The Benefits of Collagen + 3 Delicious Ways to Fit it Into Your Wellness Routine

We’re here giving you the inside scoop on how many health benefits are packed into just one scoop of collagen!

Collagen has quickly become one of the most buzzed-about wellness trends over the last couple of years and for some pretty impressive reasons. From gut health to supporting the health of our joints, there are plenty of reasons to consider adding collagen to your wellness routine. We’re here giving you the inside scoop on how many health benefits are packed into just one scoop of collagen!  

In addition to all the important details you need to know, we’re also sharing three fun recipes to help you get more collagen into your diet, plus one more surprise that makes it easier than ever to get the collagen you need! 

What is Collagen?

Let’s start with the basics — what is collagen? Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is the primary structural component of our connective tissue, like our skin — you can think of it like the glue that holds the body together. This is why we commonly hear about collagen as it relates to skin health and aging (more on this below). 

Another fun fact about collagen is that there are actually 28 different types, but a whopping 90% of the collagen found in our body is made up of type 1. We find this type of collagen in things like our skin, tendons, and bones. (1)

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What Research Says About The Benefits of Collagen

There are lots of studies out there on the benefits of collagen, but three of the most researched and talked about reasons to consider collagen supplementation has to do with the health of our gut, joints, and skin. 

Here’s what science says about collagen as it relates to these important aspects of health. 

#1 Gut Health 

Supporting the health of our gut is one of the most foundational parts of establishing an overall wellness routine, and research suggests that collagen may help support the tight junctions in our gut. (2) This is important for supporting healthy intestinal barrier function, which helps keep things like toxins and undigested food from passing through this barrier and into our bloodstream. (3)

#2 Joint Support

Some studies have suggested that oral collagen supplementation may promote joint health. (4) For many of us, joint discomfort after exercise is something that may be a concern as we age, and research supports the idea that adding collagen to a healthy routine may help support joint health, giving us good reason to consider it. 

#3 Skin Health 

Another popular reason to consider adding collagen to your supplement routine has to do with skin health, which makes sense since 75-80% of the protein found in our skin is collagen. (5)

A study on collagen supplementation for skin health suggested that collagen may help support the health of our skin through supporting skin hydration as well as elasticity. (6)

Note that while collagen has been shown to help encourage skin health, avoiding excess sun exposure, keeping skin hydrated, and eating a wholesome and nutrient-dense diet are all essential parts of keeping our skin healthy too. So, adding collagen to your supplement routine should be supplemental to other wellness routines you already have in place for supporting not only the health of your skin but your overall body. 

Why Collagen Supplementation is Important

While collagen is naturally found in the body, and it’s a protein that the body is able to make on its own, we start to produce less as we age. Research suggests that we start to produce roughly 1% less collagen in our skin each year after age 20. (7) This is where collagen supplementation comes in. It’s important to replenish the body with the collagen we are making less of as we age. BalanceGenics Clean Collagen is hydrolyzed collagen protein which means it is collagen that studies have shown to be the most absorbable form. Hydrolysis is a process that breaks down the protein, which helps your body have an easier time digesting, absorbing and distributing it throughout your entire body. 

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3 Yummy (and easy) Ways to Include Collagen In Your Diet

Ready to up your collagen intake? The good news is that it’s super simple to add a scoop of collagen peptides to your diet! Here are three recipes to get you started. 

#1 Cinnamon Spice Collagen Tea 

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black tea, brewed 
• ¼ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk 
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 scoop collagen peptides

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients, minus the collagen, to a stock pot over low heat, and whisk well. Heat until warm. 
2. Remove from heat and whisk in the collagen peptides. 
3. Sip and enjoy! 

#2 Cozy Winter Collagen Herbal Coffee 

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 cup herbal coffee (like Teeccino) 
• ¼ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk 
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 scoop collagen peptides

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients, minus the collagen to a stockpot over low heat, and whisk well. Heat until warm. 
2. Remove from heat and whisk in the collagen peptides. 
3. Enjoy! 

#3 Blackberry Collagen Smoothie

Serves: 1
Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 1 frozen banana 
• ½ cup frozen blackberries 
• 1 tbsp raw honey 
• 1 scoop collagen protein 

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. 
2. Enjoy right away. 

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The Surprise You’ve Been Waiting For: The Easiest Way to Get Collagen Into Your Daily Routine! 

Need an even more convenient way to get more collagen? Enter collagen capsules! Now you can easily get your daily dose of collagen — no food prep or liquid required. BalanceGenics Collagen Complex capsules are perfect if you prefer taking capsules over a powder form, or if you are needing a more on-the-go option for your collagen supplementation!

Making Collagen A Healthy Part of Your Wellness Routine

No matter how you choose to get collagen into your diet or supplement routine, the research is clear — collagen plays a supportive role in many aspects of our overall wellbeing. So, consider the three delicious recipes above to add a boost of collagen to your diet, or supplement with collagen capsules to make collagen a super easy addition to your daily wellness routine.

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QUICK DISCLAIMER‍

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. Readers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither the author(s) nor the publisher of this content take responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All readers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

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SOURCES

1. Live Science. Rachel Ross. What is Collagen? 

2. Chen Q, Chen O, Martins IM, Hou H, Zhao X, Blumberg JB, Li B. Collagen peptides ameliorate intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction in immunostimulatory Caco-2 cell monolayers via enhancing tight junctions. Food Funct. 2017 Mar 22;8(3):1144-1151. doi: 10.1039/c6fo01347c. PMID: 28174772.

3. Harvard Health. Marcelo Campos MD. Leaky Gut: What is it, and What Does it Mean For you? 

4. Schauss AG, Stenehjem J, Park J, Endres JR, Clewell A. Effect of the novel low molecular weight hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract, BioCell Collagen, on improving osteoarthritis-related symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Apr 25;60(16):4096-101. doi: 10.1021/jf205295u. Epub 2012 Apr 16. PMID: 22486722.

5. Cleveland Clinic. An Overview of Your Skin. 

6. Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/nu11102494

7. Scientific America. Why Does Skin Wrinkle With Age? What is The Best Way to Slow Down or Prevent This Process? 

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