More and more of us are reverting back to our primal roots and taking some lifestyle advice from our ancestors in the pursuit of health and happiness!
Animal-based foods are a huge part of this, which goes to explain the influx of collagen products and recipes in recent years. We’ve all heard of collagen and its many health benefits, but what actually is it and what does it do?
Read on to discover more about this powerful protein and why you need it in your life!
What is Collagen Anyway?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, weighing in at around one third of our total body protein. Its structural role helps to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, as well as promoting strong bones and resilient joints. We now also know that collagen plays a key role in gut health and so supports a healthy digestive system. Basically, if it’s part of your body then it’ll probably benefit from collagen in one way or another!
The Modern Diet: A Different Colla-Generation!
You’ll forgive us for the pun when you hear us out!
The modern-day diet is hugely different to that of our ancestors. Quite frankly, we’re spoilt. We don’t have to hunt and butcher our animals, instead we just breeze down the meat-aisle (riding on the trolley is optional but encouraged) and take our pick from hundreds of skinless, deboned and pan-ready cuts of meat.
Convenience foods have a lot to answer for but in terms of meat, taking out the hard work of butchery is not so convenient for our health. The demand for ready-prepared meat means we’re missing out on a whole host of nutrients, not to mention wasting almost half of each animal.
You wouldn’t catch your hunter-gatherer ancestors wasting any part of an animal – that’s where the idea of bone broth came from – simmering down the carcass of an animal to create a protein-packed meal out of the things we now discard. Our ancestors have eaten meat ‘by-products’ for thousands of years and not only survived but thrived!
Can I Boost my Collagen Levels with Food?
Collagen is found in the connective tissue of all animals, but that’s something most of us don’t eat much of. It’s common practice to remove the skin, fat and other connective tissues from meat.
In fact, most fresh meat is stripped of these things before it hits the shelves. That’s because the elasticity can have an unpleasant texture for some and be difficult to chew – not to mention that some modern meat-eaters like to think their steak is entirely unrelated to that large animal chomping on grass in the field!
You can boost your collagen levels with foods such as grass-fed marbled meat, oily fish, bone broth and vegetables containing carotenoids. Having said this, the majority of people won’t be eating these foods every day. In addition to this, collagen found in food is harder for your body to absorb compared with supplements.
So in short, yes you can boost your collagen levels with food – but unless you’re sipping on bone broth from dawn till dusk it’s unlikely that you’ll reap the benefits with food alone and taking collagen as an addition to your Real Food diet is key for us!
What’s Sup with Collagen Supplements?
So we need more collagen but boosting our levels with normal food isn’t going to cut the mustard? The answer: supplementation. Supplementing your real food diet with collagen is a convenient and reliable way to ensure that you get all the collagen you need without having to master butchery or chew on raw tendons!
Do I need a Supplement?
Studies have shown that our body’s ability to produce collagen slows down as we age. In fact, we naturally produce less and less collagen from the tender age of 30. Throw in factors such as deficient diets and craving convenient animal products and it’s understandable why faltering collagen levels should be a concern for most.
How do I choose the best Collagen?
Collagen peptide supplements provide the body with a source of collagen that is extremely bioavailable, making it easy for your body to absorb and utilise. Peptides are made by breaking down full-length collagen molecules, making them easier to digest and getting them to where they’re needed quicker compared with collagen from normal food.
Should I use Collagen Peptides or Hydrolysed Collagen?
Ah yes, the question we get asked most often.
Well... Hydrolysed Collagen and Collagen Peptides are two names for the same product. In short, full length collagen is broken down into collagen peptides through a process called hydrolysis, so collagen peptides are frequently also referred to as hydrolysed collagen or hydrolysed peptides - not so confusing now, right?
We’ve Hunted out the Best Collagen and Gathered it just for YOU!
Our 100% Pure & Unflavoured Bovine Collagen Peptide Supplement has been created to provide an unrivalled source of quality protein that is super convenient without sacrificing any of the health benefits. Each spoonful contains all 18 amino acids needed to repair and replenish tissues throughout the body.
We’ve created our quality bovine collagen peptides using off cuts from the meat industry that are all too often wasted. Caring for the environment is one of our key values. Not only does this reduce waste but it provides you with a premium supplement of superb nutritive value – everyone’s a winner!
Here’s what makes our collagen the best there is…
- PURE – Free from allergens, lab-tested for purity and extracted using an innovative water-based, contaminant-free process
- UNFLAVOURED – Dissolves easily into hot and cold drinks, soups, smoothies, sauces and meals
- BOVINE – Sourced from 100% bovine animals, which are known to have a beneficial balance of collagen types best for providing health benefits in humans
We hope you now have a better understanding of the wonder nutrient that is collagen! Just 1-2 tablespoons of collagen peptides each day is enough to top up your levels and keep on top of the anti-collagen ageing effect.
But that’s not all the (colla) gen there is to know, this is post #1 of 4 in our collagen series. Keep an eye out for the others to discover the many health benefits of collagen and exactly what it is that makes them possible!
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.
