You’ve probably seen lotions, serums, and other skin products touting collagen as a revitalizing ingredient that will improve the appearance of your skin. However, collagen does a lot more than smooth wrinkles and support healthy skin aging. This important protein is the most abundant protein in your body. It is found in the connective tissues, skin, bones, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and digestive system.
Many skin products offer collagen as a revitalizing ingredient that can promote healthy aging and healthy-looking skin. You can also increase your collagen levels from the inside out through dietary changes, collagen powder, and supplements.
Why is Collagen Important?
As your body ages, collagen production slows down. Lifestyle factors including smoking, overexposure to the sun, and poor dietary choices can also contribute to a decrease in collagen levels. Because animal protein and eggs are rich sources of collagen and collagen-supporting nutrients, vegetarians may suffer from low collagen levels, too.
Low collagen production can lead to several health conditions and side effects. For starters, many people notice that as collagen production slows, their skin loses elasticity. Wrinkles appear, cellulite becomes more prominent, and stretch marks appear more easily.
Perhaps more important is the role collagen plays in joint health. Collagen keeps the joints and tendons elastic and smooth. As collagen production slows down, cartilage can decrease, leading to joint pain, swelling, and popping and cracking when you bend or move.
Other studies show that collagen levels may have an impact on your gut health. One study shows that people with inflammatory bowel disease have decreased serum concentrations of collagen. Because the digestive system is lined with tissue made from the amino acids in collagen, increasing collagen production may offer support for gastrointestinal disorders. Â
Collagen also promotes the development of lean muscle mass, which can improve posture and bone health, and burn fat.
Why Try Collagen Powder?
You can encourage healthy collagen production by eating a diet rich in amino acids and other nutrients. This includes foods such as bone broth, poultry, meat, cheese, eggs, fish, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Collagen powder is another healthy way to support your collagen intake without a lot of fuss. This protein-rich powder can be added to smoothies, baked goods and other recipes to make the possibility of supporting collagen production easier.
3 Ways to Get More Collagen
If adding collagen powder to a glass of water sounds boring, consider these other ways to increase your collagen intake by adding a dose of powder to your meals:
- Make a smoothie. This one probably seems pretty obvious, but the possibilities are endless. Some collagen powders are virtually odorless and they don’t have a strange texture that would impact your food. Simply add a dose to the blender with your favorite fruits and veggies and enjoy extra amino acids and protein.
- Add it to your coffee. Yes, that’s right. Give your morning cup of joe a nice dose of protein by adding collagen powder. Unlike collagen gels, collagen powder mixes in hot drinks easily, and it even adds a little froth and creaminess.
- Add it to your soup. Again, because collagen powder mixes well with hot foods, a hearty soup is a great way to incorporate collagen powder, Simply stir it into the broth until it is dissolved and you’ll hardly notice it’s there.
Getting Started
Shop Natural Healthy Concepts’ selection of collagen powders, supplements, and drinks to find a collagen product that works for you.
To learn more, read about what is the best collagen supplement.
