Benefits of Collagen Peptides

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I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you have probably heard of one of the latest trends in the health space – collagen. But this is one trend that deserves the hype! Collagen offers so many benefits, it’s no wonder it has made such a big splash.

But you might be wondering:

• What is collagen?
• Why exactly is it so great?
• And how do I add more of it to my diet?

You’ve come to the right place! Today we’re going to cover seven of the best reasons that collagen is your new bestie. Plus, I’ll introduce you to my favorite collagen products that I use on a daily basis!

So, what is Collagen?

What’s interesting about collagen is that while it wasn’t a common topic of conversation a few years ago, it’s the most abundant protein source found in our bodies. It helps build our bones, muscles, connective tissue and even our skin. Collagen in its natural form is not digestible by the human body. This is where collagen peptides enter the scene (yep, collagen and collagen peptides are different!).

Collagen is a long chain amino acid. Collagen peptides are a shorter chain amino acid that our bodies are able to digest. Once absorbed it’s able to work its magic, supporting our bones, muscles and skin.

While collagen is super abundant in our younger years, our body starts producing less and less of it as early as our early 20’s. Eventually our body begins depleting collagen faster than it can produce, reducing our collagen stores to nearly zero.

Have no fear! Adding collagen to your diet is super easy between collagen-rich foods and collagen supplements. But before we dig into that, let’s dive deeper into all the benefits of collagen and why it’s so important to supplement.

Benefits of Collagen

GUT HEALTH

Using all caps for this one baby! As someone living autoimmune disease and constantly trying to manage inflammation, the benefits of collagen for gut health are enough to keep this health nerd awake at night. Collagen acts as a glue within the gut, improving intestinal permeability. That’s right, if you are one of the many people suffering from leaky gut, run, don’t walk to add more collagen into your diet. This magical protein has healing powers to rebuild intestinal walls, reducing the ability for toxins to pass into the blood stream.

To me, the gut health benefits are the greatest benefit of them all! And personally, I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my health since adding collagen peptides to my diet over a year ago. I could go on, but we have six more equally awesome benefits to cover!

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Did you know that 80% of your immune system resides in your gut?! This is not a drill! And this is why it’s so important for those living with autoimmune disease to make gut health a priority (enter collagen peptides!). As I mentioned above, collagen has the ability to help heal the gut. When the gut is healthy it is better equipped to absorb the vitamins and nutrients passing through. More vitamins absorbed = healthier immune system. You see where I’m going with this? It’s a chain reaction that starts with a healthy, healed gut, and it leads to so much more!

REDUCES INFLAMMATION

If you are suffering from an unhealthy gut, you are likely experiencing inflammation and all the unpleasant symptoms that come with it. Again, by healing the gut, you will be calming inflammation that stems from intestinal permeability or damage to the intestinal walls. When we calm inflammation, we have the ability to improve everything from our mood and brain health to our lymphatic system, digestive system and so much more. Chronic inflammation can also lead to a number of diseases, including cancer and heart disease. That’s why looking for ways to sooth and prevent inflammation is a key part of living a healthy life.

HEALTHY JOINTS

Inflammation loves to attack our joints. So, by reducing inflammation you are likely going to experience an improvement in any joint pain you might be experiencing. Collagen is also essential for maintaining the health of our cartilage, the connective tissue found around our joints. As cartilage deteriorates you are more likely to experience joint pain and stiffness.

SUPPORTS BONE HEALTH

Move over calcium, collagen is here to steal some of your thunder. After all, your bones are technically tissue. And as you know, our cells are constantly reproducing. Therefore, collagen can help support bone density and even prevent osteoporosis. As we age this becomes more and more critical, but it is never too early to make bone health a priority!

HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS

No joke, my hair grew an inch after two weeks of taking collagen peptides. My nails too (ok not an inch, but a super noticeable amount!). In addition to promoting hair and nail growth, it also promotes skin elasticity. As our skin losses elasticity, we start to experience fine lines and wrinkles. Adding collagen adds the plump back into your skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It has also been shown to reduce the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks!

EXCELLENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN

When supplementing collagen through a pill or powdered form it’s easy to get 10+ grams of protein. That’s huge! So, if you are worried about your protein consumption, try adding collagen peptides to your diet. In their powdered form they are completely tasteless, low calorie and can be added to just about any liquid, sauce, baked goods, etc.

So, how do I add more collagen to my diet?

COLLAGEN-RICH FOODS

I hope by now you are feeling inspired and excited about making collagen peptides a part of your daily diet. So, what’s the best way to accomplish this?

As I mentioned that are a lot of foods that are naturally high in collagen, or that help breakdown and absorb collagen. A few of my favorites include:

• BONE BROTH – the holy grail of health
• Wild Salmon
• Beef, Pork & Chicken
• Leafy Greens
• Eggs
• Berries

COLLAGEN PEPTIDE SUPPLEMENTS

In addition to maintaining a healthy diet inclusive of the items listed above, personally I have found that added a collagen peptide supplement to my diet has made the biggest impact on my health. It’s also extremely easy to incorporate into your routine!

My favorite brand is Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. It comes in a powdered form and is completely flavorless. I usually add one scoop to my morning smoothie but there are tons of other ways to incorporate the powder as well. A few of these include:

• Add a scoop to your morning coffee or matcha
• Add it to baked goods (banana bread, muffins, you name it, it won’t impact the taste or texture!)
• Mix it into your morning oatmeal or chia pudding
• Stir it into your favorite sauce

I also recommend you browse around the Vital Proteins website. They have so many options, from lattes to bars, all containing collagen. They’ve made it effortless to add to your daily routine and your body is sure to thank you!