There was a time when pimping your coffee was the height of cool. The year? 2018. Wellness influencers? Thriving, unregulated and backed by communities obsessed with fluorescent turmeric lattes and butter-laden espressos. There were violet-coloured butterfly pea milk lattes (somehow not a MadLib, but a real drink) and pink ones filled with beetroot powder. It was a heady, expensive time.
Then, as quickly as it ballooned, the trend appeared to die off. Supplements gave way to raw, unpasteurised milk and honey. Oat milk went into exile. Apple cider vinegar gained the top spot in influencer fridges and the thought of shoving a knob of butter into your Americano suddenly seemed ludicrous. So, when I tell you that there’s been one coffee addition that’s survived both the popularity and the purge, know that it’s a hard-won victory. It is, of course, collagen.
For years now, I’ve stirred collagen into my morning drink. Whether it’s coffee, matcha or a morning smoothie, the tasteless white powder gets added. I’ve done it so much that it’s become second nature, something naturopathic nutritionist and author of The Hormone Balance Handbook, Jessica Shand, says is a good thing. “Because collagen is a resilient protein and remains intact even when exposed to heat, I love to stir it into my morning coffee or into my matcha. Not only does it add a boost of amino acids, but it can potentially blunt the cortisol-inducing impact of the coffee, too.”
Is collagen coffee good for you?
Besides curbing the post-caffeine jitters, mixing collagen into your coffee has a myriad of benefits. “Collagen is the main structural protein for the body’s tissues and acts as the scaffolding or the ‘glue’,” Shand explains. “I like to visualise it as the stuff that holds us together – from the integrity of our skin to our muscles, bones, fingernails, hair and even our intestinal walls. I often recommend it to clients who want to focus on healthy skin during perimenopause and menopause. This is when oestrogen (the hormone responsible for skin elasticity and suppleness) naturally declines. It can also help with joint and muscle pains.”
Can you taste the collagen in coffee?
No. Collagen (if unflavoured) has no taste. If anything, it might be worth keeping textural issues in mind. Depending on how much collagen you add to a hot drink, you need to stir or froth for a minute or two to break up any clumps.
Does collagen count as protein?
Yes, says Shand, but not in the same way a fillet of salmon or other protein-rich food would. “Something like a chicken breast is primarily a source of lean protein while collagen powder is a concentrated source of collagen, a specific type of protein found in connective tissue.”
If you track your protein intake, consider the protein from collagen as bonus points rather than a primary protein. As it doesn’t contain all nine essential amino acids, it’ll support skin, joint and muscle health but might not be best for muscle synthesis.
How to pick a high-quality collagen powder
Finding a high-quality supplement can be difficult as someone without the time to decode every label and claim. Shand says there are a couple of words to look out for. “With marine collagen, look for ‘pure hydrolysed collagen’ that’s sustainably caught. For bovine collagen (the most common type), look for ‘grass-fed’ to ensure that it’s free from hormones, antibiotics and chemical exposure.”
When it comes to vegan collagen, Shand says that it’s a good option for plant-based diets but doesn’t stack up nutritionally when compared to marine or bovine collagen. “Vegan collagen usually contains plant-derived ingredients that help to stimulate your body’s natural collagen production, like vitamin C.”
When should I take collagen, morning or night?
Supplements only work if you take them – and creating strict rules around when you take them might make it difficult to stick to a plan. Collagen is no different. Whether you prefer to take it morning, noon or night, the key is to make sure you’re taking it consistently. A collagen coffee seems best suited to the morning (caffeine before 12 pm or lunch can be a good trick to protect your sleep later), though you could always add it into a decaf later on in the day, too.
If you’ve got your routine down pat, collagen is best absorbed on an empty stomach, though it’s not advised to drink coffee on an empty stomach. A collagen coffee drunk alongside your breakfast or something small will be your best bet, though, again, it’s fine if you prefer to drink yours later in the day, too.
How much collagen should I put in a cup of coffee?
The amount of collagen you use will depend on the product you’re using. Each one will have a different serving size depending on the way it’s been formulated. If the suggested serving size is in grams, most products will contain a small scoop to help you estimate the right amount to take. Other products come in pre-dosed sachets. Some will use teaspoon measurements, which can be easily done with your average kitchen teaspoon or measuring spoon.
What is the downside of collagen?
The only real downside of collagen would be if you were using it to count towards your protein macro goals. Collagen doesn’t count as protein in the same way other foods do (scroll back up for exactly why), so it’s best to leave off your protein count for the day.
Remember, expert advice is to aim for 0.8g to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 65kg woman trying to eat 1g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, her goal would be 65g of protein a day. Were she to flex this number up to 1.5g of protein, her goal would shift to 97g to 98g of protein per day.
