Each month, H&W quizzes the experts to uncover a wellness trend that’s got us curious...
QUESTION OF THE MONTH: DOES VEGAN COLLAGEN ACTUALLY WORK?
If you want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and achieve an overall youthful complexion, safe-guarding the collagen in your skin needs to be your top priority. As you age, you begin to produce less collagen, so taking a daily supplement could help top up your levels – but here’s the catch. A lot of the products out there are sourced from the bones, tendons and skins of cattle, pigs or fish, which means vegetarians or vegans miss out. Luckily, the collagen market is expanding at a rapid pace, with several brands offering alternatives to help plug the gap, but are they as effective as the animal versions? “While collagen is something that exists in animals (pigs, fish, cattle and humans are filled with the stuff), all animals need plant-based nutrients to build collagen in the first place,” explains Sonia Bainbridge, a natural beauty expert, co-founder of Raw Beauty Lab (rawbeautylab.com) and co-creator of Vegan Collagen.
Instead, a lot of vegan and vegetarian products are made from fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, which could mean they’re minimally processed by using the wholefood matrix. Vegan collagen also scores brownie points in the environmental factor too: “Vegan collagen is a great ethical alternative and doesn’t contribute to the carbon footprint in the way that animal products do,” says leading aesthetics nurse and independent prescriber, Nina Prisk (update-aesthetics.co.uk). “While there are a lot of vegan collagen supplements entering the market, it’s important to be aware of the fact that some of them are collagen-building rather than actually containing collagen. Vegan collagen can also be expensive and, because it’s a relatively new concept, there aren’t a great deal of studies that prove how effective it is.” So, there’s still more research to be done, but it’s safe to say that vegans and vegetarians needn’t miss out for a collagen boost.
THIS MONTH AT H&W, WE’RE LOVING...
BTS at H&W HQ
That’s a wrap for season three of the Walk to Wellbeing podcast! Editor Holly, senior content creator Laura and senior content writer Daniella have had a blast recording over the last few months, following some really inspiring guests on their walks up and down the country. Giovanna Fletcher, Mark Wright, Myleene Klass and Leanne Pero are just some of the guests you’ll be walking with, so pull on your trainers and get out there! If you want to go back and listen to the latest season – and others – all
