If you’ve been wondering what Collagen Peptides are but don’t understand the science behind it, here is the break down and four easy ways to incorporate it into your everyday routine.

What Is Collagen?

I first started utilizing collagen in my morning coffee or matcha a few years back. At the time I was intrigued and began researching on the topic to understand the true benefits. Collagen is one of the major components of our connective tissues and can be found in our skin, hair, nails, muscles, bones, and so on. Meaning, it makes up about twenty-five percent of our total body weight.

Studies have found intaking collagen on a daily basis can significantly improve skin elasticity. There is also evidence of collagen helping repair stomach/intestinal linings, healing leaky gut syndrome, and IBS. How is this so? The science proves Glutamine to be a key amino acid in collagen making. This makes it an essential nutrient for gut mucosal epithelial cell growth (aka gut cells), differentiation, mucosal integrity and barrier function. In other words, glutamine is a major player in ensuring your gut can patch up holes causing leakage. A leaky gut can be due to inflammation from foods and other environmental sources that travel through the gastrointestinal tract on a daily basis. This is not to say it is the only source that has the ability to aid your gut. However, it can be a major source in rebuilding and ensuring our guts homeostasis.

Personal Experience Using Collagen

So far I have been using collagen peptides for almost two full years. I feel at this point I can confidently say the effects have been nothing short of positive. My initial episode of researching collagen peptides had me link together inflammation in the gut and my seasonal allergies eventually. At the ripe age of fourteen I began struggling with pollen allergies which I always thought my mother had generously passed on via genetics. I figured it was worth a try to heal myself from the inside out because the worst case scenario would be me having to keep using allergy pills every spring for the rest of my life. The research ultimately convinced me to try incorporating collagen and lets just say it has been the best decision ever.

With each full year of incorporating collagen into my morning routine I have noticed a dampened effect on my allergies. This means less allergy pills when spring hits and I can actually enjoy smelling flowers rather than running the other direction worried about a sneeze attack. This year alone I have not had any need for allergy pills and it has been such a freeing feeling to not have to be reliant on a pill.

Now, I am not saying that this will cure you of your allergies. Everyone’s body is different but perhaps it can aid other areas of inflammation that may be wrecking havoc in your gut?

Four Easy Everyday Uses:

Now for the best part! The easy everyday recipes you can start using to incorporate more collagen into your eating regiment.

Matcha

If you’re like me and don’t tolerate acidic drinks like coffee in the morning then grab a cup of super green Matcha loaded with collagen. Find my matcha recipe here.

 

Coffee

Perhaps you ARE a coffee drinker! Then by all means throw some collagen into your morning coffee and enjoy the benefits on your way to work! Find my Upgraded Coffee recipe here.

Protein Balls

Adding a scoop or three to any protein ball recipe helps me incorporate a couple extra servings into my day. Just make sure the collagen you buy is easily dissolvable in cold products. THIS is my favorite brand to use as it dissolves in both hot or cold liquids.

Find my Cocoa Coffee Energy Bites here.

Smoothies

This is probably one of my favorite ways to add extra protein to my smoothies. After all who doesn’t love a delicious smoothie bowl post workout, or on a hot summer day!

Find my Golden Turmeric Smoothie here.

 

Citations:

1. Rao, R., & Samak, G. (2012). Role of Glutamine in Protection of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions. Journal of Epithelial Biology & Pharmacology, 5(Suppl 1-M7), 47–54. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369670/>
2. Proksch, E., Segger, D., Degwert, J., Schunck, M., Zague, V., & Oesser, S. (2014). Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology,27(1), 47-55. <https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/351376#>