Should you be adding collagen to your diet? [ health benefits ]

Should you be adding collagen to your diet? Let’s chat about the different health benefits collagen peptides and protein supplements have to offer!

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Hi peeps! Today I’m going to get a little nerdy on you to talk about a healthy living supplement: COLLAGEN. I’m actually SO excited to be sharing a new (to me) product with you today. I love incorporating high-quality natural products into my health and wellness routine, and it is my absolute pleasure to share them with you here.

 

 

I had been seeing people on my Instagram feed talk taking collagen and it got me thinking… “Should I be taking collagen? What can it do for me really?” Funny enough Vital Proteins reached out to me just when I was starting to do some research about it!

So what is collagen?

Collagen is the main structural protein found in our bones, muscles, skin, and tendons that provide strength and structure to the entire body. It is the most abundant protein in the human body, and it is also the main connective tissue found in animals. The collagen protein we get from our diet comes mainly from animal (mammal) sources.

“According to Dr. Howard Murad, a board certified dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California at Los Angeles, collagen production within the body’s connective tissue depends on adequate levels of amino acids. “  (source)

As we age, collagen production naturally decreases, so it is important we’re getting in adequate amounts of different protein from our diet that help support collagen formation. Some whole food sources to help support collagen would be omega-3 rich fish, such as salmon, as well as grass-fed meat. But don’t forget about the veggies! A diet rich in vegetables containing antioxidants can help fight free radicals that are damaging to collagen.

 

While our collagen production does naturally decrease with age, there are also outside damaging factors that contribute to decreasing collagen as well…

• high-sugar diets
• smoking
• too much sun
• stress

YIKES… so what can you do? Well, making sure you’re getting adequate amounts of collagen in your diet may help.

Collagen Supplements: Peptides vs Protein

Collagen Peptides are the hydrolyzed, soluble form of collagen that can be taken as a supplement, by adding it to a hot or cold substance. “Collagen peptides are high in specific amino acids such as Glycine and Proline that are especially needed for the production of new collagen.”

Collagen Protein is synonymous with gelatin and is the whole, cooked form of collagen. This can be added to hot or cold substances, and will thicken, or “gel” once mixed. This can be used 1:1 with any recipe that calls for gelatin. Think homemade jello, pudding, soups, etc.

 

How do you take them?

I’ve been testing them out various ways for the past few days and I can honestly say I’ve been loving these products from Vital Proteins. I’ve been trying the unflavored collagen peptides in my coffee, post-workout shakes, yogurt bowls, and water even! I couldn’t believe how well it mixed in and that it was virtually tasteless.

Now I’ve been doing a lot of reading up on collagen supplements and just remember that everyone is different, and collagen supplements may not be for suitable for you (like, if you’re vegan by chance… yup sorry not for you ?? ). Just like with adding anything new into your diet, you should be cautious. But if we’re talking about overall potential health benefits, adding more collagen in your diet could be just what you need.

The Health Benefits

For the skin:

• Promote younger looking skin by improving elasticity and moisture level
• Improves the sign of deep wrinkles
• Improves skin suppleness
• Improves skin smoothness by reducing the number of micro-relief furrows

(source)

For the gut:

Adding collagen to your diet can help heal a “leaky gut”, and restore the sensitive lining of the stomach and large/small intestines. Your gut plays a huge roll in your health and well-being, so adding collagen to your diet may be a great place to start if you have digestive issues.

For the bones:

Taking collagen peptides is great for bone and joint health, and may have been shown to support bone health through…

• increased bone and mineral density
• increased bone size
• less brittle bones

It is very important to take care of our bones and joint health as we age, for osteoporosis (the thinning of bones) is a natural occurrence. Weight-training is another great way to strengthen our bones!

For sports performance:

If you’re already taking a protein supplement to support protein synthesis before or after exercise, you may want to consider supplementing with collagen peptides. “Collagen peptides, which consists of 20% glycine and 8% arginine, may help the synthesis of creatine in the body.” (source)

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So as you can see, collagen has the potential to do a lot for our overall health. Not only am I looking forward to using it as a protein supplement to my workouts, but also see how it helps with my skin and gut health. Fortunately I do not suffer from too many digestive issues often, but there are times I do have tummy trouble, though I can never truly tell what triggers it. I hate the thought of doing an elimination diet… because let’s be real, I like lots of different foods. 😉

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So tell me…

• Have you tried adding collagen peptides or proteins to your diet? If so, for how long and have you noticed any benefits? I would love to hear from you!

 

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