The Miracles of Collagen!

Some of you may have watched me on KPRC Channel 2 this week to promote the benefits of BONE BROTH! I am honored that KPRC has made me “a friend of the show” and continues to invite me back monthly to educate the public on these fun nutrition topics! You can click here to watch my segment. 

The Paleo movement has brought this popular health hack to life and for good reason! There are so many benefits to consuming bone broth including:

1. GI Health and Gut healing (help to heal little rips, holes, and tears in the intestinal lining)
2. Improving joint pain
3. Healthy hair, skin, and nails (can even prevent and reverse cellulite!)
4. Boosting the immune system 

Specific nutrients are found in the bone that we may be depleted of because many of us aren’t consuming the entire animal carcass, and it’s okay because it’s not the stone age! But that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on these amazing health benefits. 

Breaking It Down

Animal bones contain vitamins such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and other trace minerals.

The marrow provides important vitamins and nutrients such as A, K, zinc, iron, manganese, and selenium. As well as Omegas 3&6!

The connective tissue component in bones provides our bodies with glucosamine and chondroitin as well as hyaluronic acid which support our joints and ligaments, improving joint health, mobility and flexibility, as well as super healthy skin. 

Perhaps the most popular benefit of bone broth however is COLLAGEN! And with all of the buzz around collagen right now here are a few of my favorite ways that you can incorporate it into your diet!

Bone Broth 5 Ways

-You can actually buy animal bones and prepare a broth by boiling it and letting it simmer for up to 48 hours! Throw it in a large stock pot or slow cooker, add water, apple cider vinegar, and you can even add veggies such as carrots, onions, celery and garlic for added micronutrients and flavor. Bring to a boil and simmer. You are looking at letting it simmer for at least 6 hours, but chicken bones can cook for up to 24 hrs, while beef bones can cook for up to 48 hrs. Or you can pre-made bone broth that is bagged and frozen. You can pick something like this up at Sprouts, Wholefoods, or Central Market. 

- You can swallow it in capsule form, but it is not quite as effective, larger doses generally provide more benefit, consider a powder form.

-You can buy it in powdered forms. Some have a bit of a distinct flavor, while others are flavorless. Here’s my favorite flavorless powder – Whole Body Collagen, made by Designs for Health! You can add this powder to your smoothies, frozen power bowls, and yummy treats such as these delicious cookies!

-If you don't eat meat, you can use fish bones to make broth or consume some foods that help to boost your natural collagen production: Egg whites, citrus fruits, berries, leafy greens, beans, garlic, and cashews.

There is another awesome and delish way to sneak in some collagen...make cookies!!

Salted Chocolate Chip Collagen Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of balanced almond flour
• 1 scoop flavorless collagen such as Whole Body Collagen 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup(sweetened with monk fruit) 
• 1/2 cup MCT oil or Coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips
• Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or use baking block
3. Combine almond flour, collagen powder, baking soda & sea salt in large bowl
4. Crack eggs in a medium bowl, add vanilla extract, mix to combine
5. Add maple-flavored syrup and MCT or coconut oil to the egg mixture, whisking as you pour
6. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat with hand mixer until all ingredients are well incorporated
7. Using a large wooden spoon, fold the chocolate chips into the batter
8. Drop balls of dough, about 2 tbsp, onto the prepared cookie sheet
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, start checking at 10 minutes
10. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt flakes and let cool for 10 minutes

Makes 18 delicious cookies 

So whether you need to improve gut, heart, immune system or joint heath or want to see your hair, skin and nails flourish, give collagen a try and start seeing the immediate benefits! If you would like to learn more about the benefits of collagen, you can see my previous blog 

References:

Axe, J. (2019). Bone broth benefits for digestion, arthritis, and cellulite [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/nutrition/article/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

McDonell, K. (2017). Bone broth: How to make it and 6 reasons why you should [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bone-broth