Benefits of Collagen
Naked Nutrition Collagen
Naked Nutrition Collagen
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different types of collagen. I’ve written a dozen posts about the uses and benefits of collagen, but it’s been a few months.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It’s a major component of connective tissues in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and skin. Consuming collagen will provide benefits, whether you are an athlete or not.
For runners, collagen can help bone and joint health, plus it can aid in workout recovery.
For nonrunners, collagen also helps skin and healthy hair and nails. I notice the difference of both my hair and skin when I consume collagen.
Why Take a Collagen Supplement?
It’s hard to get hydrolyzed collagen from food sources. You can do it by drinking bone broth every day, but taking a collagen supplement like Naked Collagen is going to make it easier to get the appropriate amount. Like whey protein powder, Naked Nutrition Collagen can help rebuild muscles post-workout.
So What is Naked Nutrition?
As the brand suggests, Naked Nutrition doesn’t contain any extra “stuff.” It’s flavorless and tasteless and so far the most tasteless collagen I’ve found to date. Naked Nutrition Collagen is highly soluble and tasteless.
The Naked Nutrition Collagen only has 35 calories per serving because it contains no extra filler. Just hydrolyzed collagen. Personally, I’ve been using it in coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. During the warmer months, I’ll probably add it so cold drinks and smoothies. You can add Naked Nutrition Collagen Peptide Powder in almost anything because you don’t taste it.
So What Does Naked Nutrition Collagen Contain (or not contain)?
- One Ingredient: Collagen Peptides
- Collagen Contains 9 out of 18 Essential Amino Acids
- Hydrolyzed Collagen Comes From Pasture-Raised and Grass-Fed Bovine Hides
- No Artificial Sweeteners, Flavors, or Colors
- 9 Grams of Protein and 0.6 Grams of BCAA’s Per Serving**
- GMO-Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, and Gluten-Free
- Growth Hormone Free, no rBGH or rBs
Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport.
Questions for you:
Have you tried Naked Nutrition Collagen?
Do you take a Collagen Peptide Supplement?
Vital Proteins RecoveryWave
Recently, Vital Proteins came out with the Recovery Wave protein powder. As most people know, I’m a fan of Vital Proteins Whey Collagen, so I was excited about the Vital Proteins RecoveryWave. RecoveryWave is one word, not “Recovery Wave.”
So what Makes Vital Proteins RecoveryWave Great?
The Vital Proteins RecoveryWave was intended for athletes and post workout recovery. The Vital Performance line contains 20 grams of collagen proteins, supports muscles and joints, and replenishes minerals lost during exercise.
The Vital Proteins RecoveryWave comes in Five flavors:
- RecoveryWave Guava lime (the most tart)
- Monk Fruit (my favorite)
- Passion Fruit
- Watermelon Blueberry
- Lemon Grape
Support Your Joints:
The Vital Proteins RecoveryWave has 20g of collagen peptides every serving. What do the Collagen Peptides do? Collagen Peptides to help build muscle and support joint and bone health.
Amino Acids:
Most Vital Protein products contain animal acids, but each serving of the RecoveryWave also includes 5g of BCAAs.20g Collagen Peptides.
What are Amino Acids and what is the difference between Essential Amino Acids (EAAS) and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAS)?
Our bodies produce 11 amino acids using other amino acids. The other 9 of the 20 amino acids are considered essential amino acids (EAAs). EAAs must come from diet or supplementation because the body cannot produce them. Breaking it down further, 3 of these 9 are considered “Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) because of their chemical structure.
The structure of the BCAAs allow them to skip the normal digestion process and become quickly available in the muscles.
The Vital Proteins Recoverywave has 5g of Branched Chain amino acids (BCAA), 2.8g of leucine.
The RecoveryWave products also contain vitamins C, B2 & B6, Zinc, Magnesium, Taurine, and Glutamine. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid
No Added Stuff:
Vital Proteins products contain no added sugars and are made without gluten, dairy, and soy.
Rehydrate:
Vital Protein RecoveryWave uses the same electrolytes found in coconut water powder, Himalayan sea salt, and natural sources.
So How can use Vital Proteins RecoveryWave?
I tried to bake it, but it has a bitter taste in recipes, so I’ve found smoothies to be the best and easiest.
I made this Berry Blast Recovery Smoothie but substituted the Vital Proteins RecoveryWave instead.
This quick Vital protein RecoveryWave Pineapple Smoothie is what I’ve been Enjoying Lately:
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup milk
1 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen banana
2 Scoops Vital Protein RecoveryWave (today I used Guava Lime)
Blend and drink
Thank you Vital Proteins for allowing me to try the new RecoveryWave.
Questions for you:
What do you use post-workout?
Do you take EAAs or BAAs?
Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer vs Collagen Latte
As most people know, I’m a Vital Proteins Ambassador, and in exchange for a post a month, Vital Proteins will send me new products to try.
I’ve written about the health benefits of Vital Proteins and Collagen before as well as how Collagen protein has helped me recover from workouts.
Vital Proteins just came out with a new product: The Collagen Lattes
There are four different flavors:
- Madagascar Vanilla
- Cocoa Caramel
- Golden Milk
- Hot Cocoa
I am lucky enough to try The Golden Milk.
The ingredient list of Vital Proteins Golden Milk is small. It’s made with chicken bone broth collagen, coconut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper extract.
Like the Collagen Creamer, the Collagen Latte goes well into coffee, hot cocoa, and other frothy drinks. Since it’s the summer, I prefer something colder so tried my hand at making a cold beverage.
So What is the difference between the Collagen Lattes and Collagen Creamers?
Both have a creamy consistency as well as collagen. The difference is their purpose and how to use them.
Collagen Creamer:
I’ve written about the collagen creamer before. It’s an excellent creamer. It is free of added sugars, dairy, and gluten. It’s not as creamy as full-fat milk, and I like it in hot cocoa the best. Vital Protein Collagen Creamers contain MCT, a healthy fat, in coconut milk. Each coconut creamer also contains 10 grams of collagen and protein. Finally, one of my favorite parts of any Vital Proteins Collagen product is the ingredients list. Each Vital Protein product is made with real food. There are no artificial sweeteners or refined sugars. Plus, the Collagen Creamer is also Dairy and Gluten-Free (it’s not critical for me, but I do know it is for many).
Collagen Lattes:
The Collagen Lattes are all dairy-free and have 10g of bone broth collagen. Like the Collagen Creamers, the Collagen Lattes also contain MCTs and are dairy and gluten-free. There are no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or additives.
Two flavors Madagascar Vanilla and Golden Milk flavors contain no caffeine. The Cocoa Caramel and Hot Cocoa flavors each have 5 mg of caffeine.
So which is “better”?
The answer is neither!
Looking strictly at ingredients and nutrition facts both contain coconut milk powder, which means they are dairy-free. I’m not lactose intolerant, but my husband is, and they work well for him.
The creamer is best added to a drink like coffee or smoothie while the latte flavors can be drunk as a stand-alone drink.
The other main difference is the sourcing of the collagen. The creamer is sourced from collagen peptides. Also known as collagen peptides creamer. What are peptides? Collagen peptides act as building blocks for the body and help build stronger hair, nails, and joints.
The Collagen Lattes contains bone broth collagen. Bone broth is bones and cartilage and is better for bone health. As a runner, I like the added benefit of bone health.
You won’t go wrong for either, and it comes down to your preference. If you are looking for a healthier alternative for creamer, I would choose the creamer. If you want to substitute your coffee or morning drink altogether, the latte is a good place to start.
Right now I’m drinking Golden Milk which I like and highly recommend.
Thank you to Vital Proteins for sending the new Collagen Latte Golden Milk to try.
Questions for you:
Have you tried Collagen Lattes or Collagen Creamer?
What is your favorite type of creamer?
Does Collagen Help Post Workout Recovery?
As many people know, I’m a Vital Proteins Ambassador and have been using Vital Proteins Collagen for over a year now.
Each month, Vital Proteins sends me products to try, and I share my favorites or answer questions people have.
I’ve already been using Vital Proteins for over a year, and I find I genuinely recover faster and feel better than if I don’t. Usually, I have one serving twice a day.
Since this is primarily, a “workout blog,” many people have asked how it helps with recovery. Keep in mind these statements are not evaluated by the food and drug administration and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
What Makes Collagen Peptides Different?
Vital Protein Collagen Peptides have the added benefit of providing 18 g of collagen protein. I’ve personally found my body recovers much better when I have protein after a run or workout. Vital Proteins are also dairy free.
Why Take Collagen?
Until I learned more about collagen, I had no idea it was the second most abundant substance in the human body. (after water).
Collagen is found everywhere in the body. The purpose is to provide the body with strength, structure, and elasticity.
With the natural process of aging, our bodies become less efficient, producing collagen. This leads to slower workout recovery time. By adding collagen, you can help speed up the process.
One of the essential jobs of collagen is to keep our bones and connective tissue in optimal working conditions. For runners and people that work out, this is imperative. Like rest, you cannot train hard without recovering hard.
How Can Collagen Help Running Performance?
New research shows collagen can help decrease joint pain often associated with high impact exercise.
Long-term strenuous exercise, like running, leads to collagen degradation in the body. We naturally lose collagen as we age but running and other high impact sports can quicken this. It’s not an overnight occurrence, and the degradation of collagen is a slow process. It usually takes years. Like a stress fracture, it takes time and isn’t an issue that just ‘pops up”. That is why anyone running for years may have the same collagen issues.
Collagens Promotes a Healthy Response to Natural Inflammation:
Running stresses your body, which causes inflammation. Taking Collagen or any protein directly after a workout helps to promote inflammation and speed up the repair of connective tissues that are damaged. I feel and recover better on days I do have collagen within 30 minutes of working out.
Promoting Joint Health:
In the running world, it’s not uncommon to hear runners and athletes talk about “bone on bone.” This means they’ve lost the cartilage in their knees. Losing all of the cartilage in your knees is from years of wear and tear on your body and joints.
How does Collagen Help Joints?
- Increases lubrication around joints to make more mobile
- Helps to increase bone density (A BIG ONE FOR RUNNERS!)
- Reduces inflammation around joints and improves healing of connective tissues
Which Collagen Products are Best for Recovery?
While products like “the beauty glow,” have collagen and protein, they aren’t the best if your goal is to recover faster.
A Few of my Favorite Vital Proteins Products for Recovery are:
The Original Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides:
The Orginal Collagen Peptides are unflavored and can be added to anything. The collagen peptides are digested and absorbed by the body quickly for maximum benefits. Besides helping recover, they also help improve joints and ligaments, and tendon health. Of any collagen product, they are the most versatile and can be added into almost anything with no extra flavor, including hot or cold liquids, coffee, smoothies, and baked goods.
Vital Proteins Bone Broth:
Bone broth was one of the first products I started taking from Vital Proteins. Bone broth is filled with amino acids. These amino acids prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue, repair leaky gut, improve sleep quality, and help regenerate cartilage. Important for runners, bone broth also contains calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Vital Proteins Collagen Whey:
The Collagen whey is my favorite product, and I try and have a serving most days. In addition to the collagen, the Vital Proteins Collagen whey contains 26g of grass fed whey protein concentrate and 5,105mg of BCAA. If you are looking for a protein powder, the Vital Proteins Collagen Whey supports recovery and mixes well into smoothies.
Vital Proteins Collagen Water:
It’s one of the newer products, and I wrote about Vital Proteins Collagen Water last month. I like how many different flavors of collagen water there are, plus it’s portable. If I’m running from somewhere other than my house, it’s easy and packed. Of any of the products, the collagen water is the easiest to pack and bring with you.
In summary, I’ve found I’ve recovered faster and stronger after hard workouts by taking Collagen. Thank you Vital Proteins for allowing me to continue to be an ambassador.
Questions for you:
What do you eat or drink after working out?
Have you tried collagen before?