Key takeaways:
Collagen is a protein found naturally in animal foods, including seafood.
Collagen-rich foods include tough cuts of beef, bone broth, chicken and pork skin, and fish eaten with the skin or bones.
Plant foods don’t contain collagen. But your body makes its own collagen from the protein and vitamin C you eat. Beans, lentils, soy, eggs, dairy, and fruits and vegetables can help provide these nutrients.
Collagen supplements may modestly ease joint pain for some people. The evidence for skin and bone health is weaker. And it's unclear whether eating collagen-rich foods offers the same benefits.
Collagen is a protein that gives your skin, bones, tendons, and other tissues their structure and strength. Your body makes collagen on its own, but it makes less as you get older.
Many people take collagen supplements to support their hair, skin, and joints. But does eating foods with collagen have the same benefit? Let’s look at natural sources of collagen and what research says about their benefits.
What are collagen-rich foods?
Collagen is found naturally in animal foods, including seafood. Plant foods don’t contain it. But if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can still get the nutrients your body needs to make its own collagen (more on this below).
Some studies suggest that collagen supplements may help with joint pain from osteoarthritis, skin aging, or wound healing. Research on skin benefits is less convincing. A recent review found that higher-quality studies without pharmaceutical-company funding showed no improvement in hydration, elasticity, or wrinkles. Even less is known about the benefits of eating collagen-rich foods, because few studies have tested them.
Here are seven of the top collagen-containing foods.
1. Bone broth
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue for many hours. As the bones and tissues cook, collagen breaks down into gelatin.
How much collagen ends up in bone broth varies a lot depending on the recipe, the type of bones, and the cooking time. One study found that both homemade and store-bought broths usually had lower amounts of collagen's building blocks than those in supplement studies.
You might have heard concerns about bone broth containing lead and other trace metals. Animal bones can contain these metals, but one study found that the amounts released into broth were very low.
You can buy bone broth at most grocery stores. You can also make your own with beef, chicken, or pork bones.
2. Jellyfish
Jellyfish is popular in many Asian cuisines. About half of jellyfish’s protein is collagen. It's also low in fat, although prepared jellyfish can be high in sodium.
Lab and animal studies suggest jellyfish collagen might help wounds heal, but this hasn't been tested in people.
You can find jellyfish at many Asian grocery stores and use it in a variety of recipes, including a flavorful salad.
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3. Beef
Beef contains collagen, but the amount depends on the cut. Tough cuts with lots of connective tissue have the most collagen. Examples include chuck, brisket, shank, and oxtail. These cuts take longer to cook.
Beef contains mainly type 1 collagen (the most common type of collagen in the human body) and type 3 collagen. These collagen types may support bone and skin health.
Slow cooking (braising, stewing, or using a slow cooker) breaks down the collagen into gelatin, which makes the meat tender and adds richness to the cooking liquid.
4. Chicken skin and cartilage
Cartilage, like the chewy parts at the ends of chicken bones and wings, is high in collagen.
Some joint supplements sold to reduce pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis are made from chicken cartilage. These products may work differently in the body than collagen from food. So eating cartilage may not have the same effect.
Chicken cooked with the skin on has more collagen than skinless chicken. But chicken skin also contains saturated fat, which can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and be harmful to heart health.
5. Pork skin
Pork skin is used in pork rinds, Korean jokbal (pigs’ feet braised in soy sauce with herbs and spices), and pickled pigs’ feet, which are found in some Latin American and Caribbean dishes. Many of these foods are high in salt, fat, or both, so enjoy them in small amounts.
One small study found that collagen supplements made from pig skin and cow bone improved symptoms and quality of life in people with knee osteoarthritis. But that doesn't mean eating pork skin itself has the same effect.
6. Salmon
In fish, most the collagen is in the skin, bones, and scales. You can try roasting or grilling salmon with the skin on, or use fish bones to make broth. Salmon is also an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Lab and animal studies suggest collagen from salmon may help with wound healing, including research on collagen combined with vitamin C. These findings don't establish that eating salmon improves wound healing in people though.
7. Sardines
Sardines are often eaten whole, with the small, soft bones and skin, which contain most of the collagen is. They're also rich in omega-3 fats and calcium.
Most sardines are sold canned. You can eat them straight from the can, grilled, or on toast or a salad. Canned sardines can be salty, so look for low-sodium options if you're trying to limit salt.
How much collagen do high-collagen foods contain?
How much collagen is in a specific food depends on the cut, the part of the animal, and how you cook it. Most measurements come from studies that use different methods and food samples. That makes it difficult to compare collagen amounts across foods or estimate how much you'll get in a typical serving.
The chart below shows how much collagen was found in certain foods that were studied.
Are there negative effects of eating foods with collagen?
Some collagen-rich foods, such as animal skin and fatty cuts of red meat, are high in saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat is linked to:
Higher LDL ("bad") cholesterol
Higher risk of heart disease
This doesn’t mean you can’t eat red meat or chicken or fish with the skin on. But eating more saturated fat just to get more collagen may not be worth it.
Pork rinds, pickled pigs' feet, processed jellyfish, canned fish, and store-bought broths can be very high in sodium. Check labels and compare products, especially if you need to limit sodium because of high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease.
Salmon, sardines, and jellyfish are lower in saturated fat than fatty meats and pork rinds. Salmon and sardines also have healthy unsaturated fats, including omega-3s. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol.
What are other ways to increase collagen naturally?
Your body builds collagen from amino acids — the building blocks of protein. The main ones include:
Lysine: Your body can't make this, so it has to come from food.
Eating enough protein overall helps supply these building blocks. Animal foods provide these amino acids. You can also find them in vegetarian-friendly choices, including:
Beans, lentils, and other legumes
Whole grains, like barley, wheat, and amaranth
Dairy products
Seaweed
Does vitamin C increase collagen production?
Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen. You can also help your body naturally increase collagen by eating foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as:
Oranges and other citrus fruits
Strawberries
Red peppers
Collagen-rich foods vs. collagen supplements
So, is it better to get collagen from your diet or from supplements? It’s unclear.
Most researchers looking at the health benefits of collagen have studied collagen supplements. There aren’t good studies looking at collagen-rich diets, so it’s hard to know how their potential health benefits compare. There also aren’t studies that directly compare collagen supplements to collagen-rich foods.
Supplement companies fund much of this research, which can introduce bias and conflict of interest.
There's also no standard recommended dose of collagen. Like other dietary supplements, collagen products aren't approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.
Frequently asked questions
Fruit doesn’t contain collagen. But many fruits are high in vitamin C, which helps your body make collagen. Some fruits high in vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, kiwis, and papayas.
Scientists don’t know what increases collagen more: collagen supplements or eating collagen-rich foods. Researchers need to do more work to find the answer.
Likely, the best — and least expensive — way is through your diet: eating nutritious foods with collagen and vitamin C.
Collagen is an essential part of skin, bone, and joints. And your body makes less collagen as you age. So, what symptoms might you experience if your collagen is low? You might develop:
You might also have joint pain and stiffness.
Fruit doesn’t contain collagen. But many fruits are high in vitamin C, which helps your body make collagen. Some fruits high in vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, kiwis, and papayas.
Scientists don’t know what increases collagen more: collagen supplements or eating collagen-rich foods. Researchers need to do more work to find the answer.
Likely, the best — and least expensive — way is through your diet: eating nutritious foods with collagen and vitamin C.
Collagen is an essential part of skin, bone, and joints. And your body makes less collagen as you age. So, what symptoms might you experience if your collagen is low? You might develop:
You might also have joint pain and stiffness.
The bottom line
Collagen supplements may modestly help joint pain for some people, but that doesn't mean eating collagen-rich foods will have the same effect. Research on the benefits of collagen from food is limited, and it's weaker for skin and bone health benefits.
You don't need to build your diet around collagen. Fish eaten with the skin or bones can provide collagen along with other useful nutrients. And whether you eat animal foods or follow a plant-based diet, getting enough protein and vitamin C helps your body makes its own collagen.
Why trust our experts?
References
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