What is Collagen?

Collagen is a material that holds your body together. It is like a scaffold.

There are two types of collagen: endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous collagen is natural, made by the body.

Exogenous collagen comes from outside the body and can be in supplements or used for medical purposes like fixing your body tissues.

You probably think about collagen because doctors talk about it when they are talking about skin aging and collagen creams. Collagen is a protein and is one of the main building blocks of our skin.

It is also found in our bones, tendons, and ligaments. Doctors say that if you don’t have enough collagen, your skin will look old.

Collagen is made of three amino acids. The collagen molecule looks like a triple helix, and it combines with other molecules in the skin to form a mesh-like network called the dermis, which is below the epidermis and above the fat.

Foods That Help to Increase Collagen Production

Foods rich in collagen or do things to help your body make more collagen may also help you get better skin.

Three amino acids are important for making collagen: proline, lysine, and glycine. Katey Davidson says that these three amino acids are important for making the building blocks of your skin.

Bone Broth

Recent research says that bone broth may not be a reliable source of collagen. But people still like it the most. Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones in water.

Some people think it makes collagen, but this has not been proven yet. When making this at home, season the broth with spices for flavor.

Chicken

There is a reason why some collagen supplements are made from chicken. Chicken has lots of it, and if you have ever cut up a whole chicken, you could see how much connective tissue there is.

These tissues make chicken a rich source of dietary collagen.

Fish

Fish and shellfish have bones and ligaments made of collagen. Some people say that these foods are easy to absorb, but the meat in fish contains less collagen than other parts.

Fish skin can also be used to get collagen peptides.

Egg Whites

Eggs don’t have connective tissues as other animal products do. But egg whites have a lot of proline, which is necessary for collagen production.

Citrus Fruits

Vitamin C is important for the production of pro-collagen. Pro-collagen is a precursor to collagen. Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are full of vitamin C.

You can eat a broiled grapefruit in the morning or add orange segments to your salad.

Berries

Vitamin C is important for people. Citrus gets a lot of attention, but berries are also good. Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges.

Raspberries and blueberries have some, too. Berries are healthy because they help keep your skin safe from damage.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are perfect for your health and might also be good for your skin. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard have something called chlorophyll in them.

Chlorophyll is good for the body because it has antioxidants. In addition, one study showed that eating leafy greens could make more collagen in the skin.

Still, some research does look promising. For example, a study published in a journal found that women who consume more collagen had higher levels of elasticity in their skin after four weeks than those who drank a placebo.

Another study says that taking collagen powders or liquids can help make your skin smoother and less wrinkled. But it can also help with other things like joint pain, muscles, or digestion.

So if you are looking for something easier to do and less expensive, try a collagen supplement.