Over time, the elasticity of the skin gradually weakens, which becomes a beauty concern for many people. Collagen, the main support substance for the skin's structure, is believed to be the key to maintaining skin elasticity. So, is eating collagen-rich food the secret to maintaining your skin's elasticity?
Find out what collagen does in your skin. Collagen is a structural protein that is found in many tissues such as bones, joints, blood vessels, etc. Collagen accounts for a large proportion of the skin and is the main ingredient in maintaining skin elasticity and firmness. It forms a scaffold structure for the skin, making it firm and elastic, slowing down the formation of wrinkles and making the skin look younger.
With age, environmental influences and poor lifestyle habits, collagen synthesis gradually slows down and loss accelerates, resulting in skin loss of elasticity, sagging, fine lines and other problems. In order to maintain or improve the elasticity of the skin, eating collagen-rich foods is considered a natural and effective way.
Which foods are rich in collagen? The first to bear the brunt are the skin and bone parts of animals such as chicken skin, chicken bones, and pig skin. These parts are rich in collagen, which can be ingested by simmering, making soups, etc. Shark fin, pork trotter tendons, and pork trotters are also collagen-rich ingredients, which can provide the body with collagen raw materials and help promote collagen production.
Some seafood foods, such as fish skin, kelp, sea cucumber, etc., also contain more collagen. Nuts, especially walnuts, are rich in amino acids that help in collagen synthesis. Collagen-rich ingredients such as black fungus and seaweed in vegetables are also choices that cannot be ignored.
In addition to direct intake of collagen-rich foods, collagen production can also be boosted by consuming foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is an indispensable cofactor for collagen synthesis, which can improve the stability and synthesis efficiency of collagen. Fresh fruits and vegetables such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, etc. are all foods rich in vitamin C.
While dietary collagen can provide some support to the skin, it's important to note that collagen isn't completely absorbed by the body after it's ingested.