What is Gelatin, Gelatin Benefits and How to Use Gelatin

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Top 14 Benefits of Gelatin and 4 Tasty Ways to Use It

If Mother Nature had a beauty routine, gelatin would definitely play a big role.

Gelatin, the cooked form of collagen, is full of amino acids that can help strengthen teeth and hair, smooth out wrinkles, and give your skin a healthy glow.

But aesthetics aside, gelatin is an all-in-one superfood that can heal your gut, rebalance your hormones, and boost your immune system.

What Is Gelatin?

Gelatin is an all-in-one superfood for boosting immunity, repairing your digestive tract, improving your skin’s appearance and texture, and eliminating sugar cravings.

Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen, which is found in animal bones and connective tissue. Gelatin contains lots of amino acids, which is why it has so many health benefits.

Bone broth is an excellent source of gelatin, but you can also find powdered gelatin sourced from grass-fed cows at your local health food store. Gelatin powder can be added to almost any recipe, including soups, stews, smoothies, coffee, and even DIY skin care recipes.

From healthy recipes to your beauty routine, here are ways to use gelatin in your everyday routine to improve your health and lifestyle!

Top 14 Benefits of Gelatin

1. Gelatin Boosts Skin Health

As mentioned above, gelatin is cooked collagen. And collagen is the structural protein that helps maintain skin elasticity and keep your skin looking smooth, plump, and supple.

Our bodies naturally produce collagen, but as we age, we begin to produce less. In fact, research shows our natural collagen production begins to decline by 1% beginning at the age of 20. Natural collagen production declines by 1% once you hit age 20.

Many anti-aging skin cream formulas contain collagen, but most collagen molecules are too large to penetrate the skin’s surface. Even when collagen molecules are hydrolyzed or broken down into smaller fragments, they’re still unable to interact with the skin’s natural collagen supply. This means most topical anti-aging collagen creams may be ineffective.

Eating foods that increase collagen production naturally, such as gelatin, has been shown to effectively improve the skin’s elasticity and appearance from the inside out.

2. Gelatin Helps Hair + Nails Grow Faster

If your hairdresser took off far too much during your last trim (or you just can’t seem to get your hair to grow), the protein in gelatin may help your hair grow in faster and thicker.

Since hair and nails are made from protein, increasing the amount of quality protein in your diet can help provide the amino acids needed to stimulate hair and nail growth.

3. Gelatin Repairs Gut + Digestion

Gelatin is rich in the amino acid glycine (in fact, gelatin is approximately 30% glycine), which helps repair the gut lining by strengthening and protecting the mucous membrane layer of the stomach.

This is essential for improving general digestive health as well as healing a chronic digestive condition called leaky gut syndrome. Gelatin is rich in glycine, which helps repair a leaky gut.

Leaky gut plays a major role in the development of allergies and autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel disease (IBD) and inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Gelatin also takes a longer time to digest, which helps coat the small intestine. This is why gelatin is commonly recommended on dietary protocols for healing digestive conditions, including the GAPS diet.

4. Gelatin Supports the Immune System

Approximately 80% of immune system cells are located in the gut, which means your immune system is a reflection of your digestive health.

By strengthening the mucous membrane layer of the stomach and “healing and sealing” the gut lining, gelatin can also help support and strengthen immunity based on its positive impact on gut health.

5. Gelatin Protects Joints

The ends of our bones are covered (or “protected”) with cartilage, which is formed from collagen. Cartilage prevents our bones from rubbing together, which otherwise causes pain and inflammation.

As we age, our cartilage can begin to degrade, which not only causes pain, but loss of joint motility and chronic inflammatory joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis.

Here’s where gelatin comes in.

Since collagen is needed to form cartilage, taking a hydrolyzed gelatin supplement (which means it’s easily absorbed in the intestinal tract) has been shown to help the body rebuild cartilage, which “cushions” the joints and reduces pain and inflammation.

Proline, an amino acid found in gelatin, is also needed to help the body make hydroxyproline, which forms collagen.

This suggests adding gelatin to your diet may be preventative for joint degradation as well as managing symptoms of inflammatory joint conditions.

6. Gelatin Repairs Damaged Hair

A gelatin hair mask can help restore the natural shine in dull, dry or damaged hair.

If you’ve ever heard of whisking eggs and applying them to your hair for natural moisture, gelatin has the same benefits: it helps deliver protein and moisture to the hair shaft, which is needed to strengthen and improve your hair’s texture. Is your hair lacking luster? Try a gelatin hair mask with apple cider vinegar.

To make a gelatin hair mask, use a ratio of 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder to ⅓ cup of water (you may need to adjust the amount you use depending on the length or thickness of your hair).

You can add other ingredients to your hair mask that promote shine, such as apple cider vinegar or coconut oil.

7. Gelatin Helps Reduce Inflammation

As mentioned above, gelatin is rich in the amino acid glycine. Glycine has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and cardiovascular system.

Glycine has been shown to suppress the activation of cytokines (proteins that play a role in cell communication), and move cells towards the sites of inflammation, trauma, and infection. The systemic inflammation of cytokines has been linked to cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression.

In other words, the anti-inflammatory action of glycine can help reduce the inflammatory response of elevated cytokines in the body.

8. Gelatin Balances Hormones

Hormones are the chemical messengers that regulate every function of your body, from your metabolism to your sleep cycle. When your hormones are functioning optimally, you feel energized, maintain a healthy weight, and in general, have a happier mood.

Since hormones are made up of amino acids (some amino acids become hormones, while others are required for hormone synthesis), getting a wide variety of amino acids in your diet is essential for general hormonal health and for rebalancing hormones. Grass-fed gelatin is almost pure amino acids, which help rebalance hormones.

Grass-fed gelatin is made up of approximately 98% protein, which means it’s almost pure amino acids.

Gelatin also contains several amino acids that stimulate the production of the human growth hormone, including glycine, lysine and arginine.The human growth hormone (HGH) is responsible for stimulating cellular repair and regeneration, and plays a role in energy production, strength, and endurance.

9. Gelatin Reduces Signs of Aging

One study showed that regularly ingesting collagen supplements was just as effective for reducing wrinkles and signs of aging as cosmetic procedures. The study stated that when ingested, collagen can directly reach the dermis in the skin, which is needed for the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to fade.

10. Gelatin Prevents Cellulite

Cellulite is the bane of many women’s existence: it’s almost inevitable, and it’s difficult to get rid of (no matter how many squats you do).

The reason why we get cellulite as we age is due to a decrease in collagen production and skin elasticity. Regular exercise and avoiding foods that deplete collagen (such as refined sugar and trans fats) are important for cellulite prevention, but adding gelatin to your diet may help boost your efforts because it stimulates collagen production.

11. Gelatin Strengthens Teeth

We often relate collagen to healthy skin and anti-aging, but do you know that collagen is also the building block of teeth and bones?

Since collagen is found in tooth enamel, adding gelatin to your diet may help strengthen your teeth and prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

12. Gelatin Helps Detox Liver

Animal products, such as chicken, fish, beef and eggs, are high in methionine. Methionine is an essential amino acid, which means we cannot survive without it – but when consumed in excess, it can build up in the blood, which causes systemic inflammation.

When methionine is metabolized, it produces a byproduct called homocysteine, which depletes vitamins B6 and B12. This is why elevated homocysteine levels are an indicator of B vitamin deficiencies. Methionine has also been shown to deplete your natural glycine stores – which is where gelatin comes in.

As we’ve covered, gelatin is a rich source of glycine, and studies have shown glycine helps the body eliminate excess methionine. Gelatin helps your body eliminate methionine, which plays a role in liver detoxification.

Now, glycine and methionine have an interesting relationship: methionine depletes glycine, but glycine is needed to help clear extra methionine from the body. It’s like a Catch-22 situation. Adding gelatin to your diet can help increase your glycine levels and support your body’s natural detoxification processes. This is especially helpful if you eat a variety of animal products daily.

Glycine is also a precursor to glutathione, which plays a role in phase II liver detoxification – the phase in which your body prepares to eliminate toxins.

13. Gelatin Promotes Restful Sleep

Gelatin has been recommended as a sleep aid for those who have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, especially due to stress. This is because glycine acts as a neurotransmitter and helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

14. Gelatin Curbs Cravings

As a protein, gelatin is a slower nutrient to digest, which helps keep you full for longer periods of time. This helps balance blood sugar levels, which reduces cravings for excess carbs and processed sugar.

Gelatin has also been shown to reduce blood sugar spikes and reduce the body’s response to glucose when ingested with sugar.

4 Easy Ways to Eat and Use Gelatin

1. Homemade Gummies

You can make homemade gelatin gummies by combining grass-fed gelatin powder with your favorite puréed fruits and Paleo sweeteners, such as raw honey.

We recommend trying this simple and delicious homemade Paleo gummy vitamin recipe: Easy Sugar Free Gummy Bears.

2. Smoothies

Gelatin powder is tasteless, and you can add it to your green smoothies or smoothie bowls. However, gelatin is a thickener due to its gelatinous texture, so be prepared to eat your smoothie with a spoon if you add gelatin powder to it.

3. Soup or Stew Thickener

Gelatin powder is flavorless, which means it won’t change the taste of your recipes, but it will create a more gel-like texture. You can use gelatin powder to thicken and to add an extra protein boost to your favorite soup and stew recipes.

A good starting ratio for adding gelatin powder to your recipes is ½ tablespoon of gelatin per 1 cup of liquid – however, the ratio of gelatin to liquid you use will depend on how “thickened” or “gelled” you want your recipe to be.

To be on the safe side, you may want to start with only ¼ tablespoon of gelatin powder and work your way up and adjust as needed once the gelatin powder begins to set.

4. Egg Substitute

If you’re sensitive to eggs, gelatin makes an excellent Paleo egg replacer in baking recipes that require a binder, such as pizza crust, pancakes and muffins.

To replace 1 egg, use a ratio of 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder and ¼ cup of water. Let it sit for 15 minutes to thicken before adding it to your recipes.

How to Find High Quality Gelatin Powder?

Most health food stores or online natural health retailers carry gelatin sourced from grass-fed cows.

It’s important to make sure the gelatin powder you choose is from grass-fed animals, otherwise it won’t be as high in anti-inflammatory amino acids, such as glycine, which allow it to be such an amazing health food (this means, unfortunately, the packaged gelatin you find in grocery stores doesn’t qualify).

Watch these 2 videos below –

How to Make Homemade Jello | Easy & Healthy Recipe 

How to make alovera gel by gelatin powder and store it for years

Written by Brandi Black

Author Bio:

Brandi Black is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and the creator of Feel Best Naked, a health blog for women who want to clear up their skin, lose the muffin top and make the bloat disappear. After years of experiencing (and then healing) her own unbalanced hormones, she’s now obsessed with helping other women feel spectacular in their own skin with natural remedies for hormone balance.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Collagen Benefits – How to Cook, Bake and Drink Collagen

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Once considered a “beauty buzzword”, collagen has come a long way from being an ingredient added to costly creams that promise youthful looking skin. Here’s what research says about how collagen benefits our entire body.

As the most abundant protein found in animals and the human body, collagen offers much more than a “natural alternative” to Botox (as stated by some celebrities).

When taken as a nutritional supplement, collagen protein has also been shown to relieve digestive issues, build lean muscle mass, boost the immune system and relieve joint pain. And yes: taking collagen protein can significantly improve skin elasticity.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein that provides the framework for our bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It’s also found in the skin, gums, cartilage and gut. Having a body without collagen would be like building a house without nails. In other words, we’d just be a pile of skin and bones if it weren’t for collagen holding our musculoskeletal system together.

As a protein, collagen is a rich source of several essential amino acids. Amino acids are needed by our bodies for nearly every biological function, including digestion and absorption of nutrients, building muscle, transporting oxygen, and producing neurotransmitters.

These amino acids are called essential because our bodies cannot produce them. Instead, we must obtain them from dietary sources. Our bodies cannot produce essential amino acids. We must obtain them through our diet.

The amino acid profile of collagen is why it’s so beneficial when taken as a nutritional supplement. By providing your body with several of the amino acids it requires to function optimally, you’ll be supporting your health on a foundational level. And as a result of consistently receiving several essential nutrients from your diet, you’ll feel a positive difference in your health and be able to perform at your best.

Types of Collagen

You may know that our bodies contain abundant amounts of collagen, but did you know there are actually 16 different types of collagen?

The most abundant types, which make up between 80 and 90 percent of all collagen, are Types I, II, and III. Below, we discuss the difference between these three types so you can determine which is best for you.

Type I

Type I collagen is the most plentiful in your body and is found largely in your skin, tendons, organs, vascular system, and bones. This type is extra-important for skin elasticity and keeping things supple.

The fibers of strong Type I collagen can be stretched easily without breaking – an important part of aging and preserving our skin and body’s ability to move fluidly without “breaking” or tearing.

Type I and III collagen benefits are similar, and may often occur together in a supplement for healing your gut lining or minimizing fine lines and wrinkles in your skin.

Type II

Type II collagen is the collagen that makes up cartilage, the strong but flexible substances between our joints and connective tissues. Keeping cartilage strong with enough collagen helps keep our joints healthy and strong.

When this type of collagen degenerates or becomes weak, we can experience joint health issues. This is why it’s common to see Type II collagen in joint health supplements, often alongside glucosamine and other compounds that help promote cartilage health.

Type III

Type III collagen is similar to Type I in that it is present in skin, organs, blood vessels, and even in your heart. People deficient in this type of collagen might experience things like vascular deficiency and other problems with weak blood vessels, such as aneurysms.

Type III collagen can also be used to help heal the gut lining, as it’s similar to Type I and is often found with Type I in supplements. Research shows it can be found in abundance in skin layers as well, which makes it great for combating aging and keep the skin supple.

3 Natural Sources of Collagen

Collagen supplements are all the rage nowadays, but you can actually get quite a bit of collagen naturally from certain foods.

1. Bone Broth

Bone broth is broth made from animal bones, mainly beef and chicken, that contains ample amounts of collagen. Aside from an abundance of Type I collagen, bone broth also contains anti-inflammatory amino acids like glycine.

Chicken bones or carcasses may also contain more Type II collagen due to the connective tissue on the carcass.

Try adding bone broth to your diet three to four times a week. You can either sip it plain or use it as a stew or soup base.

2. Fish

Fish also contains collagen, mostly in the form of Type I. If you reach for fish that contains the bones and skin, such as sardines and skin-on salmon, you’ll get an even higher dose.

Along with its abundant omega-3 fatty acid content, fish makes a great choice for getting a dose of healthy fats and skin-loving collagen.

Grill, bake, or roast your favorite wild-caught fatty fish at least three times a week. Have it as a main for dinner, or even top your salads with it for lunch.

3. Eggs

Eggs are another common food that contains collagen. You’ll find mostly Type I collagen throughout the whites and shell. They also contain plenty of amino acids that play a role in keeping the joints and skin healthy.

Give eggs a go any time but, of course, know that they make an excellent breakfast choice. Scramble them up with some sweet potato hash, or have a couple over-easy with a half an avocado.

Collagen Nutrition Facts

Collagen is made of 1,050 amino acids, which are wound around one another to form a triple helix arrangement. The most abundant of these amino acids is proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline.

All three amino acids work together to form the collagen structure. L-proline is utilized by your body to produce hydroxyproline, where together they form the backbone of collagen to stabilize its structure. Glycine then assists in “gelling” together the collagen triple helix.

Collagen and its amino acids have minimal calories by themselves, so the calorie content will depend on what you consume to get it. Most foods with collagen also contain abundant amounts of protein and some fat.

If you take a collagen supplement, it will most likely contain protein and a small number of calories as well. 

Recipes to Try

These recipes will get you started on collagen-rich dish ideas. From DIY bone broth to skin-on fish and egg recipes, they’re the perfect easy way to get a daily dose.

• GUT HEALING INSTANT POT BONE BROTH RECIPE
• How to Make Grassfed Beef Bone Broth
• Fisherman’s Eggs | Tasty Sardine Low Carb Breakfast |
• Smoked Salmon and Avocado Eggs Benedict
• Pan Seared Crispy Salmon with Garlic Cauliflower Puree

Collagen Protein vs. Collagen Peptides

When it comes to taking collagen as a nutritional supplement, there are two different forms of collagen you can take: collagen peptides and collagen protein.

While both varieties of collagen offer similar amino acid profiles and health benefits, there are subtle differences between the two – mostly in terms of digestibility and how to add it to your diet.

Collagen Protein

Collagen protein is also called gelatin. It is made by cooking, and then drying, collagen before processing it into a powder.

The main factor that sets collagen protein apart from collagen peptides is that it gels when mixed with a cold liquid. For this reason, collagen protein is an ingredient for replacing glutenous thickeners in soups, broths and gravies.

Based on the gel-like consistency of collagen protein, it can also be used to add extra protein to omelets and Paleo desserts such as mousses and coconut milk ice cream.  

Collagen protein turns gelatinous, while collagen peptides don’t.

Collagen protein also takes longer to digest than collagen peptides.

For this reason, collagen protein has been studied for its therapeutic use in specialty diets (such as the GAPS diet), which aim to reduce intestinal inflammation and heal leaky gut.

Collagen Peptides

Collagen peptides are processed differently than collagen protein, or gelatin. Instead of just being cooked, dried, and ground into a powder, the amino acids in collagen peptides also get broken down during processing and are said to help enhance digestibility.

Collagen peptides have a different consistency than collagen protein. Since the amino acids are broken down during processing, collagen peptides do not gel when mixed with liquids. Therefore, they blend well with beverages, hot and cold alike.

Collagen peptides can be added to your favorite juice or smoothie recipes and make a mean Paleo protein pancake batter. You can even add collagen peptides to your hot, frothy butter coffee.

Both collagen peptides and collagen protein contain very similar amino acid profiles, so you don’t have to worry about receiving fewer nutrients by choosing one variety over the other.

Instead, the type of collagen you use will depend more on your current state of health (i.e., a compromised digestive system) and the preferences in temperature and texture of your recipes.

6 Amazing Collagen Benefits

Now that you understand the difference between collagen protein and collagen peptides, let’s take a look at the other ways collagen can help improve your health.

1. Curbs Cravings

If you suffer from sweet cravings, it’s not your fault. Whether they’re mild, intense, frequent or rare, cravings for sugary foods are often the result of blood sugar fluctuations.

You see, protein is the macronutrient our bodies require to keep blood sugar levels stabilized. So, when we don’t receive an adequate supply of high quality protein in our diets, our blood sugar levels are at a greater risk of becoming imbalanced.

Blood sugar is directly related to your energy levels.

Therefore, when blood sugar levels spike and crash – which is often due to eating excess sugar, going long periods of time without eating, mental stress and a lack of protein – our bodies will crave fast digesting carbs to get our blood sugar and energy levels back up.

As you can see, balancing blood sugar levels can be extremely helpful when it comes to kicking sugar cravings (not to mention preventing future blood sugar conditions down the road, such as type 2 diabetes). The best way to balance your blood sugar levels is by adding more protein to your diet – and collagen is an ideal way to do so.

2. Easy Way to Increase Protein Intake

Could there be an easier and more delicious way to increase your protein than by eating Paleo pancakes or chocolate mousse? Didn’t think so.

Making your favorite Paleo recipes with the addition of collagen is not only an easy way to improve the texture of your recipes, but also a convenient way to increase the nutritional value with minimal effort.

3. Healthy Alternative to Meat

Organic, grass-fed meat is the preferred type of protein on a Paleo diet because it has a higher omega-3 content and isn’t raised with growth hormones and antibiotics. But in some cases, grass-fed meat isn’t always affordable or easily accessible.

Unfortunately, factory-farmed meat isn’t an ideal alternative. Factory-farmed animals are typically raised with growth hormones such as rBGH and fed a diet high in corn and grains.

Additionally, animals that are fed a corn and grain diet are low in omega-3’s and high in omega-6’s. Omega-6’s are a pro-inflammatory fatty acid, which can cause inflammation in the body when consumed in excess.

Therefore, a high quality collagen protein from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals can provide a safe, healthy and low-cost alternative to meat.

4. Improves Digestion

As mentioned above, collagen may be helpful for relieving the intestinal inflammation associated with food sensitivities and digestive disorders, such as leaky gut. This is why collagen peptides are recommended for those who follow anti-inflammatory diets, such as the GAPS diet.

5. Reduces Inflammation in Joints

Collagen peptides also reduce inflammation in the joints. It’s great for patients with osteoarthritis, and can relieve joint pain in athletes.

6. Hydrates Skin

One study showed that taking collagen peptides for 8 weeks resulted in a significant improvement in skin hydration and skin collagen production. This suggests that taking collagen peptides can promote visible improvements in the skin’s appearance with only a few weeks of supplementation.

How to Find a Quality Collagen Supplement?

As suggested above, the quality of the collagen you choose is extremely important. Choose collagen products the exact same way you’d choose meat.

Start by looking for a quality collagen supplement sourced from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows that haven’t been raised with growth hormones (such as rBGH).

We recommend Vital Proteins for a top-notch collagen brand. They formulate their collagen peptides and gelatin from grass-fed cows in Brazil, where it is against the law to inject cows with growth hormones. When buying collagen supplements, make sure it’s non-GMO and allergen-free.

A quality collagen supplement should be Non-GMO and free of common allergens such as soy, corn and gluten. It’s important to avoid collagen supplements that contain added sugar, sweeteners, binders, fillers and artificial colors and flavors.

Lastly, your collagen supplement should be packed in an air-tight container to help prevent moisture from entering. Collagen absorbs moisture very easily, which allows bacteria to break it down and degrade it. Your collagen container should always be BPA-free to keep it clear of endocrine disruptors.

Personally, we recommend Bright Naturals Collagen because it meets all of the above quality requirements, and then some.

How to Cook, Bake and Drink Collagen

Try adding collagen to all of your favorite recipes, from gravy to dessert. It’s safe to cook and bake with it since collagen’s nutritional value doesn’t change when it’s exposed to high temperatures. You can also mix it into your favorite beverages.

Cook It:

The best form of collagen to cook with is collagen protein because it gels when mixed with liquid. This makes collagen protein an ideal healthy thickener that can be used in all kinds of recipes.

Cooking with collagen protein (gelatin) is easy. All you have to do is mix the collagen protein with a hot liquid until it begins to dissolve. Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, then add to your favorite recipes.

Use collagen protein in things like gravies, soups, Paleo gummy bears, jello, puddings or marshmallows.

Bake It:

Use gelatin as an egg replacement in recipes by mixing 3 tablespoons of hot water with 1 tablespoon of gelatin (which replaces 1-2 eggs).

Collagen peptides are also safe to cook and bake with. They don’t gel when combined with a liquid, so they can be easily mixed into any recipe without dramatically changing the texture. Try it in grain-free brownies and Paleo protein bars.

Drink It:

Collagen peptides blend well and add a creamy texture to any juice, smoothie or protein shake recipe. Use it as an alternative to protein powder!

Needless to say, adding collagen protein and peptides to your diet makes it easy to provide your body with the extra boost of nutrition it’s looking for to help ensure a full and vibrant life.

Watch this video –COLLAGEN RECIPES (Matcha Latte + Fudge) | Thrive Market

Written by Brandi Black

Author Bio:

Brandi Black is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and the creator of Feel Best Naked, a health blog for women who want to clear up their skin, lose the muffin top and make the bloat disappear. After years of experiencing (and then healing) her own unbalanced hormones, she’s now obsessed with helping other women feel spectacular in their own skin with natural remedies for hormone balance.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

What is Collagen and Why Your Body Needs Collagen

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Bovine Collagen vs. Marine Collagen: The Difference and Useful Tips

Not all collagen is created equal. Two of the major sources of collagen that you’ll see are bovine and marine, or cow and fish collagen. So which one is best?

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body. When we have enough, it keeps our skin supple and elastic, while also keeping our joints strong.

Unfortunately, collagen production begins to decline as we age (cue: sagging skin, wrinkles, joint pain, and other symptoms of aging). Not only that, but diets high in sugar, nutrient deficiencies, and too much sunbathing also help speed up collagen breakdown.

The Benefits of Collagen

On the other hand, when we reduce our sugar intake and consume collagen-rich foods like bone broth, we experience a range of benefits such as:

Collagen Improves Skin Health

Consuming collagen has been shown in studies to significantly increase skin firmness and elasticity. As we know, this can do wonders for turning back the aging clock. One study found that women aged 35-55 who supplemented with collagen hydrolysate for eight weeks experienced greatly improved skin elasticity and moisture levels, as well as reduced roughness.

Collagen Helps Heal Your Gut

It turns out that patients with inflammatory bowel disease have lowered serum levels of collagen in their bodies. Considering that collagen helps repair the tissues along the digestive tract, it makes sense that low collagen levels would cause irritation of a weak, collagen-deficient gut lining.

Collagen Eases Joint Pain

When we’re young, a healthy amount of collagen sits between our joints, providing lubrication for easy movement. When this begins to break down, our joints become less oiled and can begin to grind together, causing pain and inflammation.

Luckily, studies show that collagen can help. One showed that collagen hydrolysate supplements helped reduce joint pain in athletes, while also stating collagen could prevent joint degeneration. Another showed that collagen supplementation helps reduce osteoarthritis pain while also acting as a promising treatment.

But the list doesn’t end there. Some other benefits of collagen include:

• Reduced hair loss
• Improved liver health
• Less cellulite
• Improved wound healing

Bovine Collagen vs. Marine Collagen

Interestingly, not all collagen is the same. Depending on where it’s sourced from, collagen can contain different types, ranging from Type 1 to Type 10, each with its own benefits.

Two of the major sources of collagen that you’ll see in supplements are bovine and marine, or cow and fish collagen. While both have benefits, each has a different makeup of types. So which one is best?

The Benefits of Bovine Collagen

Bovine collagen, which is made of the skin, bones, and muscles of cows, is rich in Type 1 and Type 3 collagen. Both of these types are some of the most abundant in the human body, making them an excellent “fit,” if you will, for our consumption. Bovine collagen is also a rich source of proline and glycine.

Type 1 and Type 3 collagen are major components of ligaments, bones, tendons, blood vessels, eyes, and skin. This makes bovine collagen excellent for maintaining bone and gut health and healing wounds, as well as promoting strong joints.

Bovine collagen is also a rich source of proline and glycine. These amino acids have a host of benefits, from reducing fatigue to repairing sun-damaged skin.

The Benefits of Marine Collagen

Marine, or fish, collagen is sourced from discarded fish bones and scales. Like bovine collagen, it is also rich in Type 1 collagen, proline, and glycine. However, studies have shown that fish collagen peptides are smaller, giving them superior bioavailability and digestibility.

Since it’s easier to digest, fish collagen is excellent if you have digestive issues or if you’re using collagen specifically to heal your gut. Not to mention, the enhanced absorption also makes it easier for your body to flood your skin and joints with more of the anti-aging and bone-building molecules. Fish collagen may prove to be one of the best types to take, especially if you follow a high-antioxidant Paleo diet.

Also, while all collagen is beneficial for your skin, fish collagen may prove to be one of the best types to take, especially if you follow a high-antioxidant Paleo diet filled with colorful fruits and veggies.

One study showed that participants taking fish collagen combined with antioxidants for just two months showed remarkable improved skin elasticity, moisture, and dermal ultrasonic markers.

These results could be due to the fact that fish collagen also contains higher levels of a certain amino acid, hydroxyproline. Hydroxyproline is unique in that several of its peptides are not digested completely, which allows them to be detected in your blood. Because of this, they help stimulate collagen synthesis by activating skin, joint, and bone cells.

Watch this video – How to Make Fish Bone Broth

The Short Answer

Regardless of whether collagen is sourced from cows or fish, it’s bound to benefit your skin, joints, bones, and more. After all, studies support both forms when it comes to its benefits.

However, with that being said, fish collagen appears to be superior when it comes to absorption and digestibility, which is extremely important when it comes to reaping the benefits of any type of collagen to begin with. If you’re concerned that you are sensitive to beef proteins, your best bet will be to try marine collagen.

A Note on Hydrolyzed Collagen

Another thing you should look for when purchasing collagen – whether it’s bovine or marine – is that it’s hydrolyzed. This form of collagen is broken down for even easier digestion and absorption, which is great if you have trouble digesting or breaking down proteins.

How to Get Your Daily Dose of Collagen?

Collagen is virtually tasteless, making it an easy addition to dishes you already make. Some ideas on how to reap the benefits of collagen:

• Add collagen powder to soups and stews
• Create a rich bone broth from grass-fed bones
• Add a couple tablespoons of collagen powder to your smoothies
• Replace your protein powder with collagen protein powder
• Add powder to muffins, cookies, and other baked goodies

As a side note, studies show that collagen synthesis is stimulated by vitamin C, so it would be beneficial to take both collagen and vitamin C together, or increase your intake of vitamin C-rich foods.

Choosing a marine or bovine collagen supplement truly comes down to your personal situation and the state of your digestion. If you can’t decide which to choose, try rotating the two and see which seems to give you more benefits.

Either way, you’ll be glad you cashed in on some of the best anti-aging body “glue” around.

Watch these 2 videos –

The Secret to Younger Looking Skin (Boost Collagen Naturally) - Dr Alan Mandell, DC

Things You Need to Know Before Taking Collagen Supplements

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

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