Chances are your summer plans include a vacation, road trip or weekend getaway. Whether you’re traveling overnight or will be away from home for a week, maintaining your vitamin and supplement ritual takes some work. If your adventures will include late nights out, it’s probably a good idea to take along a collagen supplement.
What collagen lovers already know about this skin-saving superprotein is that it’s one of the most versatile supplements available in terms of delivery systems. In other words: you’ve got options…three of them, in fact!
As the health benefits of collagen continue to make the news, top supplement makers are racing to keep up with the demand and lifestyles of people who use collagen daily to support skin, digestion, joints and ligaments, and the skeletal system.†
Here are three different types of collagen supplements to take along on your summer travels, as well as what to look for when choosing the right one for you.
Powders: mixability matters
The most popular collagen delivery form is a powder that can be scooped into beverages and soft foods such as smoothies, oatmeal and yogurt. Like their protein powder counterparts, collagen powder comes in flavored varieties, but the unflavored variety gives you versatility to mix a scoop into just about anything.
Here’s how to give your powder the quality test (and make it portable when you’re on the go): Use a funnel to scoop a serving of collagen into a bottle of water and shake. A good quality collagen ingredient is colorless, odorless and disappears without a trace.
Soft chews: The ultimate in portability
The second option for taking a collagen supplement, and by far the sweetest, is a soft chew—think of gummy candy with a punch. Collagen soft chews come in a variety of flavors such as fruit and are individually wrapped, making them the most convenient travel companions. Just don’t let the delightful taste fool you—they’re still health supplements. Stick to the stated serving size.
Capsules or tablets: compare serving sizes
Just because you’re a traditionalist doesn’t mean you want to add a handful of pills to your daily health ritual. When choosing a collagen supplement, scan the Supplements Facts for the serving size and amount of collagen per serving—a high-grade collagen ingredient, such as Verisol Bioactive Collagen Peptides or Biocell Collagen, delivers potency at lower levels, so fewer pills are needed to reap benefits.
Now blend up a collagen smoothie and get packing!
†These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.