5 Healthy Food Sources Of Collagen

Nowadays, many collagen-rich drinks and supplements are available to help many achieve supple and youthful-looking skin. Since our skin’s collagen production starts to slow down at 25, these supplements can help restore collagen and prevent dryness, wrinkles, and other skin conditions.

But if you don't like taking too many supplements or vitamins packed with collagen, many familiar foods are rich in beautifying protein! Here are five collagen-rich foods:

Bone Broth

Bone broth is perhaps the most popular food source of collagen. Many supporters of the hearty soup believe that boiling soup bones and cartilage in water helps extract the collagen out of them, making it easier to gulp all that collagen goodness. And because soup bones are made of calcium and connective tissue, adding bone broth to your meals also gives you magnesium, phosphorus, glucosamine, amino acids, and chondroitin. This means you’ll have healthier bones, teeth, skin, and body.

If you find bone broth alone boring, you may also eat the bone marrow and cartilage with your meals. Many condos for rent within Metro Manila are located near eateries that serve bone marrow pares with rice. These meals are affordable, delicious, and good for your skin.

Chicken

Yes, even chicken offers beauty and health benefits. In fact, many collagen supplements are extracted from chicken. The meat is rich in calcium, connective tissue, and collagen, which is why your favorite tinola or adobo may help boost your skin’s collagen production.

Besides healthy and glowing skin, chicken also helps enhance bone and teeth health. A 2021 study revealed that collagen in chicken neck and cartilage may also help relieve arthritis pains. If you don’t like eating a whole chicken neck, you may chop it into smaller pieces and add it to your bone broth. For the cartilage, crush it into tiny bits and mix it in your salad or chicken spread.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are surprisingly an excellent source of collagen. Sure, they may not have connective tissue (the usual derivative of collagen products), but eggs are packed with proline, an essential amino acid for producing collagen. As a result, egg whites are popular ingredients for DIY facial masks.

Fish and Shellfish

Fish are packed with omega oils that are good for the heart, brain, skin, and hair. And like red and white meats, the ligaments in fish are excellent sources of collagen. Some even say that collagen extracted from fish and other shellfish is easier to absorb than those derived from meat products. However, fish meat tends to have lower collagen content than eyeballs, heads, and scales. If you don’t eat these parts, you may chop them to pieces to make fish broth.

Certain Fruits and Veggies

Meat and fish aren’t the only food sources that help your skin produce collagen. Vegetables, such as bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and kale are packed with antioxidants that may help your skin’s collagen production. Some of these veggies are also rich in vitamin C, a compound that combats inflammation and signs of aging.

For fruits, add guavas, citrus fruits, mangoes, kiwis, raspberries, and pineapples are your best options for better collagen production. You may eat them raw or put them in your detox water or make them into smoothies.

The five foods mentioned above may help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, relieve joint pain and improve skin elasticity. However, before you add these five foods into your diet, check if you are allergic to any of these and only consume those that you’re safe to eat. Doing so will give you healthy skin and body.