How to Snack on Collagen Throughout the Day
If you follow health and wellness accounts on social media, you’ve likely heard the recent buzz about collagen protein. It seems to be everywhere; workout instructors and other influencers add collagen to everything from coffee to baked goods.
Collagen is a structural protein found in blood vessels, bones, skin, cartilage, and other connective tissues—it’s the spongy tissue that keeps your skin from sagging and joints from rubbing together. Apart from this, collagen also contributes to the regeneration and regrowth of cells and membranes.
Although your body makes collagen by breaking down amino acids, production gradually decreases because of age, sun exposure, poor diets, and smoking. To raise their collagen levels and stimulate collagen production, many people take collagen supplements or try to eat more collagen-rich foods. The potential benefits of consuming more collagen include stronger joints, denser bones, more supple skin, a healthier gut microbiome, and lower risks of developing a heart condition.
Want to consume more collagen throughout the day but aren’t sure where to start? Try out a few of these collagen-packed snack recipes that are perfect for holding you over until lunch or dinner.
Egg White Bites
They may be small, but these veggie egg white bites from the Pinch Me Good blog pack in a whole lot of nutrients. Simply chop up spinach and tomatoes and evenly distributed them in a muffin pan. Then, pour egg whites (which include amino acids that help the body produce collagen) into each cup. Top off each muffin bite with feta cheese, and bake them until they look a golden brown.
Chocolate-dipped Oranges
When you think of vitamin C, you likely think about a healthy immune system; but vitamin C does far more for the body than help you fight off colds. For example, vitamin C stimulates the natural synthesis of collagen.
For a quick, refreshing snack, simply melt down your favorite type of chocolate and drizzle it over peels and sliced oranges. Then, let them sit in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens.
Roasted Chickpeas
Chickpeas are a great source of vitamin C and zinc, which promote collagen synthesis. For this recipe, all you need to do is dry out chickpeas on a tray before tossing them in olive oil for a crispy skin. After spreading them onto the plate, sprinkle some salt over it and add any spices. You can try sprinkling some chili flakes, paprika, or curry powder, depending on your tastes.
Chocolate Mint Avocado Smoothie with Collagen Powder
The main ingredient in this smoothie is hydrolyzed collagen powder, which consists of broken-down amino acids that can better be absorbed by your body. In this recipe, coconut milk, water, ice cubes, frozen avocados, mint leaves, and cacao butter are added to a blender. After blending it for a while, the collagen powder is added, and shredded coconut is sprinkled over the top.
“Heavenly” Eggs
Eggs are one of the top collagen-rich foods that are filled with amino acids. Heavenly eggs can be made by boiling eggs, peeling them, cutting them in half, and removing the yolks for the filling. The yolks have to be mashed with creamy mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle relish. Once they reach a fluffy texture, season with salt and pepper, and fill them back into the egg whites.
Easy Bone Broth Ramen
Making a simple bone broth is an excellent way to get a day’s worth of collagen. For this recipe, eggs are boiled, cleaned, and chopped in half. Chicken breast is boiled with salt and pepper until it becomes soft and evenly cooked.
After that, olive oil is added to a clean pot, ginger and garlic, bone broth, and soy sauce. After the soup is made, chopped mushrooms and ramen noodles are slipped into the broth and shredded chicken. After the noodles are cooked, they are added to a bowl and garnished with half eggs, green onions, sesame seed, and hot chili oil.
Protein-packed Collagen Brownies
Collagen peptide powder contains broken down amino acids that can aid collagen production in the body. For this delicious brownie recipe, whisk together collagen peptide powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, baking flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in some creamy almond butter, vanilla extract, and dark chocolate chips, and bake in a baking pan until airy and crisp.
A Very Berry Parfait
The main ingredient, yogurt doesn’t just provide calcium for stronger bones but also slows down the decline of collagen. For a berry parfait, all you need to do is top a bowl of yogurt with chopped blueberries, strawberries, and granola, and finally, refrigerate it to set.
Keeping Up Your Collagen
With these tasty recipes, you’ll have no problem keeping up your collagen reserves. Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer things salty or savory, there are plenty of ways to incorporate collagen supplements or collagen-rich ingredients into your daily diet.
