Collagen-rich foods can be a great way to boost your body’s collagen levels, alongside taking supplements. Incorporating foods high in collagen into your diet can help to keep your natural supply topped up – something that’s especially important when it starts to decline, which it does from the age of 30 onwards.
There are lots of foods with collagen that you’re probably already eating, but if not, you might want to consider incorporating more of them into your diet, making sure they’re on your shopping list every week. Read on to discover some of our fave collagen rich foods.
Top 6 foods high in collagen
From chicken to citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables, consider eating more of these collagen foods to keep your natural levels topped up.
1. Chicken
First on our list of collagen-rich foods is something meat eaters are most likely already eating plenty of: chicken. Yep, chicken contains all of the amino acids your body needs to produce collagen, with the chicken tissues offering a rich source of dietary collagen.
So, next time you’re considering whether to add chicken to your salad or pasta dish, go for it – it’s one of the best collagen-boosting foods, which is good news for something so versatile.
2. Citrus Fruits
Another of our favourite foods high in collagen is citrus fruits. Fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are packed full of vitamin C, which is known for its many benefits. One of the benefits of vitamin C is that it plays a significant role in producing the precursor to collagen, while it also helps to link amino acids during collagen production.
Incorporate citrus fruits into homemade juices and smoothies (or smoothie bowls), salads, or enjoy a fruit salad for a light breakfast or even a dessert to help boost your vitamin C intake and support your body’s natural collagen levels.
3. Legumes
Legumes are also one of the best foods for collagen, so try to incorporate more of these into your diet, whether it’s via stews, soups, a veggie bolognese, or even salads. Examples of legumes include:
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Kidney beans
- Black beans
- White beans
- Fava beans
- Peas
These foods are naturally rich in protein, which allows them to offer all the essential amino acids needed for collagen production. They also provide a source of copper and vitamin C (chickpeas are exceptionally high in vitamin C), which are linked to helping collagen production.
4. Peppers
Next on our list of collagen-rich foods is peppers – in particular, red bell peppers. These tasty ingredients not only contain vitamin C, but they also contain capsaicin, which is an anti-inflammatory that studies suggest may help to combat signs of ageing.
Turn your stir fries, salads, and pasta sauces into collagen-boosting foods by incorporating red bell peppers whenever you can, adding extra taste, crunch, and benefits for your skin – what more could you want?!
5. Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables contain chlorophyll, which provides antioxidant properties, alongside increasing the precursor to collagen in the body. Examples of leafy greens include:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Chard
- Watercress
- Bok choy
- Collard greens
- Lettuce
These collagen-boosting foods also naturally contain vitamin C and are generally known to be a crucial part of a healthy diet. To be honest, anything green is likely to provide some sort of goodness, so stock up on green foods to create colourful salads, juices, and more.
6. Bone Broth
Bone broth is one of the most well-known collagen foods, as it’s made from the bones of meats like beef and chicken, which are a rich source of animal collagen. Bone broth can be used as a base for soups and stews, while some people swear by drinking it on its own.
Of course, bone broth isn’t an option if you’re pescetarian, veggie, or vegan, which many people turn to marine collagen supplements alongside eating plenty of leafy greens, citrus fruits, and legumes to make sure they’re still benefiting from collagen-rich foods.
Collagen Supplements vs Collagen-Rich Foods
Collagen supplements are designed to do exactly what their name suggests – supplement a healthy lifestyle. This means that many people choose to take collagen supplements – ours take the form of marine collagen drinks – alongside consuming collagen foods.
Try to incorporate some citrus fruits into your breakfast a few times a week, cook with chicken and legumes, and consume more leafy greens – but consider taking a daily collagen supplement too, for those days when you don’t have time to food prep, or just to give your body an extra top up.
If you follow a vegan diet, collagen-rich foods like legumes and leafy greens can still help to boost your body’s natural levels, but this means our marine collagen drinks won’t be right for you (they’re made using collagen sourced from fish). However, our SKINGLO Vegan Collagen Support drinks contain a unique blend of ingredients to help the essential building blocks of collagen in your body.
If you have any questions about how SKINGLO collagen drinks can support you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
