COLLAGEN, a protein your body makes, is important for healthy joints, skin, bones, muscles and connective tissues.
But as you age, it becomes harder for your body to make collagen, while the collagen you already have begins to break down.
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You can get it from foods such as pork skin and bone broth, but supplements are hugely popular.
Here are some of the newest on the market . . .
Coffee
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FEEL REFORMED Organic Collagen Coffee tastes like normal coffee, but with health benefits.
It is Colombian coffee mixed with 17g of grass-fed bovine collagen, which has type I (great for skin and joints) and III (tissue repair), plus 21 vitamins and minerals.
It also has adaptogenic mushrooms, lion’s mane and chaga mushroom extract, which have cognitive health and immunity benefits, and MCT oil, which fills you up and gives you energy.
It’s a great start to the day.
From £1.59 a coffee.
83kcal per 250ml, feelreformed.com
Matcha
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ANCIENT + BRAVE makes a range of collagen products.
They including marine collagen, which is great for your skin, as well as vegan collagen and grass-fed bovine collagen, which is great for joints.
Olympic track great Dame Kelly Holmes, who is an ambassador for the firm, says their products have helped her with joint pain.
I tried Ancient + Brave’s Matcha + Collagen.
It contains 2g hydrolysed bovine collagen, lion’s mane and matcha tea, which is higher in antioxidants than regular green tea.
It also contains vitamin C-packed moringa, MCT powder and cinnamon.
It tastes rich, yet fresh. I love it.
From £1.10 per cup.
22kcal per 6g serving, ancientandbrave.earth
Lemonade
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NATURESPLUS’s Collagen Peptides Berry Lemonade is the first collagen product I have seen containing all of the six major collagen types – I, II, III, IV, V and X.
To get that range, it contains hydrolysed collagen (easier to digest), as well as collagen from grass-fed beef, chicken, egg shells and fish – but tastes like a refreshing drink.
It is intensely pink (beetroot colouring), but dissolves easily, without you needing to whizz it up, and isn’t too sweet.
If you want a great all-rounder, this is it.
There is 10g of collagen per portion, plus 5g of papaya to help with absorption – but you could double up to make sure you’re taking a decent dose.
Zero sugar or fat, and just 40kcal.
It’s £1.18 per serving.