The Many Benefits of Adding Collagen to Your Smoothies

The Many Benefits of Adding Collagen to Your Smoothies

Smoothies have become a popular nutritional powerhouse that makes it easy to pack lots of vitamins, minerals and other health-boosting ingredients into a delicious blended drink. As smoothie lovers look to maximize the potential benefits of their daily smoothie habit, many have begun adding collagen powder to their smoothie recipes.

Collagen is gaining widespread popularity due to its many potential health benefits. It may help improve skin health, relieve joint pain, support gut health and more. Adding collagen powder to your smoothies provides a tasty and convenient way to reap the benefits of this nutritional protein.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up 30% of total protein content. It is the main structural protein that forms connective tissues throughout the body, including tendons, ligaments, skin, bones, teeth, blood vessels and muscles.

Collagen gives skin its texture and resilience while helping joints stay flexible. It provides structure to tissues that would otherwise have a more jelly-like consistency. Without sufficient collagen, joints may become stiff and achy and skin may start to lose its youthful vitality.

The body produces collagen naturally, but production starts to slow as we age. By the time we are in our 40s or 50s, collagen production can decline by as much as 1% per year. As we get older, we may benefit from getting collagen from outside sources like supplements or food.

Types of Collagen

There are over 16 different types of collagen in the human body, but 90-95% consists of types I, II and III:

• Type I - Most abundant, found in skin/hair/nails, bones, tendons, ligaments and organs
• Type II - Supports joint health by building cartilage
• Type III - Forms connective tissues in blood vessels and organs

Collagen supplements typically contain type I, II, or III collagen, derived either from animals or plants. Common animal sources include bovine, marine life or eggshells. Plant-derived collagens typically come from the skin or pulp of fruits and vegetables.

Potential Benefits of Collagen

As collagen production slows with age, getting collagen from supplemental sources may offer many benefits for health and vitality. Here are some of the top evidence-based benefits of taking a collagen supplement:

1. Improves Skin Elasticity and Hydration

Collagen is a major component of skin. It plays a role in strengthening the skin barrier while providing resilience and moisture. Age-related declines in collagen lead to dryness, wrinkles and sagging.

Studies show that taking a collagen supplement significantly improves skin hydration and may reduce wrinkles. A review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found collagen supported skin elasticity and moisture after 4-12 weeks of use.

2. Reduces Joint Pain

Collagen supplements derived from type II collagen have been shown to significantly reduce joint pain and improve mobility. One study had participants take type II collagen for 70 days. At the end of the study, participants reported a significant decrease in joint pain during activity.

Another study found collagen supplements reduced pain and stiffness related to osteoarthritis. Participants noted major improvements in quality of life after taking collagen for three months.

3. Helps Build Muscle Mass

Emerging research shows that collagen supplements may help boost muscle mass when combined with strength training. Collagen peptides provide amino acids like glycine and proline that are needed to synthesis new muscle tissue.

In one study, participants who took collagen supplements for 12 weeks gained significantly more muscle mass and strength compared to those who took a placebo. Collagen may promote the synthesis of muscle proteins like creatine while limiting muscle damage after intense workouts.

4. Supports Heart Health

Collagen provides the amino acids needed to form and maintain healthy blood vessels and arteries. Some studies indicate collagen supplements may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

One study had participants take 16 grams of collagen daily for six months. By the end of the study, they had significantly lower blood pressure and total cholesterol levels compared to the control group.

5. Boosts Metabolism and Fat Burning

One of the most amazing benefits of collagen is that it may promote weight loss and fat burning. Taking collagen supplements has been shown to increase satiety after meals and reduce food intake at subsequent meals.

Some of the amino acids abundant in collagen, like glycine, have also demonstrated fat-burning effects. This may boost your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories with minimal effort.

Other Potential Benefits

Here are some other ways collagen supplements may benefit health and wellness:

• Strengthen nails and prevent brittle nails
• Reduce cellulite
• Lower blood pressure
• Support gut health and integrity
• Reduce inflammation
• Help balance energy and mood

How to Add Collagen to Your Smoothie

Adding just 1-2 scoops of collagen powder to your favorite smoothie recipe packs a big nutritional punch in a small dose. It dissolves completely into smoothies, providing all the benefits of collagen without altering the flavor or texture.

You can add collagen powder to any and every smoothie recipe you enjoy. It mixes easily into fruit smoothies, green smoothies packed with veggies, chocolate smoothies, yogurt smoothies, and more. Just a scoop or two will provide all the benefits.

Tips for Mixing Collagen into Smoothies

Here are some tips for effortlessly incorporating collagen into your daily smoothie:

• Use 1-2 scoops of collagen peptide powder per 16-20oz smoothie
• Add collagen powder before any other ingredients
• Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute to fully dissolve
• Drink immediately for best taste and texture
• Store in freezer up to 6 months; fridge up to 5 days

Best Smoothie Ingredients to Use with Collagen

To make a smoothie with all the nutrients needed to support collagen synthesis, be sure to include:

• Vitamin C: Boosts collagen production. Choose berries, citrus fruits, kiwi.
• Antioxidants: Protects collagen from damage. Select dark leafy greens, berries, cherries, or dark chocolate.
• Hyaluronic Acid: Binds collagen in the skin. Get it from tomatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes.
• Amino Acids: Glycine, proline and arginine help build collagen. Add nuts, seeds or protein powders.
• Zinc: Speeds tissue repair. Mix in pumpkin seeds, cashews, cocoa or oatmeal.

Delicious Collagen Smoothie Recipes

Collagen blends seamlessly into any smoothie. Here are a few delicious collagen smoothie recipes to try:

Chocolate Cherry Collagen Smoothie

• 1-2 scoops collagen peptides
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 banana
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 cup cherries
• 1 cup ice

Orange Dreamsicle Collagen Smoothie

• 1-2 scoops collagen peptides
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1⁄2 cup orange juice
• 1⁄4 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 banana
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup ice

Green Tea Honeydew Smoothie

• 1-2 scoops collagen peptides
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup honeydew melon
• 1⁄4 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp green tea matcha powder
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp honey

With just a quick scoop of collagen peptide powder, you can transform your daily smoothie into a more nutritious and beneficial drink. Collagen adds protein and vital amino acids to support joint mobility, skin health, metabolism and much more.

So drink up and drink collagen for better health, beauty and wellness!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.