Although vegan collagen itself is not widely available, people can purchase several vegan collagen-boosting products. The manufacturers of these products claim that they help vegans manufacture collagen and provide the reported benefits of this protein. These benefits include: improving skin health.
The most abundant amino acids in collagen are glycine, lysine and proline, and these are available in plant-based foods such as tofu, black beans, pistachio nuts, peanuts, cashews and pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds.
“It's important for consumers to know that there is currently not a plant-based source of collagen. Collagen can only come from animal-based products.” The good news: Your body naturally makes collagen, so you can absolutely give yourself a boost if you're feeling dull and deficient.
Although many collagen products contain fish and animal ingredients, you can go vegan with your collagen.
Can you get collagen from plants? If you follow a plant-based diet, unfortunately the answer is no. Collagen is distinctly produced by animals and not plants, as it's found in animal parts including bones, hooves, tendons and skin/hides (the same parts that are used to make real bone broth).
Health Benefits of Vegan Collagen
Reduce wrinkles and fine lines: Creams containing vegan collagen may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on your face, neck, and other areas of your body. Improve skin elasticity: Vegan collagen may improve the elasticity of your skin.
As naturally occurring collagen comes from animals, people following a strict vegan lifestyle cannot use it. Scientists have, therefore, developed techniques to use genetically engineered microorganisms such as yeast to make recombinant human collagen, which people could describe as vegan collagen.
The Final Verdict
Plant-based collagen is as effective as animal collagen—if what you're using is collagen and not just a collagen builder. As of now, ingestible plant-based collagen is not real collagen, but a collection of vegan ingredients designed to help boost your body's own collagen production.
What Is Collagen? First, let's cover the basic reason why collagen is not vegan: It's source. Collagen is sourced from animals because natural collagen is only found in the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin of animals. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body.
Let's recap the key differences: Animal collagen products are sourced from the hooves, bones, and hides of cows or fish. Vegan collagen gives your body the plant-based building blocks to boost your body's own collagen production. Vegan collagen supplements don't contain any actual collagen.
Does collagen work? Some studies show that taking collagen supplements for several months can improve skin elasticity, (i.e., wrinkles and roughness) as well as signs of aging. Others have shown that consuming collagen can increase density in bones weakened with age and can improve joint, back and knee pain.
Collagen can be restored, because when these treatments happen, the body forms new collagen to repair damage and injuries. Alternatively, food is an excellent way to stimulate collagen production, leading to its restoration within the body.
However, even when you're replacing lost collagen, remember that you can't regrow or repair your joints or cartilage. While eating more collagen-rich foods or taking collagen supplements may be able to stimulate new collagen production, it can't magically rebuild what's already damaged or worn.
The reality is that you won't look like you're 25 forever – no matter how “clean” or “healthy” or your diet might be. While there are a variety of health benefits associated with following a vegan diet, eating a vegan diet won't make you age faster or slower in and of itself.
Simply, vegan face is a name for a slack, wasted look that is caused by an absence of protein in your diet.
Both oral and topical collagen can contribute to reducing or delaying skin aging.
Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks for your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. "Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz.
Tapping also helps drain lymphatic fluid that makes you look puffy and eliminates toxins. The toxins can damage your skin, especially your collagen, leading to wrinkles. It may also stimulate collagen production to help fade fine lines.
Inadequate Vitamin D in the skin causes it to become thin, saggy, wrinkled, and weak. Your skin is your largest organ, so making sure it's strong and healthy is incredibly important in preventing premature aging. Dr.