Since the dawn of humanity, the search for eternal youth and beauty has been a daunting one. Countless beauty products, procedures, and exercises have been recommended when attempting to fight Father Time. One thing that we can all agree on is that collagen production is important when beating signs of aging.
Collagen is the general term for the main structural proteins found in the skin and connective tissues in humans and animals and makes up about 30% of the protein in the human body. Natural elements, like certain plants, also contain collagen. Collagen is made up of 19 amino acids (for example, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, lysine, and arginine).
With at least 29 different types of collagen, we know that humans have mainly Types I-III. Type I exists mainly in skin, tendon, vasculature, organs, and bone. Type II is in cartilage, and Type III is in reticular fibers (thin branching fibers in connective tissue).
Collagen can be replaced through injections. Collagen/fat injectable fillers, also called soft-tissue augmentation, is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed to correct wrinkles, depressions in the skin, and/or scarring. The procedure involves injecting a substance (collagen and/or fat) into the skin in order to plump or fill-up the area being treated.
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A more natural way of stimulating collagen production is through your diet. The collagen diet is an eating plan to avoid too much sugar and refined carbohydrates and consume foods high in collagen that some sources report maintains youthfulness, energy, and beauty.
What foods should you eat to boost collagen production?
- Eggs
Although eggs don’t contain connective tissues like many other animal products, egg whites do have large amounts of proline, one of the amino acids necessary for collagen production.
- Citrus fruits
Vitamin C plays a major role in the production of pro-collagen, the body’s precursor to collagen. Therefore, getting enough vitamin C is extremely important.
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It’s widely known that citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are chocked full of vitamin C so it would be smart to grab at least one of these items on a daily basis. Try a broiled grapefruit for breakfast, or add orange segments to a salad.
- Garlic
Garlic is more than just a seasoning. Research has found that it could significantly
boost your collagen production, too. Studies state that garlic is rich in sulfur, which is a trace mineral that helps synthesize and prevent the breakdown of collagen.
- Hearty Greens
Leafy greens are the MVP in nearly every healthy diet, that’s a well-known fact. Well, it turns out, they may offer beauty benefits as well.
Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and other salad greens get their color from chlorophyll, known for its strong antioxidant capabilities.
Research has also shown that chlorophyll increases the precursor to collagen in the skin, which is often found in leafy greens.
- Zero sugar and low-carbs foods
By now, we’ve come to grips with the fact that our favorite comfort foods can widen our waistline. Breads, pastas, and other gluten-rich foods not only have a high chance of making you gain weight, but they can also make you look older.
As stated above, to help your body do its best production of collagen, you can’t go wrong with high-collagen animal or plant foods or vitamin and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables.
Other nutrients that aid the process of collagen production include zinc, vitamin C, and copper. Thus, fruits and vegetables high in vitamins and minerals also help with making your skin bouncy and beautiful.
And, for even more dramatic results, be sure to stay away from too much sugar and refined carbohydrates, which can cause inflammation and significantly damage collagen. If you have a terrible sweet tooth, try natural sweeteners like stevia and agave.
Wishing you good health and even better skin!
