Collagen is often hailed as the fountain of youth for its pivotal role in maintaining skin elasticity, joint health, and overall vitality. However, not all collagens are created equal. There are several types of collagen, each serving unique functions in the body. In this blog post, we'll explore the main types of collagen that are crucial for maintaining a healthy body.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about 30% of the total protein content. It’s a key component of connective tissues, which include skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Collagen provides structural support, strength, and elasticity, playing a vital role in the integrity of various body tissues.

The Main Types of Collagen

There are at least 28 different types of collagen, but five types are particularly important for human health: Types I, II, III, IV, and V. Let's delve into each of these and understand their specific roles.

1. Type I Collagen

Where it’s Found: Skin, Tendons, Bones, Ligaments

Function: Type I collagen is the most abundant collagen in the human body, accounting for about 90% of the body's collagen. It’s known for providing structure to skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments. This type of collagen is also essential for wound healing and giving skin its firmness and elasticity.

Benefits:

• Improved skin hydration and elasticity
• Enhanced wound healing
• Stronger bones and tendons

2. Type II Collagen

Where it’s Found: Cartilage

Function: Type II collagen is primarily found in cartilage, the flexible tissue that cushions joints. This type of collagen is crucial for maintaining the health of joints and preventing degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.

Benefits:

• Supports joint health and mobility
• Reduces joint pain and inflammation
• Protects against cartilage degradation

3. Type III Collagen

Where it’s Found: Skin, Muscles, Blood vessels

Function: Type III collagen is often found alongside Type I collagen in the skin and other tissues. It helps maintain the structural integrity of blood vessels, organs, and muscles. This type of collagen is particularly important during the early stages of wound healing.

Benefits:

• Supports cardiovascular health
• Promotes skin elasticity
• Aids in muscle repair and growth

4. Type IV Collagen

Where it’s Found: Basement membrane (a thin layer that separates epithelial and endothelial cells from underlying connective tissue)

Function: Type IV collagen forms the basal lamina, a crucial part of the basement membrane that supports cell layers in various tissues. This type of collagen is essential for filtration functions in the kidneys and other organs.

Benefits:

• Supports filtration in the kidneys
• Provides structural support to cell layers
• Maintains the integrity of the epithelial and endothelial cells

5. Type V Collagen

Where it’s Found: Skin, Hair, Placenta

Function: Type V collagen is involved in the formation of cell surfaces and hair. It also plays a role in the formation of the placenta during pregnancy. This type of collagen is necessary for creating and maintaining the structure of these tissues.

Benefits:

• Supports skin and hair health
• Plays a crucial role in pregnancy
• Enhances tissue repair

Boosting Your Body's Natural Collagen Production with These Nutrient-Rich Foods

As we age, our body's natural collagen production declines, leading to wrinkles, joint pain, and other signs of aging. When it comes to boosting the body's natural collagen production, there are several different things you can do to help.

For one, certain lifestyle changes may be in order. Avoid smoking, and excessive sugar intake, both of which can degrade collagen over time. As you inhibit your body's ability to create its own collagen, your joints, hair, and skin can all suffer the consequences.

You can add in supplements in order to help your body's natural function and not with just added collagen, your body needs other vitamins and nutrients in order to help this natural process along. Collagen supplements, often derived from bovine bones, tendons, hide can help boost collagen levels.

Despite the help a healthy lifestyle and the consumption of supplements can provide, there is no better way to naturally boost your body's collagen production than improving and adding collagen rich foods to your diet.

Every one should incorporate collagen-rich foods like bone broth, chicken skin, and fish into their diets as a general rule. Vitamin C-rich foods (e.g., citrus fruits, bell peppers) are also essential as vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis.

Understanding the different types of collagen and their specific roles can help you make informed decisions about maintaining your health and creating a nutrient-dense diet. By incorporating collagen-boosting foods and supplements into your routine, you can support your body's natural ability to stay strong, flexible, and youthful.

Collagen is essential for maintaining the health and elasticity of your skin, joints, and connective tissues. As we age, collagen production naturally declines, leading to wrinkles, joint pain, and other signs of aging.

Fortunately, certain foods can help boost your body's collagen production. Here’s a guide to the best foods to incorporate into your diet for a collagen boost.

1. Bone Broth

Bone broth is one of the richest sources of natural collagen. It is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues, which releases collagen into the broth.

Typically, bone broth is made from boiling down cow bones and tendons, as we will go into more detail later in the article. Human beings have used this method of cooking bones and tendons for countless years, yet another ancestral superfood.

How to Consume:

• Sip it as a warm, comforting drink
• Use it as a base for soups and stews
• Add it to sauces and gravies for extra nutrition

2. Fish and Shellfish

Fish, particularly the skin, and shellfish are high in collagen and other proteins that support collagen synthesis. Marine collagen, derived from fish, is easily absorbed by the body.

Much like everything we consume these days, you need to make sure you know where your fish is coming from. Is it local? Wild or farm raised? Previously frozen?

Whatever you do when shopping for fish, avoid anything that is marked as "farm-raised" fish. These fish, much like their livestock counterparts, are usually kept in less than desirable conditions and feed things you would be much better off without introducing into your body, such as a variety plastics.

How to Consume:

• Include fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna in your diet
• Enjoy shellfish like shrimp, crab, and oysters
• Consider fish skin snacks, which are becoming increasingly popular

3. Chicken

Chicken contains a lot of connective tissues, making it a great source of dietary collagen. Many collagen supplements are derived from chicken cartilage.

However, where you get your chicken is just as important as making sure you add it to your diet. The best way, is to get your own chickens, but we understand that isn't necessarily realistic for many of you. So, when shopping for chicken to feed your family, you'll want to look for the closest match to pasture-raised, cage free/free range, organic, and sourced from smaller farms as you can.

How to Consume:

• Use chicken wings, drumsticks, and other bone-in cuts to make homemade broth
• Add chicken to soups, salads, and sandwiches
• Enjoy rotisserie chicken, which often has extra connective tissue

4. Berries and Fruits

Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, both of which support collagen production. Vitamin C helps in the stabilization of collagen molecules. 

When looking to add berries into your diet, be sure to look for organic berries as opposed to the regular variety.

Again, this is a bit more reassuring knowing there is less of the things you don't want entering your body, like pesticides, for example.

How to Consume:

• Add berries to your breakfast cereal, yogurt, or smoothies
• Eat them as a healthy snack
• Use berries in desserts or salads for a nutritious boost

 

5. Eggs

Egg whites contain large amounts of proline, an amino acid that is necessary for collagen production.

And yet, not all eggs are created equal. If you're not able to house your own chickens for your family's egg requirements, then you'll want to make sure you get eggs that are sourced responsibly.

When looking for eggs at the grocery store, there are a couple things you want to see from the brand you are buying eggs from. What you want to look for when shopping is a brand that with pasture-raised, cage free/free range, organic, and preferably coming from smaller farms. This ensures your eggs will be as close to the quality of those you would get from your own chickens, free from all the hormones, antibiotics, vaccines, and whatever else you don't want in your eggs.

How to Consume:

• Enjoy eggs boiled, scrambled, or poached for breakfast
• Add eggs to salads or sandwiches
• Use eggs in baking for an added protein boost

6. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds, particularly those high in zinc and vitamin E, support collagen production and protect existing collagen from damage. However, when looking for nuts and seeds to add into your diet, remember to make sure you look for both raw and organic.

This will mitigate the presence of harmful chemicals and compounds that are commonly found in the American food supply.

How to Consume:

• Snack on almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds
• Add chia seeds or flaxseeds to your smoothies and yogurt
• Use nut butters as a spread on toast or in sauces

Incorporating these collagen-boosting foods into your diet can help maintain the health and elasticity of your skin, joints, and connective tissues. A balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins is key to supporting your body's natural collagen production.

By making these nutrient-rich foods a regular part of your meals, you can enjoy the benefits of improved skin health, reduced joint pain, and overall enhanced well-being.

More Collagen Superfoods

Cow Bones

Cow bones contain bone marrow, which is rich in collagen.

When bones are simmered, the collagen is released into the broth, making it a nutrient-dense liquid. The connective tissue surrounding bones also contains high levels of collagen, which contributes to the gel-like consistency of bone broth when it cools.

Not only is the byproduct a healthy and enjoyable way of adding natural collagen to your diet, being able to drink it like a cup of coffee in the morning makes it very convenient.

How to Use:

• Bone Broth: Simmer cow bones for an extended period to extract collagen and other nutrients, resulting in a nourishing bone broth.
• Soups and Stews: Use bone broth as a base for soups and stews to increase their nutritional content.

Cow Tendons

Tendons are connective tissues that attach muscles to bones and are primarily composed of collagen fibers, making them an excellent source of this protein. When tendons are cooked, they break down into a gelatinous texture, indicating the presence of collagen.

Once you cook them down, typically in a bone broth of some kind, you get a nutrient-dense superfood in the form of the collagen laced liquid you are left with.

How to Use:

• Slow Cooking: Tendons require slow cooking to become tender. They can be added to soups, stews, or broths.
• Traditional Dishes: Tendons are often used in traditional Asian cuisines, such as in Chinese braised beef tendon or Vietnamese pho, where they are simmered until they achieve a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Benefits of Consuming Collagen

Of the many benefits of consuming collagen and making sure your body can appropriately produce it, the main one is promoting good joint health. Collagen supports the structure and function of joints, potentially reducing symptoms of arthritis and joint pain.

Collagen also improves skin elasticity, reducing wrinkles and promoting a youthful appearance. This is the age-defying quality that has contributed to the increased popularity of collagen supplements.

Another benefit the often goes unnoticed is the improvement in overall gut health, one of the most important factors in maintaining good health. Bone broth made from cow bones and tendons can help heal the gut lining and improve digestive health.

How to Prepare Collagen-Rich Broth

Below are the ingredients you will need in order to make your own homemade bone broth:

• 2-3 pounds of cow bones (preferably with marrow)
• 1-2 pounds of cow tendons
• Water
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (helps extract minerals)
• Vegetables (optional: onions, carrots, celery)
• Herbs and spices (optional: bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns)

Instructions:

1. Roast Bones: For added flavor, roast the bones at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.
2. Combine Ingredients: Place bones and tendons in a large pot or slow cooker. Add apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover the bones.
3. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12-24 hours. The longer you simmer, the more collagen you’ll extract.
4. Strain: Remove bones and tendons, then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Store: Let the broth cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.

Cow bones and tendons are excellent sources of collagen, offering numerous health benefits. Incorporating them into your diet through bone broth or other slow-cooked dishes can help boost your body's collagen levels, supporting joint health, skin elasticity, and overall well-being.

Adding collagen to your diet is one of the pieces to the puzzle that is good overall health. Without it, your body is likely experience to feel the aging process in a more pronounced fashion.

Healthy collagen production and your body's ability to maintain those levels is largely dependent on the diet your choose. In this article, we hope we have given you ample information in order to make a positive change today for a better tomorrow.