What is collagen and what are its natural sources?

What is collagen and what are its natural sources?

Collagen is what keeps our skin elastic and is responsible for replacing dead skin cells. Collagen is also found in our bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and even our teeth. Collagen’s main function is to sustain tendons, skin and cartilage. It provides integrity, firmness and elasticity to their structures. As we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen. Elasticity and firmness of the skin declines. Signs of skin aging such as wrinkles form, hydration decreases and joint cartilages weaken. Contributing factors to skin aging include genes, hormones, exposure to sun, smoking and pollution.

Sources rich in collagen include bone broth, gelatine, eggs, fish, red meat, oysters, cheese and nuts – basically foods rich in protein containing essential amino acids that our bodies need to get from diet.