Trend Check: Is There Such a Thing as Vegan Collagen?

Collagen is one of the most important anti-aging ingredients. It is a structural protein that supports the elasticity and firmness of the skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. There are many beauty drinks containing collagen—including an increasing number of products with “vegan collagen.” We explain what’s in these vegan collagen boosters and offer tips on what to look for when choosing plant-based collagen alternatives.

Trend: Vegan Collagen—and What’s Behind It

Anyone looking for anti-aging or “better-aging” products for the skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles is increasingly coming across the term “vegan collagen.” This term suggests that these are collagen-containing dietary supplements—just without any animal-derived ingredients. However, that’s not entirely accurate. To better understand this, let’s first explain what collagen is and why we need it.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is an important structural protein that our bodies produce naturally. It provides support to joints, muscles, and tendons and ensures that the skin and connective tissue remain elastic. However, the body’s own collagen production begins to decline around the age of 25. The skin becomes saggier, the first wrinkles appear, and connective tissue loses its firmness. Collagen levels in the joints, muscles, and tendons also decline with age.

To slow down this process, dietary supplements containing collagen can be helpful. However, since collagen is of animal origin, these products are not suitable for vegans.

How beauty drinks with vegan collagen alternatives work

People who want to promote inner beauty and health while also prioritizing vegan products for ethical or sustainability reasons can turn to plant-based collagen alternatives. These vegan beauty drinks contain proteins and amino acids, as well as selected nutrients, which support the body’s own collagen production and thus promote inner beauty and health.

Vegan Collagen Alternative – 5 Benefits of Rice Protein Hydrolysate

Better aging is a holistic approach to slowing down the external, physical, and mental aging process. This is where vegan combinations of vital nutrients with plant-based collagen alternatives come into play. Many vegan collagen alternatives are based on soy, pea, or wheat proteins. We’ll explain why vegan beauty drinks with hydrolyzed rice protein are the better alternatives.

• 1. Advantage: Hydrolyzed rice protein has a composition1 similar to that of human collagen.
• 2. Benefit: Breaking down the rice proteins (hydrolysis) into shorter peptide chains improves the absorption and utilization of the proteins. (More on this in the box)
• 3. Benefit: Hydrolyzed rice protein is gluten-free and therefore also suitable for people with gluten intolerance—unlike wheat protein, for example.
• 4. Benefit: Unlike other plant-based protein sources such as soy, rice protein is naturally hypoallergenic. Soy is one of the top 10 triggers² of food allergies in adults. In addition, hydrolysis breaks down rice protein into smaller, less allergenic proteins.
• 5. Benefit: Hydrolyzed rice protein has a mild, neutral taste compared to soy and pea protein.

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein: What It’s All About

Proteins are composed of amino acids. There are 21 of these so-called proteinogenic amino acids. Peptide bonds link the amino acids into chains. Chains with up to 100 amino acids are called peptides. Chains with 100 or more amino acids are referred to as proteins.

During the hydrolysis of rice protein, the peptide bonds are broken down. In other words, the proteins are broken down into smaller peptides. We explain the benefits of this in the article.

Anti-Aging Effects of Rice Protein Hydrolysate

Hydrolyzed rice protein has great potential as an anti-aging nutrient. The positive effects of hydrolyzed rice protein, as demonstrated by studies, include:

• Promotion of skin renewal processes: Hydrolyzed rice protein contains all the essential amino acids³ that are important for the body’s own collagen production.
• Antioxidant effect: Rice protein hydrolysate is rich in antioxidants⁴ that can neutralize free radicals. Free radicals contribute to skin damage.
• Inhibition of hyaluronic acid breakdown: Hyaluronic acid locks moisture into the skin and keeps it elastic. Hydrolyzed rice protein has been shown to inhibit the breakdown of hyaluronic acid⁵.
• Alleviation of age spots: Age spots develop when particularly high levels of melanin accumulate in certain areas of the skin. The enzyme tyrosinase plays a role in this process. Rice protein hydrolysate inhibits tyrosinase⁶.

High-quality vegan nutrient combinations also contain additional nutrients that can contribute to greater vitality, energy, and radiant beauty. These include, among others, vegan glucosamine sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Further Promote Collagen Production with Vegan Glucosamine Sulfate

Another plant-based nutrient that stimulates collagen production is vegan glucosamine sulfate. It also promotes the production of hyaluronic acid and is an important component of synovial fluid and cartilage. Vegan glucosamine sulfate is therefore an ideal complement to hydrolyzed rice protein in vegan beauty drinks.

Vegan glucosamine sulfate is produced through the fermentation of non-GMO corn. Special fungi convert the sugar (glucose) it contains into glucosamine. There are various forms of glucosamine salts. Glucosamine sulfate is the most effective form, as human cartilage contains sulfates (sulfur compounds).

Sources

1. 1) Composition
2. 2) Top 10 triggers
3. 3) Amino acids
4. 4) Antioxidants
5. 5) Hyaluronic Acid Breakdown
6. 6) Tyrosinase