How To Take Collagen: Healthy Recipes (2024)

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Scientifically Reviewed By: Michael A. Smith, MD

What if we told you that you could eat sugar cookies, cake, cookie dough and even bread while promoting the overall look, texture and strength of your hair, skin and joints? It’s true. Thanks to a handy little secret, your kitchen can now double as your beauty counter with a little help from collagen peptides.

Here’s the scoop:

What is collagen?

Collagen makes up about one-third of the protein in your body. This essential protein strengthens your skin and joints, maintaining structure and resiliency. In youth, collagen easily replenishes itself, but as you age, your body is no longer able to replace collagen as quickly as it once did, and levels typically decline by about 1% each year. With less collagen available, it gets more difficult for your body to support healthy skin and joint function.

Because collagen is a large protein and not easily broken down, your body best processes collagen that has already been broken down into smaller pieces—this often takes the form of powder (AKA hydrolyzed collagen powder), which is more highly absorbable. Consumed orally, collagen powder may help stimulate the formation of new collagen in your skin and joints.

What do you mix collagen with?

There are collagen capsules and collagen liquid formulas, but when it comes to benefiting from all three forms of collagen for your hair, skin and joints, it is best to turn to hydrolyzed collagen in the form of powder, specifically collagen peptides. This powder is both super fine and unflavored—leaving you with a plethora of options to mix, bake or drink this essential nutrient.

If you’re short on time, the easiest option is to add a scoop of collagen peptides to your morning tea or coffee. For those who are braver in the kitchen, powdered collagen can be incorporated into just about any baked good recipe or smoothie—giving you endless options to enjoy this skin-boosting nutrient!

5 Best Collagen Peptides Recipes

Get creative! You can add a scoop of collagen peptides to just about any sweet treat—whether you’re craving cookies, cake, smoothies…even homemade cookie dough.

Don’t know where to start? Life Extension has called upon the expertise of five influential health and wellness recipe developers to show you the infinite ways collagen peptides can be incorporated into just about anything.

Here are our top five picks for collagen recipes.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread with Collagen Peptides

Getting your recommended serving of veggies throughout the day may feel more like a task instead of a treat. But what if there was a way to get a serving of veggies and the benefits of collagen, all in a one-stop chomp?

This super fluffy and ultra-moist Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread from @Donutworry_BeHealthy will surely be your new go-to treat—complete with a heaping serving of collagen peptides and zucchini, which is naturally rich in magnesium, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamins A and C.

Packed with good-for-you ingredients like fresh zucchini and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and semi-sweet chocolate chips, you’ll feel no guilt when you take a bite out of this beautifying bread.

Frosted Sugar Collagen Cookies

Next time someone asks you, “What’s your secret to beautiful hair, skin and nails?” tell them, sugar cookies. Since it’s so fine and flavor-free, Life Extension’s Collagen Peptides formula is the perfect addition to any baked good, especially cookies. So the question is, which recipe will you add it to?

Our pick would be this already-healthy recipe for Frosted Sugar Collagen Cookies from @CleanEatsFactory, which takes healthy cookies to a whole new level by ditching dairy, gluten and refined sugars. They’re the perfect dessert for those on a paleo, gluten-free or dairy-free diet.

Chocolate Hazelnut Collagen Smoothie Bowl

Life Extension Collagen Peptides unflavored powder can be easily mixed in your morning tea or coffee – but why stop there? Take your smoothie to the next level by incorporating a scoop (or two) in the blender and give your skin and joints a little R&R each morning.

This Chocolate Hazelnut Collagen Smoothie from @EatLoveWithLove is filled with natural fiber, vitamins, minerals – plus it’s packed with protein, making it an ideal post-workout treat. Once blended, add your smoothie to a bowl and top it off with nutritious treats like cacao powder, roasted hazelnuts, flaxseeds or chia seeds.

Paleo Funfetti Loaf with Collagen Peptides

Maybe Marie Antoinette meant to say, “Let them eat funfetti loaf!” When it comes to birthdays and celebrations, who can say no to sprinkles–especially when they are atop a festive loaf packed with collagen peptides?

This celebratory creation is the perfect complement to your next gathering, plus it is easy to make, and goes from bowl to loaf in under an hour. Your guests will go gaga when they find out the anti-aging benefits of collagen peptides, like reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

You may be celebrating the fact that you are turning a year older, but your hair, skin and nails are looking younger than ever! This funfetti recipe from @CleanEaterr substitutes traditional sweeteners for natural ones like monk fruit and vanilla extract. Plus, it is made using almond flour, coconut oil, vegan butter and coconut flour – making it 100% paleo friendly. You can have your collagen funfetti loaf and eat it, too!

Cookie Dough Collagen Beauty Bites

Eating raw cookie dough isn’t exactly the best idea, but with this easy and good-for-you alternative from @KaleJunkie you can leave your worries (and worry lines) behind.

These Cookie Dough Collagen Beauty Bites are the perfect snack. Plus, they are packed with natural ingredients and made without eggs or dairy, so you’ll feel good knowing you are only eating the best for your body.

You can go from mixing bowl to beauty bites in under an hour with only nine, all-natural, good-for-you ingredients like cashews, dates and hemp seeds. Best of all, you can share your latest beauty secret with your friends, as this recipe yields 14 shareable beauty bites—making it perfect for parties or potlucks.

References

• Oesser, Steffen et al. “Stimulation of type II collagen biosynthesis and secretion in bovine chondrocytes cultured with degraded collagen.” Cell Tissue Res, March 2003, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12658447/
• Snyder, Cecilia. “How Much Collagen Should You Take per Day?” Healthline, September 2020, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-collagen-per-day
• Ulloa, Gabriela. “Are There Benefits to Collagen Supplements?” The New York Times, November 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/style/self-care/collagen-benefits.html

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