Looking for a new collagen powder can be a tricky task. With so many products on the market, where do you start? Follow along as we break down some of the things to look for in a collagen powder!

1. Type of Collagen

Collagen is a protein found throughout our bodies. There are different types of collagen all with their own set of benefits! Type I collagen is the most abundant types of collagen in the body. It is found in our skin, tendons, ligaments and hair. It provides structure and support and is crucial to maintaining the integrity of our skin. Our Marine Collagen is a great source of type I collagen if you are looking for skin, hair, nail or joint support.

Type II collagen is found in our cartilage and is important for maintaining healthy joints. A product like our Performance Multi-Collagen contains type II collagen (in addition to other types of collagen!) making it great for joint support, athletic recovery and all-around body health and wellness.

Type III collagen is found in our skin, blood vessels and other organs. Our Grass-Fed Collagen contains types I and III collagen making it great for skin, joint and gut support.

2. Size of Collagen Peptides

The key here: Be on the lookout for hydrolyzed collagen peptides. Collagen is a large protein that can be difficult for our bodies to break down and use. In order for our bodies to use the collagen protein, the protein must be broken down into smaller pieces called collagen peptides. Collagen peptides have undergone a process called hydrolysis which breaks the collagen protein into smaller, more absorbable pieces. This means that our bodies can actually absorb the collagen and put it to good use! Collagen is typically measured in Daltons or Kilodaltons. Our collagen peptides are around 3000 Daltons, which is pretty small for collagen. In addition to this, hydrolyzed collagen peptides dissolve better into liquids and foods and have a more neutral taste and colour. This makes hydrolyzed collagen powders the perfect addition to smoothies, coffee or tea, baking and more!

3. Sourcing

As collagen is an animal-derived product, sourcing may be something that you want to consider. Here at Sproos, sustainability is one of our values and something we really value. We did our best to find the most sustainable option for sourcing our collagen powders.

Our Marine Collagen is sourced from the scales and skin of fish off the North Atlantic. These fish would otherwise be discarded if not used to create our collagen product. This is a much more sustainable option than fishing for the sole purpose of creating collagen products and it also helps to reduces waste products.

Our Grass-Fed Collagen is sourced from grass-fed and finished cattle in North America. This practise is more sustainable than the alternative – sourcing from cattle in South America. Cattle farms in South America often result in Amazon deforestation as the rainforest is cut down to create space for these farms. Sourcing our bovine collagen from North America reduces the impact we have on the environment compared to sourcing from South America.

4. Quality

All of our products are third-party tested for heavy metals and contaminants, and we are proud to say that all of our products fall well below the Canadian and European guidelines. Our Grass-Fed Collagen is also free from added pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.

5. Flavour

Some powders may have a strong taste or a gritty texture. That’s why it is so important to find one that dissolves well into a variety of beverages and food. When mixing our collagen powders with a beverage, we recommend adding the powder to the cup and then the liquid. Mix well until thoroughly dissolved. If you have an electric mixer, even better! It will speed up the job and fully combine the powder with the liquid. Our pure collagen powders are unflavoured and can be added to anything. It is important to note that our Performance Multi-Collagen does have a natural bone broth flavour due to the bone broth powder.

6. Dietary Restrictions or Allergies

This one is a pretty straight forward one: If you are pescatarian (meaning you don’t eat meat, chicken, pork, etc.) then definitely look for a product that is marine collagen based. If you have a sensitivity or allergy to fish, look for something without fish like our Grass-Fed Collagen.

7. Additional Ingredients

Some collagen powders may contain additional ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, so you can decide if you want those added benefits. Our collagen blends all contain additional ingredients that help to support either hair, skin + nails, joint health or gut health.

Message us for additional help if you are struggling to choose the best product for you!

Choosing a new collagen powder can be tricky! If you have any other questions, leave a comment below or message us using the chat function on our website!