As the most abundant protein in our bodies, collagen is crucial for various functions. Aside from being used to make connective tissue, this structural protein also provides beauty benefits for our skin, hair, and nails. But since you start to lose your collagen stores with stress and time, it’s a good idea to take a collagen supplement to help protect your supply. If you’re wondering how to take collagen powder to improve skin elasticity or minimize the look of fine lines, keep reading for several ways to eat and drink collagen in your diet.
While you’ve likely heard about hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides from bone broth, bovine collagen, and marine collagen, it’s important to know that not all collagen is animal based. Does vegan collagen work? For those seeking a plant-based product, vegan collagen supporting supplements are a good option to consider. Whether you’re vegan or not, you may want an alternative to collagen derived from cowhide and fish scales.
At the end of the day, your collagen is the best collagen, so you should do what you can to support it.
Collagen Protect® is a vegan collagen supplement made with 3 vegan ingredients that help protect and preserve your innate supply.
How to Mix Collagen Powder
For best results, have 1 rounded tablespoon of Collagen Protect® daily. All you need is a spoon, blender, shaker bottle, or mixer to incorporate the creamer into your beverage. Because Collagen Protect® doesn’t contain any additives, you might notice some clumping, so blend well for maximum yum.
The Best Ways to Use Collagen Powder
There’s no one best way to drink your collagen creamer. It’s a versatile ingredient that blends well in drinks, smoothies, and even baked goods. Hot or cold, a collagen supplement provides added functionality to whatever’s on your menu. Read on for 13 ways to enjoy it.
1. Coffee
Why not cross collagen off your list first thing in the morning? So many people begin the day with coffee, so a collagen creamer is a seamless way to add collagen to your daily diet. Collagen powder also goes well in iced coffee or espresso drinks. Simply add 1 rounded tablespoon to your coffee beverage and blend with a frother. Try this Collagen Spirit Coffee recipe for an added dose of blissful adaptogens and herbs.
2. Tea
Start or end your day with a soothing collagen tea. Because hot liquids are a great way to dissolve collagen powder, tea is an easy option for consuming your daily supplement. For some extra creaminess in your milky Early Grey, chai, or other favorite tea drink, pour boiling water over the top of your collagen creamer and stir or blend.
3. Matcha Latte
Matcha is loaded with beneficial compounds like antioxidants, and collagen is ideal for adding to matcha lattes because you’re already doing a little blending to begin with. Add your collagen creamer to either your dry matcha powder (½ teaspoon) before whisking with ¼ cup of hot water, or add it to your frothed milk before combining the two liquids.
4. Hot Chocolate
Here’s a functional reason to drink hot chocolate. Rich in polyphenols and mood-boosting flavanols, cacao has been linked to health benefits from improved blood pressure and flow to better cognitive function (1, 2, 3). In fact, cacao has the highest concentration of flavanols out of all foods by weight (4). Moon Juice has combined Heirloom Cacao with collagen creamer in an adaptogenic hot chocolate, Cosmic Cocoa™, to make it easy to get all these healthful properties in one loving cup. Add 2 tablespoons or more to 8 ounces of hot water or warm milk and blend on high. Try this Sexual Chocolate recipe for extra fire.
5. Smoothies
Adding vegan collagen creamer to your daily smoothie is a simple, on-the-go way to promote skin elasticity and hydration. Leftover fruit and spinach? Send it to the freezer or straight into the blender. Smoothies are a great way to use up the produce you have on hand while also adding benefits from protein powders and other supplements. Simply add 1 rounded tablespoon of Collagen Protect® to your other smoothie ingredients, blend, and enjoy. This Peaches and Collagen Cream recipe is a favorite.
6. Protein Shakes
Collagen supplements make for a great addition to your protein shakes. What’s the difference between a protein shake and a smoothie? It depends on who you ask, but smoothies generally use fruits and vegetables and are whipped up in a blender. A protein shake centers on protein powder and can be as simple as milk and protein added to a hand-shaker bottle. Add collagen to your protein powder of choice and shake well with your favorite milk.
7. Yogurt
Your morning yogurt could use some collagen! Add 1 tablespoon to your favorite yogurt and mix well. Serve with berries or cut fruit, nuts, seeds, granola, or your other favorite toppings.
8. Chia Pudding
Chia is a nutritional treasure chest, used for centuries as a potent source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. These tiny seeds help detoxify the body, scrub the digestive system, stimulate the brain, and nourish the skin, hair, and internal organs.
To add further skin-loving benefits to your chia pudding for breakfast or dessert, mix 1 tablespoon of vegan collagen creamer with 1 cup (or a little over) of almond milk or your milk of choice. Next, add 3 tablespoons of organic chia seeds and raw honey or your sweetener of choice, (or try Cosmic Cocoa™ for a chocolate version). Whisk vigorously and let chill overnight (or for at least 3 hours) in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, add your favorite toppings, like fresh fruit or cacao nibs, and enjoy.
9. Ice Cream
Ice cream may be the best way to take collagen powder. Add a scoop of collagen to your homemade ice cream recipe before mixing it in your ice cream maker or freezing it as your recipe calls for. Need some inspiration? You can find several functional ice cream recipes in the Moon Juice Manual.
10. Baking
Did you know you can bake with collagen powder? Add to cakes, cookies, brownies, loaves, pancakes, and waffles. Just whisk a few tablespoons of collagen powder into the dry ingredients or base mix that you’re using and proceed.
11. Broth
Broths and soups provide a yummy base for collagen powder. If you eat animal products, you can add collagen to your bone broth to ramp up the benefits, or you might add it to a broth made of kombu or mineralizing vegetables. Add the collagen powder into your stock pot once the liquid has been incorporated, or whisk 1-2 scoops into every bowl you serve and mix well.
12. Milk
If you’re a minimalist, you can simply drink collagen powder straight with any milk—almond, coconut, or your preferred milk of choice. If you’re a fan of having cold milk with your dessert or warm milk before bed, try adding a scoop of collagen creamer next time.
13. Water
In a pinch? Just add collagen powder to water to transform it into a creamy base that can replace milk in anything!
How to Prevent Collagen Powder from Clumping
Why does collagen clump? The word itself comes from the Greek kolla, meaning “glue.” This protein is often referred to as the glue that holds our bodies together. Great, but as a result, collagen supplements are inherently sticky, so in order to prevent clumping, it’s best to thoroughly mix your collagen.
Hot drinks like tea or coffee tend to be the most effective for quick declumping, but any drink will do if you have a blender, frother, shaker bottle, or spoon to mix it with.
When is the Best Time to Take Collagen Powder?
If you’re wondering about the best time to take collagen, the short answer is: whenever works best for your body and routine.
Because collagen tends to blend well with hot drinks, you might want to have it in the morning when you’re likely to be reaching for a coffee or matcha, or at night when you have an herbal tea to wind down. However, if you tend to have midday cravings, the protein in collagen can help tide you over, so you might want to take it then.
Because collagen is water-soluble, you don’t need to worry about taking it with a meal.
With so many different ways to consume collagen and types of collagen, you’ll never tire of taking it. Whether you’re using collagen peptides or have opted for a plant-based collagen supplement like our creamer, there are many ways to incorporate ingestible collagen powder into your smoothies, coffee, and other drinks. While there are differences between vegan collagen vs. animal collagen, an extra boost in your day can provide benefits for your skin, hair, and overall health. So what’s the best way to take collagen? Whichever way you enjoy it the most, so that you stay consistent with your intake for the best results.
National Library of Medicine, Cocoa and Human Health: From Head to Foot—A Review
National Library of Medicine, Benefits in cognitive function, blood pressure, and insulin resistance through cocoa flavanol consumption in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) study
National Library of Medicine, Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study--a randomized controlled trial
National Library of Medicine, Potential for preventive effects of cocoa and cocoa polyphenols in cancer
