Collagen supplements are one of the health and beauty industry’s most popular products, offering many benefits for your skin, hair, and joints. Consuming hydrolyzed collagen protein powder regularly can help support glowing skin and healthy hair and nails, and it might even help improve bone density.
While all these benefits may sound promising, taking collagen powder every day is a commitment. After all, the benefits are only as effective as your ability to consume your daily serving of collagen powder regularly. While collagen can certainly be mixed into plain water, this method can quickly become unappetizing and difficult to sustain.
Instead of just mixing collagen powder into a bunch of smoothies, consider these creative ways to incorporate your serving of collagen into your daily routine. With many options to choose from, you’ll find consuming your collagen protein powder easier than ever.
Collagen powder benefits
Collagen serves many important roles in the body, providing structure, strength, and support throughout the body. However, the body naturally loses collagen with age through the normal aging process. Although collagen is present in some foods (such as bone broth), obtaining enough collagen to help combat the loss is often not possible through a standard diet.
As such, taking a daily collagen protein powder can offer many benefits to support the production of collagen within the body. In a study that followed over 1,000 people taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements, researchers found that these supplements may help improve skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles.
Beyond collagen’s ability to enhance skin appearance and health, collagen may also help strengthen bones and improve joint function. With time and more research, it is possible that collagen powder also offers even more health benefits that have not yet been discovered.
Creative ways to use collagen
Collagen powder in eggs
The texture of collagen powder allows it to blend effectively into liquids. One easy way to make sure you get your collagen every day is to mix it into eggs or egg whites. Grab a scoop of your favorite brand of unflavored collagen peptides and whisk it into your eggs before cooking (while still liquid). Be sure to mix the collagen well immediately upon combining.
Collagen powder in eggs can be made into regular scrambled eggs or even an omelet. Not only does this method make it easy to incorporate your collagen into a food you’re already consuming, but it amps up your breakfast with even more protein! The collagen powder adds a slightly thicker, yet flavorless texture to your eggs or egg whites. For best results, mix your serving of collagen into at least two eggs.
Collagen powder in nut butters
If eggs aren’t your thing, mixing collagen powder into your favorite nut butter is another versatile option. Collagen powder blends well into any type of nut butter, such as macadamia nut butter, peanut butter, or almond butter. This method also works well if you are using a flavored collagen peptide product, such as a vanilla or chocolate variety.
Once you’ve mixed your collagen protein powder into your nut butter, the opportunities are endless. Use your nut butter however you would normally, such as spreading it onto an apple or crackers. Mixing collagen powder into nut butter makes it easy to incorporate into a daily lunch or snack.
Collagen powder in hot beverages
If you drink coffee, tea, or hot chocolate every morning; why not mix collagen powder in? Collagen protein powder blends perfectly into hot beverages and can sometimes even enhance the flavor (such as with flavored collagen varieties).
It is a common misconception that the heat of warm beverages denatures the peptides. In fact, the temperature of freshly brewed coffee or tea is not warm enough to affect the quality of your collagen supplement. When mixing into hot beverages, consider using a frother to help blend the mixture effortlessly and avoid clumping.
Mixing collagen into hot beverages is one of the easiest ways to take your collagen while traveling, as it doesn’t require cooking.
Collagen powder in yogurt
Collagen powder can blend easily into nearly any kind of yogurt, from soy yogurts to traditional Greek yogurt. Not only is yogurt a great protein-rich snack, but the addition of collagen makes it even more hearty. In addition to using it in hot beverages, this method is a great travel hack for getting your collagen in, too.
Cooking and baking with collagen supplements
Collagen supplements can also blend right into sauces and dressings, offering a versatile option to get your collagen serving no matter what your day’s meals entail. Any creamy sauce, such as Alfredo sauce or cheese sauce, offers the perfect atmosphere to accommodate collagen. You can also try adding collagen to homemade soups and pasta sauces. The liquid base of muffin and brownie batters also blends well with powder collagen.
Finding the methods that work for your lifestyle
Tired of mixing your collage into water every day? Committing to taking collagen powder daily doesn’t have to be a daily stressor and can actually be enjoyable. With these easy and creative ways to use collagen in your diet routine, there’s always a way to get your collagen in. As you explore these ways to use collagen, you might even come up with a few unique ways of your own. Find the methods that work for your lifestyle and stick with them.
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