Month: March 2024

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choosing collagen

Choosing Collagen

 You may have heard that collagen is something that benefits hair, skin, nails, or joints and choosing collagen can be a challenge. All true!

Collagen is a type of protein that’s vital for youthful-looking skin, and you need it for strong muscles and tendons.💪 However, your body’s ability to make collagen declines with age.😟 All of this is why we like supplementing with collagen.

If you’re curious, here are the key things to look for when choosing collagen as a supplement.

Collagen Product Checklist

  •  Does it have all 9 essential aminos? The 9 essential amino acids that your body needs to support protein synthesis are phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine. These are important building blocks for all proteins, including collagen. But collagen by itself has only 8 essential amino acids, so aim for a collagen product with all nine.
  • Does it provide collagen types I and III? There are at least 28 types of collagen, but the most abundant is type I, which is found in your skin, joints, bones, tendons, and all over your body. Type III is a collagen protein found in your skin that decreases with age. So you’ll want both type I and type III in your collagen supplement.
  • Does it have vitamin C? Your body can’t effectively produce collagen without vitamin C. It aids in collagen synthesis and helps protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. Your body can’t produce vitamin C on its own, so you’ll need it in your diet or your supplement.
  • Does it include biotin? Also known as vitamin B7, biotin is another nutrient that can help support healthy hair, skin, and nails. Also, biotin deficiency has been shown to lead to hair loss and skin and nail problems. So make sure your collagen supplement has this one.
  • Is the source grass-fed? Most collagen supplements come from animals, so it’s best to choose a product that is sourced humanely and sustainably. For bovine collagen, choose one that is grass-fed and pasture-raised. This means that the animal was raised humanely and fed only grass so that it’s as close to their natural diet as possible.
  • The most complete collagen product is Shaklee Collagen-9

🤔 Looking for something that checks all the boxes?

If you want a collagen product that’s sustainably sourced and contains the key nutrients above, check out Collagen-9™. Collagen-9 includes the missing amino acid that makes it a complete protein. With 10 g of collagen per serving, plus 100% DV of vitamin C and biotin, it might be one of the best things you add to your nutrition routine.

There are 3 options for Collagen-9:

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optimizing your protein intake

 Optimizing Your Protein Intake

Did you know there are 5 ways to get the most out of protein in your diet?

🍲 Quantity

We learned the basics of how much protein we need earlier. By aiming for at least 20+ grams at each meal and snack, you’re off to a great start at optimizing your protein intake!

🏆 Quality

Quick refresher: Proteins from animal sources are considered high-quality as they contain all nine essential amino acids. Other than soy, pistachios, and pea protein, most plant-based sources are not complete but can still meet your protein needs as part of a diverse diet that fills in missing aminos through daily variety.
Now let’s look at three other ways to get the most out of your protein!

🍚 Pairing

Better together. A little magic happens when you pair certain proteins and foods. For example, eating grains with legumes (like rice and beans) can provide a complete set of aminos. Whole wheat bread and peanut butter also make a complete protein together. Plus, eating protein with other nutrients like fiber-rich vegetables can improve digestion and nutrient absorption while optimizing your protein intake.

🐟 Variety

Your body benefits from a diverse protein intake. Don’t limit yourself to a few old standbys like poultry, meat, and dairy. Mix it up with fish, seafood, and plant-based options like beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Each source offers a unique blend of amino acids, the building blocks of protein your body needs to function properly.

🕒 Timing

Spreading your protein intake throughout the day can help you build and maintain muscle mass and support recovery. It also helps keep you feeling satisfied and less hungry throughout the day. This is why we’re aiming to eat plenty of protein at each meal, rather than eating it all in one meal. 
Another thing to consider is incorporating more protein as you snack. Here are some great protein snack suggestions to optimize your protein intake…
🌟 Tip: Anytime you eat a snack, pair it with a protein source. This not only ups your protein intake, but it’s also better for quelling hunger and keeping blood sugar levels balanced.
Here are some great examples:
Greek Yogurt + berries
String cheese + cherry tomatoes
Hummus + carrots
Cottage cheese + peaches
Almonds + strawberries
Hardboiled egg + cucumber
Nut butter + apple slices
Shaklee provides even easier grab-n-go high-protein snacks:
  • Life Shake is one of the best high-protein snacks. It has over 20 grams of protein!
  • Shaklee Meal Bar is what I love to grab when I need something quick. They’re perfect to stash in your car, desk, backpack, or purse. These chewy bars keep me feeling satisfied with 20 g protein and 6 g fiber. They come in three tasty flavors.
Do you see a way you could optimize your protein intake even more?
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protein sources

You may have heard that some protein sources are “incomplete.”

But what does it mean? It means some protein sources don’t have all nine of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which your body uses to make enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and collagen.

There are 20 amino acids your body can use, and nine of those are called essential because your body can’t make them–they must come from your diet. And you need all nine to make the other 11 amino acids. So they’re pretty important!! 😯

🍽 Here are some complete, high-quality animal-based protein sources:

  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Seafood, including fish
  • Eggs
  • Dairy

🌱 Here are complete, high-quality plant-based protein sources:

  • Soy and soy-based protein products
  • Life Shake

🤔 That last list is short, what about the other plant-based proteins? Aside from pistachios and pea protein powder, most other plant-based protein sources are incomplete on their own, meaning they lack one or more essential amino acids. However, eating a variety of plant foods and proteins throughout the day helps ensure you get all the essential amino acids you need that day.

High Quality Guide for Protein Sources

Wondering what 20+ grams of high-quality protein looks like? Here are some good options.

📝 IDEAS for 20+ g of Complete Protein Sources

Animal

  • 4 oz chicken or turkey (about the size of your palm): 25 grams
  • Most 3.5 oz fish fillets: about 22 grams
  • Lean hamburger patty: 28 grams
  • 3 oz raw tuna (sashimi/sushi): 20 grams
  • Half a can of tuna: 20 grams
  • 1 cup cottage cheese: 25 grams
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt: 20 grams
  • 3 large eggs: about 20 grams

Plant

🚗 Ideas for Complete Grab-n-Go Protein Sources

🚫 Are there less healthy proteins to avoid?

Yes, researchers recommend limiting processed meats, meats high in fat, cured meats, and fried meats as protein sources.

➡ What’s your favorite protein source? What’s your least favorite? Be honest, let’s hear it!