COLLAGEN - 3 Top Foods

https://veghealth.com/ (full copy of 9/07/2022 newsletter) The Perks of Collagen Eating collagen-rich foods is one of the best ways of ensuring you get a sufficient and sustainable amount of this vital protein into your body. Collagen provides several benefits to the body, so eating foods rich in its key elements is crucial to feeling our happiest and most natural self. What does collagen do? It is a major building block in your tendons, ligaments, muscles, and even your skin. By ensuring you have a healthy supply within you, you can move more freely and painlessly. Meanwhile, your skin will be better hydrated and more elastic, which prevents the formation of wrinkles. Collagen also helps to cushion your joints by supporting the development of cartilage, reducing your risk for arthritis. There’s more! Your bones also rely on collagen to keep them strong as you age and face an increased risk of osteoporosis (which literally means “porous bones”). The muscles around them are made of up to 10 percent of collagen; when you combine strength training and a collagen-rich diet, your muscles will function better and help you perform day-to-day tasks with ease. Additionally, collagen provides structure to your arteries. That helps your heart perform more efficiently as blood flows smoothly throughout your body. If that wasn’t enough, this hard-working protein makes your nails stronger and your hair healthier. In general, it’s like the glue that holds your joints, skin, hair, nails, and arteries together, so it makes sense to make it a priority for a healthy body. Our collagen stores begin to deplete at age 20 and seriously decline after age 40. That explains why skin starts to sag and joints begin to ache. However, switching up your diet can really turn things around. With all the benefits in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best foods rich in collagen. This protein consists of three amino acids: proline, glycine, and lysine. As the body ages, it produces less collagen naturally on its own so supplementing it via good nutrition is a wise move. When considering the best foods for promoting collagen, you’re drawing on these key amino acids and other nutrients that will help your body naturally boost collagen production for all the reasons we’ve listed above. As a bonus, there are several vitamins and minerals that work well with naturally collagen-rich foods, to aid in their absorption and to make them work better for you. There is a range of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and more to ensure you have enough variety in your diet. That way, you can slip one of two of these foods into your meals every day. 3 Natural Collagen Boosters To build a stronger, healthier version of you, include these powerhouses in your diet starting today:

Spirulina You may be less familiar with spirulina, but it’s one of the best foods you can eat to promote collagen. It grows as a form of blue-green algae and has been part of a healthy diet since the Aztecs started incorporating it into their meals in the 16th century. If you are looking for a way to get a good dose of protein while eating less or no meat, this plant can fill the gap.

What makes spirulina so excellent is that it is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. Even its farm practices require less land and water to create its proteins, compared to other sources. Not only does spirulina consist of 65% amino acids, but it is also a strong source of copper, an important mineral for promoting collagen development. Spirulina can be purchased in tablet form, or as a powder. As a powder, you can simply mix it with a glass of water or put a spoonful in your smoothie.

Mushrooms Zinc and vitamin D can do wonders for stimulating collagen production, and both are found in mushrooms. This superfood makes our list early since it is so easy to add it to countless dishes, from soups and salads to omelets and garnishes on meat dishes.

To get your best results, consider adding a variety of mushrooms to some Instant Pot meals for your lunch or dinner. They come in different types, each with a unique taste. You’ll never run out of ways to use them while reaping the benefits of their magical qualities. Wait, we forgot pizza toppings, stuffed mushrooms, diced in antipasto, spaghetti sauce... you get the point.

Garlic Yes, garlic is good for your health. You’ve heard it time and time again, but it seems to keep revealing many new ways it works its magic. Garlic comes to the table with zinc, vitamin C, amino acid taurine, sulfur, and organosulfur compounds lipoic acid and allicin, which add the unique color and flavor.

All combined, these nutrients are a powerhouse for supporting the production of collagen. When you eat a healthy amount of the foods listed in this report, then add some garlic, you’re giving the body the diverse diet it needs to produce the collagen it needs Not only does garlic help with collagen production and prevent the breakdown of the supply your body already has… It fights the free radicals your skin is exposed to through pollution and helps renew skin fibers. If you’re wary of the pungent aroma of garlic, try drinking green tea or chewing on gum or fresh mint after your meal.