Collagen powder : a tasteless health & beauty supplement

When it comes to superfoods and sprinkling some good stuff on top of food or beverages, taste is a MASSIVE deal breaker. I do want to pack nutrition and vitamins, but do I want to sacrifice the beautiful taste of my morning coffee ? Not so sure.

(spoiler alert : nope)

But here comes collagen powder. 

What is collagen ?

Collagen is a protein, the most abundant one in our bodies, representing a third of our total protein count. 

It is found in all soft tissues (skin, tendons, ligaments, joints and muscles), therefore supplementing with collagen will improve the quality of all of those tissues. Our bodies naturally produce collagen, but as time goes on, we produce less and less. The reason behind wrinkled skin is due to collagen loss : we don't produce as much collagen as we used to, which means less and weaker connective tissues, responsible for saggy skin. For example, UV rays and smoking accelerates the process of collagen depletion in the body, this is part of why those two are linked with premature aging. 

What is collagen powder ?

It's basically a powdered version of gelatin, which can be extracted from fish and meat (technically, the processing of bones, tendons, connective tissues etc), therefore collagen powder is not vegan. 

On the 'bright side', collagen is extracted from the bits and pieces that we don't eat, therefore it's a way create something out of the meat/fish industry wastes. (I'm not a vegan, I eat little meat and fish, but I do believe that if an animal is going to be killed, I'd rather see everything used so that it was not in vain)

There are vegan options hitting the market right now though, since researchers found a way to produce collagen from bacteria, therefore even vegans can have it. The vegan option isn't just as mainstream.

How to add it to your diet ?

Collagen powder usually dissolves in all types of beverages, whether hot or cold. Dissolving it in hot beverages is a tad easier though !

The taste is VERY minimal, it barely tastes like anything, which is why I've been loving it so much. You don't have to 'force' yourself to have it since you'll probably won't even notice the taste, and if you do, just spread out your daily dose more throughout the day.

You can add it to soup, coffee, tea, smoothies... I usually go for two teaspoons a day, in my morning coffees.

Why is collagen powder good for you ?

Collagen powder is basically pure protein.

It contains all of the 9 essential amino acids, which makes it a complete and balanced protein. If you're struggling with adding more proteins to your diet, like I do, this is a super easy way to add some : one scoop of 10g of collagen powder contains 9g of pure protein.. and nothing else !

People trying to build muscle mass will love it since it's so easy to add to any food or beverage. 

Since proteins also help with feeling full and keeping blood sugar stable, I have been loving it as part of my diet as I am a VERY sugar-sensitive person. 

Collagen is responsible for the health of your skin, but can't be absorbed and used by the skin itself : the molecules are simply too big, that's why taking it orally is best way to go. Those collagen anti-aging creams are not worth it ; you want to pack on the moisture and nourishing properties when it comes to anti-aging skincare (with a side of antioxidants), but if you want to do your skin a favor, simply add one or two scoops of collagen powder to one of your daily beverages !

Since it is helping with the health of all kinds of connective tissues by increasing the renewal rate as well as the quality of those tissues, it is also recommended for people with joint pain/issues, anyone healing from any type of injury or surgery, but also individuals suffering from acne ! 

I have noticed it helps with the scarring, improving the old scars, including the icepick type (tissue scarring from severe acne, resulting in smalls dents on the surface of the skin). Again, it's not working miracles, but I found that it does help, at lot, along with MSM supplements. 

I linked a couple products below, but you can find it pretty much anywhere : health stores like Whole Foods, iHerb, supplement shops and even Amazon. Just make sure you pick a grass-fed or organic option :)

Take care & much love,

Millie