But first of all what exactly is collagen?
Collagen is a type of protein which makes up the structure or framework of your cells and tissues.
It has many benefits including “supporting the bones, skin, muscles and other areas of the body.”
The nutritionist said: “The protein has become particularly popular for women looking to improve their skin health because as you age, the body produces less collagen, which can lead to wrinkles forming.
“Studies have shown that collagen may help to slow down the ageing of the skin by reducing dryness and, in turn, the wrinkles it causes.”
How to add collagen to your diet
Bone Broth
When you think of bone broth you think of soups, gravies and sauces. While it can be great to add to a pho, casserole or even your eggs bone broth is a “health” superfood.
Crowley said: “Bone broth is one of the easiest and most effective ways for people looking to increase their protein intake and add probiotics to their diet, with one of the main proteins in the broth being collagen.
“Collagen is the protein found in bones, tendons, and ligaments, so as the broth is cooking, these parts break down into collagen-derived gelatin, which helps with overall bone health.”
But that’s not all as bone broth also has another benefit.
He added: “Another benefit of broth is its gut health benefits as it contains probiotics that help rebuild the gut lining with beneficial bacteria left behind from the gelatin in the boiled bones.”
Chicken
Chicken is surely the go-to protein for millions of people as you can cook it in a load of different ways.
Crowley said: “Chicken is a great source of collagen as both the skin and connective tissues contain a lot of the protein. Poultry is a rich source of dietary collagen and an easy way to get protein into your diet as it’s a common meat already eaten by many.
“As chicken is a good source of protein, it is also beneficial for helping to promote muscle growth, and as it is low in calories but high in protein, it’s a popular choice for those looking to improve their overall health.”
Fish
And finally, another food that we keep hearing we should be eating more of is fish.
“Fish is a great source of collagen, but in contrast to other foods, it contains marine collagen,” Crawley said.
“Marine collagen has been in the spotlight, in particular, for its anti-ageing properties as fish collagen is absorbed up to 1.5 times more efficiently into the body than bovine, cow-derived, collagen.”
Collagen-rich food for vegetarian or vegan diets
However, if you’re a vegetarian or vegan there are foods that you can help boost your collagen levels too.
Searches for “collagen-rich foods for vegetarians” rose by 100% and “vegan food with collagen” increased by 143%.
“Many collagen food sources aren’t vegetarian or vegan friendly, however, if you do eat a meat and fish free diet there are things you can do to boost your body’s ability to naturally produce more collagen,” Crowley said.
He added: “Foods rich in vitamin C like berries, garlic, leafy greens, citrus fruits, beans, oranges, tomatoes, whole grains and nuts are key to helping the body better produce collagen. These foods can help to boost the production of collagen as vitamin C promotes collagen synthesis.”
If you’re looking to add these foods to your diet consult your doctor before you make any changes.