6 Interesting Collagen Nutrition Facts You Should Know

Collagen is to the 2020s what Diet Coke was to the 90s.

Wherever you go, it’s always, “Collagen is amazing,” “Collagen helped my hair grow,” “Collagen paid my taxes.”

But, do any of us actually know what collagen is? Or what it does?

Well, if after 200+ Instagram posts dedicated to touting the unmatched, secret benefits of collagen have made you at least 2% more curious about this nutrient, we are here to give you the 411. (and, clearly some good ol’ fashioned 90s slang)

We too love collagen and sing its praises loudly – though, we haven’t actually seen our taxes paid, yet. In this blog, we’re discussing the health benefits of collagen, fun nutrition facts you should know, and exactly what collagen actually is.

Let’s start with first defining what exactly collagen is. Collagen is a type of protein that helps to build bones, cartilage, hair, eyes, skin, and more!

Your body naturally creates collagen, but as you age, you start to lose a lot of it which can lead to muscle fatigue, brittle nails, and brain fog. 

Luckily, in today’s day-and-age, you can supplement collagen and add it to your favorite foods like your morning coffee, smoothies, or oatmeal. To maintain the health of your muscles, organs, and tissues, it’s important to make sure you’re not only producing enough collagen, but also getting it from outside sources.

While collagen is considered very safe, we always recommend speaking to your healthcare physician before incorporating any new supplements into your diet.

As collagen makes up approximately 1/3 of the protein in your body, it’s vital to keep replenishing it for optimized pre- and post-workout health. The good news is, collagen is incredibly easy to digest and it can be hydrolyzed (broken down) in both water and food.

Our other favorite health benefits of collage, include:

Alongside cardio, we’re also huge fans of collagen as a way to improve the health of your heart! Before a morning run or a fun ride on the spin bike, add a scoop of collagen to your pre-workout coffee or water for the additional heart-healthy benefits!

Collagen is a protein queen! Implementing some form of collagen into your diet is a great way to supercharge your workout and help to, not only build, but repair ligaments, tissues, muscles, and cartilage that’s actively being used during a workout.

Collage also has a high bioavailability of amino acid that’s great for post-workout recovery nutrition.

Now, that you know what collagen is and how beneficial it can be for your muscles, tissues, and energy, let’s learn some interesting facts about this nutrition superhero!

While we have been using the term “collagen”, we should let you know there is actually more than one kind – 16 to be exact.

Here are the basics:

While skin creams and makeup may promise to give you the collagen you had as a baby, it’s mainly just well-decorated marketing. To get the full benefits of collagen, you actually have to ingest it. To learn about foods that are naturally high in collagen, keep reading!

Sun can wreak havoc on the collagen makeup of your skin. To improve your body’s natural collagen, make sure to limit sun time to 10-20 minutes at a time and avoid the strongest times of the day – 10 am – 2 pm.

Apologies to our veggie friends, but if you’re looking for collagen, the best food sources are typically found in animals and fish with connective tissue.

Our top recommendations, include:

To learn more about nutrition and build a plan designed specifically designed for your lifestyle, speak to one of our knowledgeable certified personal trainers today!

At acac, we believe healthy looks differently for everyone and we’re here to help you build a customized plan that meets your unique needs! With hundreds of different amenities, we’re the gym that can provide you with long-term, sustainable solutions that you can feel proud of!

Join today and let’s build a life that you love together.