Image courtesy of Flavour and Savour.
Having a smoothie is a great way to start the day, to have a pre workout meal, or even to end the day. Smoothies are known for packing numerous health benefits because of all the fruits and vegetables used to make them, and when you also add protein and collagen, you end up with a super smoothie that will give you even more benefits than the average one. And if you’re already used to making smoothies, there isn’t too much you really need to do on top of the usual. With using collagen and protein, you have a little bit more to mix in, but it really only takes a few seconds, so stay tuned for a few simple recipes!
What is Collagen?
Collagen is one of the most popular supplements on the market for joint and skin care, and can even offer some gut benefits. It can be taken as a capsule, as a powder, or in liquid form, and the powdered version is known to be the best one. Collagen powder, also known as collagen peptides, can fit easily into your diet, and provide the most benefits. It is hydrolyzed, which makes it easy to digest, and can be mixed into any drink or meal. You can also do the same with liquid collagen, but it is somewhat harder to find as it is less popular.
Collagen is a protein that plays a large part in building up every organ in the body. It is naturally produced by the body and makes up a large percent of it. And because of this, it is sometimes used as a supplement by people when they want to improve their health outcomes. Just about everything in your body uses collagen to function properly, from skin to your bones and your muscles. About 30 percent of the protein in your body is made up of collagen as well, and protein is what helps your muscles grow.
In total, there are about 28 types of collagen, and each different kind affects a different part of the body. Four types are the most prominent in the body, and those are type I, type II, type III, and type IV. Type I is found in all body’s connective tissue, type II is found in the joints, discs and gut lining, and type III is found in the skin and blood vessels.
The Benefits of Collagen
Collagen is involved in building and maintaining the health of each major organ. It replaces dead skin cells, gives skin elasticity, helps blood clot, reduces joint pain, and keeps skin moisturized, and much more. Collagen is best known for reducing joint pain. The body loses collagen as you age, and that causes the bones to have less protection, which causes more friction and joint pain over time. When someone adds collagen to their diet, it works to reduce the awful effects that aging and activity has on your joints.
Collagen helps replace dead skin cells, gives skin elasticity, helps blood clot, reduces joint pain, and keeps skin well moisturized. As people age, the collagen in the body decreases, causing there to be less cushioning for the joints, and taking collagen can help replace it. Collagen also works to boost muscle mass, build up the arteries, give strength to the hair and nails, and even regulate weight. It helps with the digestion process, builds and repairs the gut lining, and can even help with leaky gut syndrome and IBS symptoms like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, cramps, and acid reflux. Collagen even contributes to your brain health and can help you regulate weight. It can also help fight gut inflammation and protect against leaky gut syndrome.
The Side Effects of Collagen
Collagen isn’t known to cause major side effects, especially because your body needs it in abundance. You will only experience side effects from collagen if you take far too much, and even then, they won’t be side effects that are difficult to get rid of. As long as you take the right dose, you can avoid even the mild side effects that can come from taking collagen, and some of those side effects are gut related.
Too much collagen over a long period of time can lead to mild digestive side effects like a heavy feeling in the stomach or overall discomfort. Another side effect can be diarrhea, which tends to be more mild, but more side effects can occur in extremely rare cases. Those side effects can include skin rashes, hyperglycemia, overaccumulation of calcium, and kidney stones. Though you would have to overuse collagen to an extreme degree to even experience those symptoms.
How To Make A Collagen Protein Smoothie
One way to take in your collagen for the day is by using collagen powder, and that is something that you can put into just about anything that you eat or drink. One great way to get your collagen intake is through smoothies. When you put your collagen into something flavored, taste won’t be a problem, and if you put it into a drink with texture, the texture won’t be either. Collagen can make your water thick and cloudy, but when it comes to smoothies, you won’t notice a thing! And that is why a smoothie is the best option to go with when you want to put some protein powder into something and have it taste good.
So how do you make a collagen protein smoothie? All you really need to do is combine a few important ingredients, mix them up in a blender, and pour it into the container of your choice. The great thing about smoothies is that you can enjoy them in the house or you can take them on the go. They can easily fill you up before work, class, or the gym, and that goes double when they are packed with protein. Here are some recipes to get you started:
Matcha Peach Smoothie
If you’d like to try something fruity, go with a peach matcha smoothie. It will be a tasty way to start out the day, and be satisfied for a few hours. If a matcha latte is usually your drink of choice, with this smoothie, you can get your dose of matcha in the morning alongside a hefty dose of collagen. Here is how you make it:
Peach Smoothie
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup frozen peach slices
- 1 scoop collagen
- 1 scoop creamer in coconut
- 1/2 a medium haas avocado
- 2 teaspoons of raw honey
To make this smoothie, what you need to do is combine the almond milk, the frozen peach slices, the matcha collagen, the collagen creamer, and the avocado. Add some honey to the mix as a sweetener, and place it all into a blender. Run the blender for less than a minute or until the mixture is smooth and serve it as soon as you’re ready.
Iced Chocolate Collagen Smoothie
An iced chocolate collagen smoothie will send you off to work with a great start. It's full of protein, potassium, collagen, and more, and will have you feeling great on your way out the door. All you need is a few simple household ingredients and a sachet of collagen, and you will have a drink that tastes great and makes you feel great, especially in the long run. Here is how you make a chocolate collagen smoothie:
- 1 collagen sachet
- 1 banana
- 3 dates
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- ½ cup ice
The first thing that you need to do is fill up half a cup with ice. Then you will need to tear the banana into chunks and throw it into the blender along with the cocoa powder. After that you will add in the dates or the honey depending on your preference, and then add in the almond butter. Blend everything up, and when you’re done, add in the collagen sachet and stir everything up.
Strawberry Collagen Smoothie
A strawberry collagen smoothie can get your day started or finished off right. Anytime you want a few servings of fruit with an extra dose of nutrients, you can put together a few common household ingredients, your collagen, and have a glass ready to go. You can always customize the recipe however you like, but for now, try it as is to see how you like it. Here is how you make a strawberry collagen smoothie:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons collagen peptides
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon sweetener
The first thing you will need to do is add all your ingredients to the blender. Add in the strawberries first, then add the water, the collagen, the chia seeds, and a sweetener of your choice. Now all you need to do is blend everything together for about 30-60 seconds, pour it into a glass, and enjoy.
Dr. Emil’s Multi Collagen Peptides Plus offers several great benefits that make it a great option when you want a collagen supplement. The list of benefits that is provides include:
- 5 types of premium collagen peptides. Collagen peptides are short strings of amino acids that boost muscle growth and muscle repair as well as bone growth and repair. They will give you the benefits that you are looking for.
- Supports healthy joints, bones, and digestion. Each of these things can impact your ability to lose weight when they aren’t in top shape, and collagen will help prevent that from happening.
- Gives hair, skin, and nails a youthful appearance. With collagen, you will not only feel better, but you will look better as well.
Smoothies are very often a healthy and delicious meal replacement source, and you can make it even more of one when you add a few healthy doses of protein and collagen to them. Adding protein collagen smoothies to your life can improve your health in the long run, especially when it comes to your skin, so get to mixing up a few smoothies and getting healthier!
