We’ve been told time and again that our diets play an important role in how we feel and look. If you are looking to have a more youthful and lifted looking skin, the trick is to incorporate more foods that can help increase collagen.
You might be thinking, “Is it truly possible to eat your way to youthful, lifted skin?” We’ll get to the bottom of this, but first, to deepen our understanding of why it’s important to eat a collagen-rich diet, let’s run through the basics.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a general term for the main structural proteins found in the skin, bones, muscles, tendons and connective tissues in humans (as well as animals). It makes up about 30% of the protein in the human body.
In simpler terms, collagen essentially is responsible for holding the body together – like a scaffolding that provides strength and structure. Collagen strengthens the skin and plays an important role in maintaining the skin’s elasticity and firmness. In fact, as we age, collagen production levels in our skin slows down which often results in sagging skin and the appearance of wrinkles.
How do you naturally increase collagen production?
There are two ways of doing this. You can naturally increase and support your body’s collagen synthesis by either, a) consuming foods that are natural sources of collagen, or b) foods that contain nutrients that stimulate collagen production. Of course, doing both at once is definitely most welcome.
What foods will increase collagen?
Most foods that contain collagen are meats or other animal products, which are rich in protein, as it aids in the synthesis of collagen production once it is broken down into amino acids in your body. Foods that are rich in important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, play a crucial role in the collagen synthesis process. Here are 11 good examples of collagen-rich food:
- Chicken: one of the most collagen-rich foods available. All chicken meat contains collagen, especially areas with connective tissues. Fun fact: some collagen supplements are made using the connective tissue from chicken cartilage!
- Bone Broth: produced by boiling animal connective tissue and bones, a bone broth is rich in nutrients and amino acids, which play a role in collagen production.
- Eggs: eggs are rich in proline, glycine and lysine – all of which are a type of amino acid that are vital in the synthesis of collagen production.
- Fish: most fish muscle tissue has a collagen content of 0.2% to 1.4%, and its skin is by far the richest in collagen.
- Beans: rich in protein and amino acids that are involved in collagen synthesis, such as lysine, leucine and valine.
- Leafy Green Vegetables: kale, spinach, collard greens and lettuce are not only the healthiest foods around, but they also contain chlorophyll, which will help to stimulate collagen production.
- Avocados: contains vitamin C, which plays an important role in collagen synthesis.
- Berries: Similar to avocados, berries are rich in vitamin C and double up as an antioxidant, which will reduce the effects of ageing.
- Citrus Fruits: orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit contain a healthy amount of vitamin C, all of which are needed in collagen production and skin preparation.
- Red Peppers: contains lycopene, which is effective against UV damage and helps protect against collagen damage and degradation.
- Tomatoes: similar to red peppers, tomatoes are rich in lycopene and can help preserve collagen and promote collagen synthesis.
Do collagen-rich foods really help achieve lifted, healthy skin?
To answer the burning question of whether this is possible, the answer is a resounding yes. However, it’s important to note that these changes won’t happen overnight, and like most things in life, it does take a lot of time, not to mention discipline as only a small fraction of the collagen you consume will be converted to collagen under your skin.
There is, however, another effective way to boost collagen alongside a collagen-heavy diet, and that is through Ultherapy. This non-invasive, US FDA-cleared skin lifting and tightening treatment directly targets signs of ageing like sagginess and loss of elasticity by delivering ultrasound energy to specific depths of the skin to stimulate new collagen and elastin production in your skin.
This method is completely safe and takes no longer than 90 minutes to perform, thanks to its real-time imaging or visualisation (MFU-V) technology that allows your doctor to accurately target specific areas , such as the face, jawline, neck and décolletage.
You don’t have to make any changes to your routine or diet prior to and after your treatment, and you will begin to notice a difference within a few weeks.
To find out more about how you can opt for an instant boost with Ultherapy, speak to the experts at our partner aesthetic clinic near you today!
