memberships in the USA alone. This represents another high percentage of the US population that can appreciate the health and savings benefits gel films offer for pre-workout products, BCAAs, EAAs, creatine, etc.
Health Conscientious Consumers - At the prices paid for typical health products, Blate Papes are the better choice in terms of saving money and dodging the food additives/carcinogens. In 2017, it was estimated that a staggering 170 million Americans take dietary supplements.
Those with Trouble Swallowing Pills - Just as kratom users avoid that unpleasant taste of their powder, those with trouble swallowing hard capsules and tablets see a huge benefit in using gel films. Many bariatric surgeons recommend their patients permanently switch to using Blate Papes to avoid difficulties ingesting.
Chinese Herb Users - Chinese herbs are also consumed in quantities that benefit from edible films. Hollistic medications, herbs, teas, etc. are all popular uses.
Types of Gel Films Available
Blate Papes comes in two forms, each with their own advantages.
Gel Film Squares, Blate Papes®
Gel film Squares
Gel film squares were our first iteration, designed to be very thin and flat… just like 1 ply of toilet paper.
They’re about 3.75 inches across, giving them a large surface area for pouring on your powder.
Gel film squares are also very versatile, as they can be folded into the shape of a pouch, or even used for other purposes.
Gel Film Pouches
Gel Film Pouches, Blate Papes®
Pouches are hands-down the most convenient type of Blate Papes.
They come in a miniature ice-cream cone shape, accompanied by a small stand to hold the open end upward, and a wooden spoon allowing them to be easily filled.
Our pouches cone-shape is the reason most customers prefer these over the squares. This is because when filled, they’re already in a narrow shape and ready to be closed, dipped and swallowed. Meanwhile, a square shape must still be folded up and twisted off (depending on personal preference).
Most people find that the pouches are not only more convenient to fill, but they just go down easier for them.
Not Gel Films
Chinese “Glutinous” Rice Paper
Chinese Rice Paper
People sometimes confuse our films with “rice paper,” or they mistake “glutinous rice paper” for gel films. However, this is not the case.. gel films are not Chinese rice paper.
Glutinous rice paper is not a natural product, and it’s not produced in an environment necessary for food production and packaging.
This rice paper can’t function the same as gel films because it’s too thick, it’s cut too small, and it’s made with improper and unverified ingredients.
Additionally, all glutinous rice paper comes from the same factory in China with no food quality controls, no FDA involvement, no certification bodies’ approval, no quality management systems in place, and within very poor, unsanitary environments.
We have particular knowledge of this because glutinous rice paper was among the many original items tested by our founders, Hannah and Harrison. Their testing ultimately resulted in a strong refusal of this product.
We recommend avoiding anything labeled as rice paper and/or glutinous rice paper. At the very least, always ask questions about where the product comes from, the actual ingredients, and who produced it.
You’ll find that the sellers of such paper are unable to verify their ingredients.
Note: Glutinous rice paper isn’t the same as the rice paper you see at some grocery stores. Those are much thicker and used for wrapping foods such as spring rolls and dumplings.
Other Uses for Blate Papes
Molecular Gastronomy (Scientific Cooking)
Disappearing Raviolis by Chef Adrià
Gel film can be used in other awe-inspiring ways when cooking. Molecular Gastronomy is a scientific approach to cooking and nutrition, taking into account how cooking at certain temperatures affects the food in various ways.
At el Bulli, a restaurant in Catalonia, Spain, Chef Ferran Adrià made famous a recipe called “Disappearing Raviolis” which consisted of 3 gel film raviolis stuffed and sealed with pine nut praline and pine cone oil.
This became an icon of the restaurant and caused a surge in gel film popularity among culinary professionals and restaurants worldwide. This recipe requires gel film squares to be stuffed and heat-sealed shut.
This is possible because although our films dissolve in water, they still withstand oils, fats, and other low-moisture content foods!
Where Can I Find Gel Films?
Online
Blate Papes are custom-produced in our ISO-certificated facility in Japan. This ensures a unique, quality product unmatched by any other powder delivery system available today.
This is why our website, blatepapes.com, is the largest reseller of Blate Papes gel films in the world. We also sell our films on our Amazon store here.
For countries such as the UK, Australia, Germany, France, etc., currently our shop is the best available option.
For more information on our films, see the Blate Papes online store.
Local
If you’re located here in the USA and would like to find them locally, Blate Papes are sold at many local kratom retailers, including smoke, and tobacco shops, all over the USA. You can also find them in nutrition stores that sell health supplements, herbs and powders.
See our list of local retailers in your area here. Call, message, or visit your local retailer today!
The Future of Gel Film
It is our opinion that gel films are still very early in its adoption cycle. This is mainly because most people don’t know they exist yet.
But with the holistic, natural-first approach to “healthy” becoming more prevalent, consumers will continue to rethink their own diets and search for healthier alternatives. We’re going to ensure that when they do, they’ll find Blate Papes ready for them.
