In this day and age theres almost always a quick fix to something. In the realm of skincare when it comes to fine lines, wrinkles, etc. one of societies favorite quick fixes is botox.
But what if you don’t want to inject yourself with anything? Or have the time or money to do so? What can you do to fight off that pesky part of aging? You can eat your own botox!
Okay hear me out, please do NOT eat actual botox! I repeat, DO NOT ACTUALLY EAT BOTOX. Okay now that that’s covered, you can actually fill your diet with collagen rich foods or foods that help produce or protect your collagen to help prevent fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity to the skin.
I ate collagen producing foods while pregnant to prevent stretch marks.
So backstory to what got me interested in this topic: when I got pregnant with my first baby I actually wasn’t concerned with getting stretch marks. Someone in my life was extremely concerned though, I won’t name names but I would like to point out that it definitely wasn’t my husband.
Anyways, this person is family and a big part of my life so every time I saw her (little hint for you, it was a woman) she would grill me about what I was doing during my pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. After she grilled me and gave me skeptical looks when I explained I was essentially doing nothing she’d go into her pretty elaborate routine that she did while she was pregnant. Lucky for her, apparently it worked. But with my esthetics background I knew that creams can only do so much. Unfortunately, stretch marks are largely genetic. I actually had a friend in esthetics school that religiously put on every cream she possibly could while she was pregnant and she still got stretch marks, she was just genetically pre-disposed.
So I didn’t bother too heavily with topical products, I added a vitamin E oil into my nighttime routine but that was it. However, it did get me thinking; what if I start eating foods that would assist with my collagen production to see if that helps prevent stretch marks? My thought process was this: collagen helps with your skins elasticity, essentially how well it can bounce back after stretching. So if I ate foods that helped with my collagen I would be less likely to get stretch marks right?
Spoiler alert: I actually didn’t get any stretch marks! Was it because of what I ate? I’m honestly not sure, like I previously stated stretch marks are largely genetic. But I don’t think adding things to help my collagen and collagen rich foods into my diet hurt in any way! So it got me researching the topic in general and this is what I found:
So what is collagen?
Collagen is the protein in our body that keeps our skin firm and plump and like I stated above, elastic. As we age our body’s natural collagen production starts to slow down and can slow down even more due to sun damage, stress, poor diet, smoking and alcohol.
Yes, there are several good collagen powders out there that are amazing for glowing skin and even giving you a little extra protein. But I prefer to add whole foods into my diet to help with collagen because our body doesn’t just absorb collagen whole; certain peptides and vitamins assist our bodies in producing more collagen or protecting what we already have.
Collagen Rich Foods- give your body peptides to rebuild your collagen:
- Bone broth: this is one of my favorite beauty secrets. Bone broth helps our bodies in so many ways, but yes it’s extremely collagen rich. I actually have a Turmeric Bone Broth Recipe posted that I make really often when my skin, gut or immune system need a boost.
- Chicken Skin: this is one I actually don’t usually find myself eating on it’s own but I do always throw chicken skin in with the bones while making my bone broth for the extra collagen!
- Fish, especially with the skin on: I ate a lot of salmon while pregnant in my attempt to eat my way to no stretch marks and I still try to eat it once a week! Fish is an amazing source of collagen and even better if you can eat the skin.
Vitamin C Rich foods- help produce collagen:
- Citrus Fruits: I actually make a “collagen beauty shot” with orange, lemon, pineapple, ginger and turmeric. It’s amazing for glowy, plump skin. I will add it and link it soon!
- Strawberries
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Bell pepper: apparently especially red ones
- Brussels Sprouts
- Kale
- Cabbage
Anti-oxidant Rich Foods- protect your collagen from free radical damage:
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Pomegranates: these both protect existing collagen and produce more collagen
- Green Tea: extremely anti-oxidant rich
- Tomatoes
Other noteworthy foods for Collagen:
- Nuts & Seeds: full of zinc and copper which help activate collagen production
- Egg whites: rich in proline which the body breaks down and turns into collagen
- Chia Seeds: Omega rich which helps protect collagen you already have from breaking down
- Walnuts: Omega rich
- Garlic: aids in collagen production
Is this a list of every single food, drink, supplement, etc. that will help on your collagen healing and production journey? Not at all. Food is medicine and there are lots more out there to add to your plate to help with your collagen! But I hope this comprehensible list is a good start for you.
So, can you actually eat your way to better skin? While there’s no magic food or perfect formula, I truly believe that what we eat plays a huge role in how we look and feel—inside and out. Whether you’re pregnant, navigating skin changes, or just wanting to support healthy aging, adding collagen-boosting foods into your routine is such a nourishing (and delicious!) place to start.
Remember: you don’t need injections or expensive creams to take care of your skin. Sometimes, the best beauty tools are already in your kitchen.
Have a favorite collagen-boosting recipe or tip? I’d love to hear about it in the comments! 💬👇
And if you’re curious about more holistic skincare ideas or skin-loving recipes, make sure to stick around—there’s more coming soon. 💛
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