Collagen is a protein which comprises one-third of our total body protein composition. Collagen is the prime component for building a structure to skin, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. In other words, collagen is responsible for making us look youthful and determines the strength and elasticity of the skin. When we are younger, our body produces enough collagen to replace the dead ones. However, as we get old, the production gradually decreases which causes the skin to lose firmness and form wrinkles. Also, the quality of collagen also reduces as we get older and older. External factors like smoke, UV rays, pollution also decrease the production of collagen in our body.
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Natural Collagen Boosters You Must Include In Your Daily Meal Plan
It’s a natural process that our body decreases the production of collagen as we get old. But, there are ways to get collagen needed by our body. Most of us use expensive cosmetic products, supplements and even try surgical procedures to look younger. These can cost a lot of money and can have side effects as well. On the other hand, you can restore collagen needed for you in a much simpler way. There are basic foods which contain a high amount of collagen and can do magic for your skin if we make eating habit.
If we can avoid foods that can affect collagen generation in our body and start eating foods packed with collagen, we can look much younger than our age and get the glow back on our face. So, here are 5 natural collagen boosters:
1. Bone Broth/Fish
Bone broth is packed with collagen and consuming it can be an option to increase the collagen level in the body. Bone broth is cooked by boiling down the bones of pork, chicken and other animals. Collagen from bone broth contains gelatin which helps in digestion and prevents skin aging.
Fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acid like tuna and salmon, safeguards the fatty membrane around skin cells from getting damaged. This leads skin to look more glowing and youthful.
2. Garlic
Garlic can also help in rebuilding the damaged collagens. Lipoic acid and taurine found in garlic are key components on re-forming flawed collagens. Garlic is also a good source of sulfur that has a vital role in the production of collagen.
3. Vegetables
Free radicals are responsible for breaking down collagen in our body and hence decreasing the level of collagen. Dark green vegetables as kale and spinach have a large number of antioxidants which prevent free radicals to damage collagen. So, it’s better to make a habit of eating green vegetables. In addition, red vegetables like tomatoes, red peppers and beets can also contribute to boosting collagen. These veggies are packed with lycopene which protects from harmful sun rays and boosts collagen as well. Other vegetables which are rich vitamin A also help to restore damaged collagen.
4. Egg White/Soy
Egg whites are one of the best sources of proteins and provide a huge amount to our body. Egg whites are packed with both proline and lysine along with collagen itself. Therefore, consuming more egg whites means supporting your body to produce collagen naturally. And for those, who are vegetarians and don’t like to consume animal products like eggs, peanuts can be the good source for lysine which in return helps to maintain collagen level in our body.
Soy consists of genistein which serves as an antioxidant and can be found in cheese, tofu, and soy milk. The genistein, a plant hormone, enhances production of collagen and helps to block enzymes that are responsible for aging skin.
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5. Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C has the characteristic of helping amino acids-lysine and proline to convert into collagen. And there are citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits which are packed with Vitamin C. Therefore, it’s a good idea to consume citrus fruits whenever possible. Moreover, antioxidant Vitamin C has a significant role in neutralizing free radicals which can damage the collagen.
It’s natural for us trying to look young and beautiful. But as we grow old, our skin starts to sag and form wrinkles. We spend lots of money on different products and even surgery to look youthful. However, if we remember to eat foods with a high amount of collagen, we are not getting old any sooner.