How to Build Collagen - The Vegan Way

Beauty gurus and nutritionists alike sing the praises of collagen and how essential it is for reaching a glamorous glow. But for those living a vegetarian, vegan or even flexitarian lifestyle, this presents quite the conundrum.

Why? Well, because this protein is most often supplemented into products as animal parts (such as cow, sheep or pig bones). That earns a solid “no” from us.

But have no fear, there’s another way to help build collagen, a vegan way. Keep reading to find out which whole foods to eat that naturally boost this protein in your body. Plus, find out which Purium products our team recommends for beauty and wellness.

Collagen: The Basics

Before we dive into ways to help boost your beauty-boosting protein, let’s talk a little about the basics.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a natural protein produced in the body. Interestingly enough, many different types of collagen exist, but our body mainly produces only three types. (1)

Because collagen is a protein made of amino acids, you can think of it like a heavy-duty industrial velcro or tape that helps hold your tissues, muscle, and skin together. This ability helps promote skin-elasticity, which basically means less wrinkles and skin lines.

But we have some bad news to share…

Unfortunately, our ability to produce and store collagen dwindles as we age. (2) And this phenomena affects more than the way our skin appears. In fact, less production of this protein can contribute to increased joint pain, aches and more.

So, caring about collagen-production is not all about vanity, it’s about caring about healthy aging! (Maybe a little about vanity too, but hey, we don’t judge.)

Plant-Based Alternatives to Collagen

As we mentioned earlier, most products derive collagen from animals parts. But you can boost your production of this protein naturally, by eating a whole foods diet.

Here are plant-based alternatives you should keep in mind.