10 collagen-friendly foods to add to your menu
26/06/2024
Collagen: it’s gained fame for smooth skin, strong joints, and even wound healing.1
“Essentially it’s found in any part of the human body that needs to be strong but also have an element of elasticity or ‘give’,” explains H&B senior nutritionist, Alex Thompson.
“It also helps to form keratin (the major structural protein in hair) and cartilage (a structure which works as a shock absorber and allows free movement in joints). Finally, it works alongside another substance in the skin called hyaluronic acid to help to promote skin hydration,” he adds.2
Unfortunately we lose more and more of these strong-but-stretchy benefits as we age.3 So what can we do about it?
Once you’re in your twenties and beyond, you might choose to get extra through your diet or supplements. Let’s find out more about the options, including vegan ways to support collagen too...
Animal collagen vs. vegan collagen support
Collagen comes from animals (often fish, chickens, and cows).1
At the moment, there’s no vegetarian or vegan way to get ready-made collagen. However, there’s plenty of vegan collagen support (also called “vegan collagen”), available.
Vegan collagen provides the ingredients your body needs to support its collagen production. Then it’s down to your body to follow the recipe!
Vitamin C, vitamin E and amino acids are popular in vegan collagen as they’re vital for collagen production and keeping skin youthful.4,5
Of course, getting these vitamins in your diet helps too.
Natural sources of collagen vs. supplements
Collagen supplements are a quick and easy way to get a daily top-up. Plus they’re versatile – you can buy collagen gummies, powders, drinks, capsules, and more.
These supplements are generally considered safe within the recommended dosages, although some people report mild stomach complaints after taking them.6
As with any nutrients and supplements, it’s good to look at your diet first. Here are some collagen sources to add to your food shop...
10 foods to support your collagen
1. Citrus fruit
Citrus fruit and vitamin C go hand in hand: we already know that.
But there's more to vitamin C than immune support.9 It’s also important for making collagen.10,4 Choose fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes for a healthy dose of vitamin C.11
2. Fish
Fish and shellfish provide a lot of collagen and it’s believed that marine collagen is more easily absorbed by the human body.3
Again, making bone broth is a good way to include the collagen-rich parts of fish like the skin and bones.3
3. Chicken
Many collagen supplements in shops are made from chicken. Eat the meat as you usually might or drink chicken bone broth.
Bones around joint areas (like wings and legs) provide more collagen. And, while they’re not popular in Western diets, chicken feet are another great source.7
4. Eggs
Eggs don’t contain collagen, as you can only get it from meat.
However they’re a source of a non-essential amino acid (the building blocks of protein) called proline, one of the main amino acids needed for collagen production.8,3
5. Bone broth
Making bone broth involves simmering animal bones in water to extract the collagen from them. You can then season it with herbs and spices as you like.
Beef, chicken, and fish are popular choices. While the nutritional makeup will be different (and won’t contain ready-made collagen), you can even give vegan bone broth a try.
6. Berries
Berries also contain substantial amounts of vitamin C. Gram for gram, strawberries actually contain more than oranges or lemons.12,13,14
7. Garlic
Fantastic news: there’s yet another reason to add garlic to your meal. Garlic is high in sulphur, which is necessary for collagen production.18
8. Leafy greens
Ever been told to eat your greens? Here’s another reason why...
Dark green, leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll, which some research suggests increases collagen production and decreases UV-induced damage in the skin.19,20
9. Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are another source of ‘collagen-supporting’ ingredients, namely copper and vitamin E. Copper plays an important role in our skin as it’s needed for maintaining normal connective tissue.21
A 28g (1oz) serving of hazelnuts contains approximately 0.35mg of copper, about a third of our daily intake.22,23
Like other nuts, they’re a good source of vitamin E, which helps protect cells from oxidative stress (a major cause of skin ageing).22,24,25,26
10. Broccoli
Did you know that 100g of raw broccoli provides over twice your daily value of vitamin C?27 Be careful not to lose the vitamins during cooking, though. Steaming, grilling, or eating veg raw can help retain them.28
As well as being high in vitamin C which supports collagen production, broccoli also contains calcium – another mineral that supports normal bones.29 100g of raw broccoli provides approximately 47mg of calcium and 89mg of vitamin C.27
The final say
Eating and drinking natural sources of collagen can help to look after your skin, bones, muscles, and joints, especially as you get older.1
While pure collagen only comes from animal parts, there are plenty more plant-based foods that can help collagen production.