Want to create a healthy daily routine? Start by adding a serving of collagen into your morning cup of tea.
Collagen tea is, as the name entails, simply tea with collagen added to it. You can easily add a serving of collagen to green tea, black tea, hibiscus tea or another favourite to get a number of health benefits such as skin, hair, nail, bone, joint and gut health to name a few.
While collagen tea is a nutrient-dense beverage that can easily be made at home, some companies have capitalised on this morning habit, transforming it into a pre-packaged product. Below, we explain what collagen tea is, why you should make it at home (rather than purchase a packaged product) and how to make a delicious collagen tea to start your morning.
What Is Collagen Tea?
Collagen tea is a cup of tea with collagen added to it. While scientists note that you can experience the health benefits of collagen by consuming as little as 10 grams of collagen per day, most people mix between 10-30 grams — or roughly 2 tablespoons — into their morning tea [1].
To make a collagen tea, simply fill a mug with boiling water, add a tea bag or fresh tea leaves then mix in 2 tablespoons of collagen peptides, gently stirring until the collagen dissolves. Since collagen is a tasteless powder, you can add whatever mix-ins you typically enjoy with your tea, such as double cream, honey, coconut milk or almond milk.
Why Should You Drink Collagen Tea?
You should drink collagen tea each morning because it’s a simple way to get more collagen into your diet. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, found within your bones, cartilage, joints, hair, skin and nails. Collagen can improve your gut health (helping to prevent and treat leaky gut syndrome), strengthen bones, improve skin elasticity and hydration (thereby preventing wrinkles), decrease joint pain and lead to shiny hair [2][3][4]. Plus, collagen is filled with an unusually high amount of essential amino acids, particularly glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, the building blocks of protein [5].
Unfortunately, collagen concentration in your body naturally declines as you age. After age 30, your collagen production declines at a rate of 1% per year [6]. This can cause stiff joints, skin wrinkles and brittle bones and nails.
But here's a piece of good news: You can make up for lost collagen due to aging by consuming collagen orally. Hydrolyzed collagen peptides are a white, unflavoured powder extracted from the hide of cattle (for bovine collagen) or skin of fish (for marine collagen). The collagen peptides are made through an enzymatic process, free from solvents. By mixing a serving of collagen peptides into just one beverage per day — like your morning cup of tea — you can increase collagen synthesis and enjoy a number of anti-aging benefits.
3 Reasons You Should Always Make Collagen Tea at Home
To enjoy the maximum benefits of collagen, you should always choose a high-quality product. Unfortunately, many companies have transformed this nutrient-dense, natural superfood into a wellness trend, so you should do your research before buying products online.
Packaged collagen teas are just the latest products in a long line of collagen protein powders, beauty serums, "detox" beverages and skincare creams that print "collagen" on the label in order to cash in on the trend, without truly understanding the research or considering a clean source of collagen.
Here's why you should always make collagen tea at home, rather than purchasing a pre-made product:
- Control your collagen intake: Most people should consume roughly 13 grams of collagen per day — but your unique needs may differ depending on your age, body composition and lifestyle. Making collagen tea at home allows you to control the amount of collagen you consume, thereby offering maximum health benefits.
- Control the type of collagen: Fun fact — there are 16 different types of collagen available, each with different health benefits. Roughly 90% of your body's collagen comes from type I, type II and type III [7]. Unfortunately, a packaged collagen drink might not state which type of collagen the product is sourced from.
- Control the quality of collagen: Like most products, the quality of collagen supplement is directly linked to sourcing. Always purchase collagen extracted from high-quality animals, such as grass-fed cattle (for bovine collagen) and wild-caught fish (for marine collagen). If you purchase a packaged collagen tea, you have absolutely no control (or knowledge) over where that particular collagen powder came from.
7 Collagen Tea, Coffee and Other Hot Beverages to Try
Consuming a morning beverage mixed with collagen peptides can improve your joint, bone, gut and skin health. To make collagen tea and coffee at home, try these delicious recipes:
- Matcha collagen and MCT oil latte: In this recipe, mix collagen peptides with cacao butter, MCT oil, matcha powder, cinnamon and coconut milk to make a delicious morning latte filled with antioxidants.
- Bulletproof coffee with MCT oil: Bulletproof coffee is a keto-friendly and gluten-free beverage where grass-fed butter or ghee is blended with a cup of coffee. This version mixes in collagen and MCT oil for added health benefits.
- Keto cinnamon spiced latte: This cosy cinnamon latte is the perfect dairy-free beverage for autumn or winter. If you enjoy chai lattes, you simply have to try this recipe.
- Keto sugar-free pumpkin spiced protein latte: The typical pumpkin spiced lattes are filled with sugar, dairy and other unwanted ingredients. Try this recipe — made with collagen, pumpkin puree, coffee, MCT oil and spices — for a low-carb, sugar-free version.
- Keto coffee: Coffee and tea are morning beverages that you can safely consume on the keto diet. Rather than consuming high-sugar coffee creamers, learn how to make various low-carb beverages by adding collagen, MCT oil and other high-quality ingredients into your morning cup.
- Hot apple cider vinegar steamer drink: While a cup of hot apple cider in the winter can be extremely soothing, it's typically filled with carbs and sugar. This hot apple cider vinegar drink combines apple cider vinegar, collagen peptides, lemon, ginger, cinnamon and fresh cherries for a nutrient-dense twist on the popular beverage.
- Paleo 100% dark hot cocoa recipe: Yes, it's possible to make hot cocoa without refined white sugar. This paleo-friendly recipe combines full-fat coconut milk, 100% dark chocolate and collagen peptides for a delicious beverage. You can also add honey, peppermint extract or cinnamon sticks for added flavour.
Start Your Morning Off With a Cup of Collagen Tea
Collagen is found in your joints, hair, skin, bones and nails, leading to a number of health benefits. Unfortunately, your collagen production naturally declines as you age — particularly after your 30s.
To prevent wrinkles, maintain strong bones and joints, and keep your gut healthy, consume roughly 2 tablespoons of collagen per day from a high-quality source. It can be added to your morning cup of tea to easily get more collagen into your diet.
To get the maximum benefits of collagen, always make your own morning beverage rather than purchasing a store-bought product. Making collagen tea at home ensures you can control the quantity, quality and type of collagen you can consume.
Add Hunter & Gather Bovine Collagen (sourced from grass-fed cattle) and Marine Collagen (sourced from wild-caught fish) to your cup of tea to get more collagen in your diet. Be sure to check out our recipe collection for more delicious ways to get collagen into your diet.
All information provided on our website and within our articles is simply information, opinion, anecdotal thoughts and experiences to provide you with the tools to thrive.
It is not intended to treat or diagnose symptoms and is definitely not intended to be misconstrued for medical advice. We always advise you seek the advice of a trained professional when implementing any changes to your lifestyle and dietary habits.
We do however recommend seeking the services of a trained professional who questions the conventional wisdom to enable you to become the best version of yourself.
RESOURCES
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7271718/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11071580/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28174772/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/
