Collagen

Collagen

 

What is it?

Known as the most abundant protein in the body its what gives our skin strength and elasticity. When it comes to our joints and tendons its like the glue that helps hold the body together. There are many different types of collagen,16 to be exact.You may ask well then why is it the newest nutrition hype to add it to your daily regimen? Heres why, as we age we start to lose the production of this protein little by little.

What is it made of?

Collagen in the body is made up of amino acids that are wrapped together and form a triple helix.

Amino Acid Profile:

  • Glycine: makes up about 33%
  • Proline: makes up about 10%
  • Hydroxyproline makes up about 10%
  • Hydroxylysine makes up about 1%

What are the benefits?

Healthy Hair,Skin, and Nails:

Collagen is a building block for skin elasticity and has the ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It is also necessary to prevent skin sagging and even out skin tone. This process happens by collagens action of repairing and renewing cells.

Reduction of Joint Pain and Degeneration:

If you ever have the feeling of stiffness and pain when you move this is most likely due to loss of collagen. When we lose the collagen our tendons and ligaments move with less ease than before which leads to stiffness, pain, and swollen joints. Collagen’s gel like smooth structure lets our joints glide more easily without any pain and reduces your risk of joint deterioration.

Heals a Leaky Gut:

Your intestinal wall is made up of microscopic folds called villi which are actually built from collagen. The amino acids that collagen is made up of actually seals the leak in your gut by healing damaged cells and building new tissue. In addition to this it can actually help with gastrointestinal diseases such as IBS by assisting with water absorption within the intestines.

Boosts Metabolism, Muscle Mass, and Energy Output:

This amazing protein can increase your metabolism by adding lean muscle mass  to your frame. It also contains Glycine which forms muscle by converting glucose into energy. One tip to use next time you consume collagen to pair it with a vitamin C source which helps it to convert more readily to protein. Another great amino acid collagen contains is arginine which can help boost the body’s ability to make protein from other amino acids.

Improves Liver Detoxification:

Everyday toxins that we come in contact with have to pass through the liver to be detoxified out of the body. With the amazing Glycine in collagen helps with that process by reducing damage to your liver. Basically glycine will do the work for the liver to take the stress load off.

Heart Health: 

Collagen contains yet another great amino acid called proline that actually helps your artery walls release any fat build up in the blood stream which shrinks the fat in the arteries and minimize fat accumulation.

How can I get it into my diet?

Collagen Foods

To get this vital protein into your diet there are many ways to do so like my previous post where I talk about bone broth where collagen is a main reason for its benefits but also there are several powder forms of collagen to easily add to many recipes and beverages.

Collagen containing foods I like:

    • Vital Proteins ( collagen peptides, Collagen/whey mix, beauty boost pills, and beauty waters)
    • Bonafide Provisions Bone Broth and drinkable vegetables ( you can click the link below to take you straight to their website)

http://www.bonafideprovisions.com

 

 

Gelatin Foods

Another great source is Gelatin which is basically a cooked version of collagen. The best reason for gelatin is it is easier for the body to digest and absorb. When choosing the right kind be sure to look for pasture raised and grass fed.

Gelatin brands to try:

  • Vital Proteins beef gelatin in powder form can be used easily to add to many different recipes.

Foods that increase Collagen Production

You can also increase the bodies production of collagen by incorporate certain foods.

  • Egg whites which contain proline and glycine that build collagen
  • Spirulina which contains more proline and glycine than egg whites per 1 tsp that can build collagen
  • Cod which also contains proline and glycine to build collagen
  • Citrus fruits which contain vitamin C that is needed to produce collagen
  • Animal Sulfur foods ( beef, eggs, poultry, and dairy) it is important for the synthesis of collagen
  • Plant Sulfur foods (garlic, onions, broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts)

Now that I have given you more than enough reason to get on this collagen band wagon start now to reap these amazing benefits I promise you will not be disappointed. An easy way to get started is to head to my tab discounts and click the vital proteins banner to check out their website and what they offer.

Resources

7 Great Sources of Collagen You Should Be Eating Every Day


https://draxe.com/what-is-collagen/