Do You Know These Top 10 Collagen-Rich Foods?

Did you ever notice high collagen-rich food growing as an emerging trend today? As collagen bombarded our Instagram in almost every other post, naturally taking collagen from food is always a healthy choice. Collagen, one of the chief proteins that make up more than a third of the total protein content in a body, proves crucial to the integrity of diverse tissues such as our skin, bones, and several other soft tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This analogy is slightly hyped, and while usually called the body’s glue, it does not have this distinctive function. Continuous ageing and UV light exposure also decrease natural collagen production, so eating more collagen-rich foods is a great practice that helps improve skin health and support the body’s muscles and ligaments. While consuming collagen supplements is an alternative, eating the right food is a more practical solution and ensures that one maintains consistent levels of collagen naturally.  From bone broth to your favourite sushi roll, these options are gaining popularity for more than just their taste. Let's dive into some tasty and nutritious sources of collagen that can benefit your skin, joints, and overall health.

Here are the Top 10 Collagen-Rich Foods

You can help your body be productive by creating collagen by selecting high-collagen animal or plant food and adding essential vitamins and minerals. A protein-rich diet may be prescribed to provide the necessary amino acids, including animal and vegetable sources. Make sure you steer clear of a high volume of sugars and refined carbohydrates, all of which can cause erosion of collagen by inflammation.

1. Bone Broth: The first recommendation is an oldie but a goodie – bone broth. Sew much boiling of animal bones and connective tissues into the water; the collagen is decomposed into gelatin that can be easily absorbed. This protein-packed stock contains collagen proteins, and its other benefits include valuable amino acids and minerals, which one should incorporate into one's diet.
2. Beef: The bovine collagen obtained from the hide and bones of beef supplies Type I and TYPE III collagen, which is also crucial for health maintenance in tissues like tendons, skin, or bones. Options in such blood and connective tissue cuts are short ribs rich in collagen.
3. Chicken: The collagen that most people need for joint health can be found in free-range or organic chicken, particularly in cartilage, as a natural type of collagen, especially type II. Choose wings or cuts that have skin and will get higher collagen levels.
4. Citrus Fruit and Berries: Not all fruits have collagen, but citrus fruits and berries are rich in vitamin C, an essential element for producing collagen. These fruits facilitate the natural production of collagen by the body and ensure that they are used due to high-efficiency rates.
5. Garlic: Garlic does not contain collagen, but the sulfur provides nutritional support for the production of the enzyme and protects against break-down. Sixthly, taurine and lipid acid found in garlic help rebuild collagen fibers that degenerate due to inflammation and chemical reactions.
6. Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, and yoghurt are, in fact, devoid of collagen, but they have abundant levels of essential amino acids, proline, and glycine, which are used to manufacture collagen. These nutrients play a significant part in keeping blood vessels flexible, ensuring bone strength, and improving the state of hinge joints.
7. Cashews: Even though these nuts are not a direct source of collagen, by their copper content, they facilitate the process of collagen production. Collagen and elastin production relies upon copper, enhancing the skin's suppleness and elasticity.
8. Oysters: Zinc is an essential element in collagen creation and repair, being relatively unmentioned in the conversation on collagen attached to the oysters as they are highly ethical zinc. They also consist of amino acids, such as glycine and proline, that are the components of proteins responsible for collagen production.
9. Wild Salmon: Wild salmon contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and copper. Eating the fleshy skin doubles up the chance of gaining natural collagen. Thus, choosing salmon aids in boosting collagen directly in your diet, increasing overall collagen production.
10. Egg Whites: Any health-concern industry incorporates egg whites in its products as a source of proline, an essential amino acid for collagen production. Although yolks do not have collagen that needs it or directly produce it specifically, they contain vitamins and minerals necessary for the body to form collagen. Eggs are eaten in several forms: fried, boiled, and poached. They are a protein source that allows an easy adjustment of additional nutrients in a fat intake.

Other nutrients that aid the collagen production process include zinc, vitamin C, and copper. So, fruits and vegetables high in vitamins and minerals are also suitable for supple skin.

Are Food Better than Collagen Supplements?

This question is the talk of the town and is a serious concern. In general, as per dieticians ‘ dietary collagen and collagen supplements can be primary contributors in bridging the body’s collagen levels, rendering some factors to choose one or another. For a dietary collagen source, cashews, pork rinds, and oysters allow for a natural form better than supplements from pharmacies or drug stores. A collagen diet helps maintain other essential nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, ensuring normal collagen production and a healthy body. Alternatively, collagen supplements may be used as a quick and specific therapy for disinfection risk of collagen. They are usually of bovine or marine origins and find application among people with special dietary restrictions or for people who do not have the opportunity to eat a wide range of food. Therefore, despite both types of vitamins potentially making collagen in the body work properly, one cannot be prescribed for everyone. It is best to talk to a medical specialist or dietician to establish your needs and get any help oriented towards them.

What are the Benefits of Eating Collagen?

Adding collagen or supplements that promote the body’s production of collagen as you eat may present a few advantages to your health in general. Some benefits of taking collagen include improved skin elasticity, joint health, and potential support for bone density.

• Joint pain: Collagen is crucial in keeping your cartilage intact and robust, as the rubber-like tissue prevents your knee from action. Submitting more collagen could eventually relieve the joint pain and arthritis symptoms.
• Heart health: Your arteries have these collagen fibers to hold their structure, maintaining strength against breaking. As such, healthy collagen glass would aid in heart health.
• Muscle mass: Glycine is one of the amino acids present in collagen, and it acts to form creatine. This can fuel muscles to accomplish the tasks during exercises and improve muscle mass.
• Bone health: For instance, just as our joints and skin are also full of one protein known as collagen, the same is true for bone. With time, as we age, collagen levels lower, and such a state arises as osteoporosis.
• Skin health: In this regard, collagen affects skin elasticity and hydration and enhances the overall health of one’s epidermis. Collagen decreases because of old age and environmental factors, so wrinkling and the drying up of the skin can develop. Rising collagen consumption can neutralise the results of these, and it gives a positive glow to youth.

Did you know chicken cartilage collagen supplements can be the secret weapon for middle-aged women aged 39 to 59?  In a 2019 study from Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, these didn't just stop at improving fine lines and wrinkles – they also worked wonders on crow's feet and boosted skin elasticity. Choosing a more ‘food-first' approach to nutrition – such as eating fish or bone broth- can help you get your necessary collagen naturally without supplement coverage. However, as collagen supplements seem to take all the round-the-clock battery of praise, we still need to remind ourselves how easily we can obtain collagen from food. 

And if the natural remedy doesn’t work in the first place, you always have an alternative- that is, collagen supplements for hair, skin, nails, and joints. Rawafed Pharma is a one-stop destination for upgrading your health. Give it a try; we would love to know your experience!