What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)

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What is collagen protein and how to use it
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)

I’ve been a big fan of gelatin since our family went on the GAPS diet and it helped my son be able to tolerate dairy again. I’ve also seen huge benefits with my skin, hair, and nails since I started incorporating more gelatin and collagen into my diet.

What Is Collagen?

In short, collagen is an insoluble protein that accounts for 1/3 of the protein in our bodies and 70% of the protein in our skin. Many people are familiar with its role in the skin, which is why it is in so many beauty products. What many people don’t realize is collagen is so much more than just a beauty remedy. (More on that later.)

The collagen molecule is a complex protein made up of over 1,000 amino acids, the main ones being proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline (in a unique triple helix configuration of three polypeptide subunits. (Sorry, science nerd moment!)

But what does this mean on a practical level?

Why We Need Collagen

It means collagen is incredibly strong. In fact, type I collagen (a type found in the human body) is stronger than steel gram for gram. It is fundamental to healthy cell reproduction, joints, connective tissue, and more.

The particular amino acids in collagen and gelatin are said to be especially beneficial in the body for:

The important thing to know is that these amino acids come from bones and cartilege (usually from cows) and are not present in muscle meats. As we trade traditional cooking methods like making homemade bone broth for modern convenience, we are getting less and less collagen and gelatin in our diets.

More in a bit on how to make up the gap, but first:

How to Boost Collagen Protein (From the Inside Out)

Here’s the thing. All of those beauty products that contain collagen won’t do much for your skin. This is because collagen molecules are too big to be absorbed through the skin. That doesn’t mean collagen isn’t really beneficial though… just that we have to get it from the inside out.

So how to get it? There are a few ways:

Natural Sources of Gelatin

Collagen (and gelatin, its cooked counterpart) is naturally found in high quality broth and in cuts of meat that contain skin or bone. If you’ve ever made bone broth and had it “gel” when it cooled, this is due to the collagen naturally present in the bones and connective tissue, which becomes gelatin when cooked.

There are also gelatin powders like this that contain 6 grams of protein per tablespoon and are relatively odorless and tasteless. This makes them easy to mix into warm drinks or recipes for an extra boost of quality protein,

Natural Sources of Collagen

Collagen has many of the same properties as gelatin and is the form actually found in the body. When we lack collagen due to diet or aging, we need a way to get it from the inside out.

Collagen and gelatin aren’t interchangeable, but they both do have their advantages. Some people, especially those with severe digestive issues, won’t handle pure gelatin protein well until they address their digestive problems. Bone broth is a great option in this case, but another good option is collagen peptides (another name for hydrolyzed collagen/collagen hydrolysate), which is essentially a cold-water soluble and more easily digestible form of gelatin.

Because of the unique way hydrolyzed collagen is prepared, it has higher amounts of the amino acids that support healthy cell growth and reproduction especially in connective tissues, hair, skin tissue, cartilage, ligaments and so on. It also absorbs more quickly due to a lower molecular rate.

How to Use Collagen Hydrolysate and Gelatin Powders

What is collagen hydrolysate and how to use itMy absolute favorite source of gelatin and collagen is homemade bone broth (or a high quality grass-fed bone broth like this one), but it isn’t always possible to have access to homemade broth.

As much as I love broth, there are also times (like a scorching August) when a cup of hot broth is not very appealing, so I prefer a different option instead.

Gelatin powder and collagen powder are great options that we use often instead of broth.

Gelatin Powder Uses

Gelatin is great not only due to its benefits but because of its ability to “gel” in recipes. It works really well in jellos, marshmallows, and other recipes for this reason.We use gelatin for making a lot of different gut-healthy recipes like:

This is the grass-fed gelatin that we use.

The one downside to gelatin powder… it only mixes into warm/hot liquids and clumps up in cold drinks because of its ability to gel. Enter collagen!

Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder Uses

Collagen powder won’t gel like regular gelatin, but it dissolves easily both in cold drinks (like smoothies) and hot drinks. I use it almost daily for protein and healthy fats added to:

Bonus: It’s not only good for you but adds a delicious creaminess and froth! We use collagen from both Bulletproof as well as Vital Proteins. While the majority of collagen comes from bovine, there is marine collagen for anyone that needs the sourcing to come from fish or other marine life.

What We Do

We still drink bone broth regularly (either homemade or this brand). I also still use regular grass-fed gelatin in anything we need to “gel.” I’ve found that everyone in our family seems to digest the collagen hydrolysate/peptides form more easily, so now we use that most of the time for a quick boost of protein.

I’m curious- have you ever tried gelatin or collagen hydrolysate? How did it work for you? Share below!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Collagen Hydrolysate is an easier to digest form of gelatin that does not gel but that contains essential amino acids like proline and glycine.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

492 responses to “What Is Collagen Powder (& How to Use It)”

  1. Chloe Avatar

    I have been wanting to order this for a while now. I am currently 11 weeks pregnant and think it could be a really great addition to my pregnancy diet. It is completely safe to add during pregnancy?

  2. Mary Avatar

    Patricia,

    I’ve been taking the CH since mid February and I’ve noticed the following:

    1. My asthma has improved significantly
    2. My weird hip and knee pain is gone
    3. I sleep deeper and can exercise longer (I’m consistently getting stronger)
    4. My hair is absolutely thicker, shinier and grows faster (even my hairdresser has commented and is now using CH herself!)
    5. My nails are lovely, strong and thick, also much clearer (if that makes sense)

    I can’t tell about my skin, but I was blessed with great genetics. My mother at 76 has hardly any wrinkles, and I’ve inherited her genes. But I’m sure the CH isn’t hurting any.

    I’m a convert and love the stuff, personally. And I haven’t experienced any side effects. I take 2 TBSP/day in my morning coffee. Dissolves perfectly and I don’t taste it at all.

    1. Patricia Avatar
      Patricia

      Thank you so much for your reply. So I will be patient and see some changes in a coulpe of months!
      The other part of my question was about dosage for a 13 year old girl and a 14 year old boy. Should the collagen be an occasional supplement and how much should they be taking.

  3. Patricia Avatar
    Patricia

    Received my Collagen and was wondering: once I take the powder on a regular basis, on average, how long before I will notice a difference with myself? What changers do most people seem to really notice first?
    Also, is this product OK for teens (13 and 14 year olds) to consume, and how much and how often should they be ingesting it?
    I could not find that info. Thank you!

  4. Jayne Avatar

    Does collagen hydrosalate increase histamine in the body? I read that bone broth is very high
    In histamines so I was wondering if collagen peptides were also?

  5. Jaela Avatar

    Awhile back you endorsed Great Lakes gelatin and that excerpt from “one company” you used on this post is off their website. You now endorse Vital Proteins. I know new products emerge and as a well-followed blogger you get to try things, but as an inquisitive consumer I was just wondering if there was a food quality reason for the switch? Like am I getting less of a certain amino acid profile if I use one brand over the other?

    Thanks!

  6. Simone Avatar

    hi,
    This may sound silly but I am vegetarian and really dislike anything with gelatin in it. Is it possible to get another source of collagen ?
    Thanks

  7. lindsey Avatar

    I’d love to hear more about your comment at the beginning of this post, how gelatin helped your son to reverse his dairy allergy? Can you explain how it did, what you did exactly to achieve that? thank you!

      1. Jordan Dyck Avatar
        Jordan Dyck

        im also very interested in more info on that! I have been putting collagen powder in my smoothies

  8. Shay Avatar

    I am very interested in this thread and the uses and benefits of gelatin however through my research I’ve become a little concerned about some information regarding some safety concerns of hydrolyzed collagen.
    I didn’t see anything regarding this on your site so I have to ask your opinion on the potential risks of contracting TSE. (Specifically in regards to the Bovine Collagen, contraction of BSE)
    I had basically decided to begin the “Gelatin Regimen’ until I read about these concerns…I am more concerned about administering the gelatin to my 2 year old and 4 year old.
    Can you possibly alleviate my concerns, or at the very least provide anything further in order for me to make a more informed decision?
    Thanks so much for your time.

  9. Jody Avatar

    Hi. I’ve just received my orange can and dissolved 1tbs in water, gross, I was gagging and it was the worst! Any other ideas on how to consume it?

  10. Corey Avatar

    Hi,
    This is prob a stupid question but is collagen and gelatin the same thing? Just made different?
    Thanks for any answers!

    Corey

  11. Mary Avatar

    Hi,

    Could you please provide a links to the sources/studies that show this to be the case?

    I ask, because I did a Google search for “Collagen Hydrolysate and leaky gut,” and “Collagen Hydrolysate and GAPS,” narrowing the results to the past year, and only one article I could find (without going through literally hundreds of articles about CH) – https://www.nourishingplot.com/2014/03/27/options-when-gut-healing-gelatin-doesnt-work/

    The author of this one article, Becky Plotner, provides no source for her assertion that CH is not GAPS approved. So, I’m curious if you’ve found any other articles to which you can provide links that are credible and offer studies or source material for why the authors came to this conclusion and are stating as such. And to be clear, I’m not challenging you. But I would challenge that assertion if only one author in one article makes it – an author who provides no credible link/source/study to back what she’s written. Heck, I’d even challenge it if 30 authors make the assertion – without any credible link/source/study to back it.

    Just food for thought…

    Cheers,
    Mary

    1. Leanna Avatar

      That is a good point! I didn’t even realize that there were no sources! I guess I will continue with the green can! 🙂

  12. Leanna Avatar

    I have been taking the Green can for over a month no changes yet. However, I have been reading more online and another article said that for leaky Gut the Green can should not be consumed, the Red (not orange) can should be used.

    Do you have any comments on the Red can? It says that the Red and Orange cans are both GAPS approved and the Green is not GAPS approved. Yet in your post you say to not start the Orange until your stomach is stronger, in so many words.

    I would value your advice! I have been dealing with hives on my face for over 3 months since I started eating healthy and going crazy at this time!

    Thanks!
    Leanna

  13. Peggy Avatar

    Whoa…..I just received my Vital Proteins ( the green lid) and am wondering if I ordered the wrong one. Sounds like the peptides are better in smoothies and digest better. How is the green lid one used?

  14. Kara Avatar

    I’m having a hard time stomach this stuff anyway I try! I was wondering what you thought about putting it in a vegetable capsule and just taking it? It might be a lot of capsules but I’m willing to give it a try if you thought it would doable (and still beneficia). Thanks!

  15. MJ Avatar

    Do you know if the Collagen Peptides thins your blood or damages blood platelets? I have low platelets and have started having nose bleeds. I started with 1 scoop once a day and have only been taking the collagen for about a week.

  16. Barbara Avatar

    I took this for the first time yesterday 1 tsp in a blueberry almond milk smoothie and become so very tired. Lethargic in fact. I fought sleep until 9:00 pm. Then slept pretty well. But I’ve still been tired today. Could this mean it’s doing what it needs to and I need the rest. Or is it just not for me. I’ve been under an extreme amount of stress for awhile it is affecting my health and my hair is falling out. I was so excited to start this. I just hope it means it’s working.

  17. Keri Avatar

    Can you add this to smoothies? Just trying to think of different ways to take it.

  18. Jasmine Avatar

    Hi! I ve been using the green one from Great Lakes… do you know if it is ok to use when pregnant?

  19. Trish Avatar

    I have seen several questions about pill forms of collagen but no answer, I have a hard time drinking different or odd flavors and would love a pill. Any recommendations?
    Thanks

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