Go ahead and indulge with Chocolate Enhanced Collagen Protein™, Exclusively at Costco

Do I need to take collagen? Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It’s made naturally in the body. It’s also the protein that gets produced less as we age.In fact by the time we reach the age of 25, the amount of collagen our body produces starts to decline. Yikes!As a result, many are turning to supplementation. Do you need it? What is it good for? What Is Collagen? Collagen is naturally found in the body and is a protein with many functions. It’s the main component in your connective tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and skin.Collagen can be thought of as the “glue” that helps hold the body together. It's responsible for keeping your skin firm and elastic, your joints strong and stable, and your digestive system healthy and working.It’s a hard-working protein that your body has a limited supply of.If you are thinking about taking collagen as a supplement, there are several benefits. 6 benefits to taking collagen 1. Supports Healthy Gut You may have heard that a healthy gut is the key to overall health. It’s true. Building a stronger intestinal lining, preventing its breakdown or weakening, and protecting it from unwanted bacteria is the goal. When the digestive tract is weakened, it can lead to pain and discomfort but also “leaky gut.” Leaky gut (where bacteria flow into the bloodstream from the gut) can cause fatigue, allergies, poor immunity, and more.Collagen can help. Loaded with the amino acid glutamine, it's been proven to be effective in preventing leaky gut and the subsequent chronic inflammation that can wreak havoc on the body.[1] 2. Improves Skin Quality Since collagen is the structure that helps with skin elasticity, it makes sense that as the body loses it, skin quality goes down. However, diet can help influence skin health. Diets high in sugar and processed carbohydrates cause our bodies to produce advanced glycated end products (AGEs), which reduce the density of collagen fibrils, leading to wrinkles and aging skin quality. Chronic sun exposure also further damages collagen fibers.To counteract that, consuming collagen peptides may help. Supplemental collagen has been shown to reduce the harmful UV-B induced skin damage to support superior skin quality.[2] Taking collagen supplements orally has been shown to increase skin elasticity, hydration and density of the skin.[3][4] Collagen supplementation is generally safe with no reported adverse events. [3] 3. Fights Joint Pain The building blocks of healthy joints come from your diet. These include key amino acids like proline, lysine, and glutamine, which support the natural production of collagen in the body. Recent studies show improvement in pain and physical function after supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen peptides.[5] Consuming enough quality protein and digestible collagen can really support the joints long-term. Chronic pain and arthritis are two of the most common reasons for patient visits to the doctor. The solutions often prescribed from those visits are ointments and drugs that help ease the pain, but do not address the root of the problem. The building blocks of healthy joints come from your diet. These include key amino acids like proline, lysine, and glutamine, which support the natural production of collagen in the body. Recent studies show improvement in pain and physical function after supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen (see Figure 1.0)[3]. Ensuring you eat enough quality protein or easily digestible supplemental collagen is fundamental to healthy joints in the long run. 4. Supports Weight Loss Collagen supports weight loss in a unique way. It’s not thermogenic or stimulant, like most weight loss supplements, but rather it impacts your satiety levels by naturally inhibiting the main hormone in the gut that triggers hunger [6]. What that means is that consuming collagen peptides can keep you from craving mid-afternoon sugar-laden snacks and unnecessary snacking. Adding collagen to your mid-morning coffee or mid-afternoon tea can be a great strategy to curb cravings and make it through to your next meal. 5. Improves Athletic Recovery If you’re active, training intensely, or always on-the-go, then your joints are likely suffering from some wear and tear. You will want to do some form of muscle recovery after high performance. It’s been found that taking collagen 1-hour before exercise or rehab activity increases the uptake of collagen into your joints, which accelerates recovery. [7] Unlike muscles, which can soak up nutrients for hours after activity, your joints suck up the surrounding water and nutrients within the hour after exercise, making the timing of your collagen intake crucial for supporting joints. Tip: Add a little vitamin C from lemon juice or a fruit snack to further increase absorption. 6. Supports Deep Sleep It seems more than ever; people are craving a restful sleep. Interestingly, studies have shown how collagen can help support the deep sleep your body longs for. Collagen contains the amino acid glycine. Glycine helps your body decompress and unwind, and is needed for quality sleep. Quality sleep helps to keep energy levels up, give your body strength to fight off viruses and infections, and thrive in your daily life. [8] I need to take collagen, how do I add it to my diet? The easiest and simplest way to consume collagen is through supplementation. In fact, that’s how many of the studies on collagen were done. For digestibility, hydrolyzed collagen peptides are a great solution.A high-quality collagen supplement, such as Organika’s Enhanced Collagen is ideal. Voted Canada’s #1 collagen powder, it’s made with bovine collagen and is beneficial for bones, joints, gut, hair, skin and nails.Check out the full Enhanced Collagen line up! There are many variations of collagen supplements, however, depending on what you prefer or your lifestyle, one may work better than another. You can get collagen in powder, capsule, and liquid form.You may enjoy adding collagen in powder form to your beverages or smoothies. You can even mix it into your yogurt or add it to baked goods.Maybe you prefer taking your collagen in liquid form, easily adding it to water or juice.Want to try collagen but you're vegetarian? We have a Vegetarian Collagen in easy to take capsules. The options are endless and the benefits are so worth diving into! Incorporate more collagen into your diet and feel the difference for yourself. References 1. Rao, R. Samak, G. Role of Glutamine in Protection of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions/ J Eptihel Biol Pharmacol. 2012 Jan: 5(Suppl 1-M7):47-54. 2. Tanaka, M et al. Effects of Collagen Peptide Ingestion on UV-B-Induced Skin Damage. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem, 73 (4), 930–932, 2009. 3. Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovsk NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019 Jan 1;18(1):9-16. 4. de Miranda RB, Weimer P, Rossi RC. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol. 2021 Dec;60(12):1449-1461. 5. Bello A, Oesser S. Collagen hydrolysate for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint disorders: a review of the literature. CMRO. Vol 22, 2006 – Iss 11. 6. Halden G, et al. Evidence for a Role of the Gut Hormone PYY in the Regulation of Intestinal Fatty Acid-binding Protein Transcripts in Differentiated Subpopulations of Intestinal Epithelial Cell Hybrids. J Biol Chemistry. Vol. 272, 1997. No. 19, Issue of May 9, pp. 12591–12600. 7. Hagarty, P et al. The effect of growth factors on both collagen synthesis and tensile strength of engineered human ligaments. Biomaterials 2012. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.05.045. 8. Yamadera, W et al. Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep & Biological Rhythms. Vol 5, Iss 2, April 2007, pg 126–131. Check out Organika®'s collection of collagen products

Indulge the healthy way with our delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Collagen Protein Cookies recipe! Healthy eating is all about finding balance. Sometimes that means saying no to deprivation and yes to cookies. Healthy collagen protein cookies to be exact. The trick to staying healthy while still being able to enjoy the occasional treat or dessert is in making healthy swaps. So today, we’re giving you a healthier swap for chocolate chip cookies! We took all the goodness of grandma’s oatmeal chocolate cookies, swapped out the sugar for a banana, and added a boost of protein to leave you feeling satisfied and full. You can take these cookies to work, or even grab one as a post-workout snack. They’re also a great option for on-the-go activities like hiking or camping. We used Organika's Enhanced Collagen to help energize whatever adventures you may take. Recovery-friendly and easily made gluten-free, these healthy collagen protein cookies are sure to be a crowd pleaser! Chocolate Chip Banana Vegan Protein Cookies Yields 12 cookies Ingredients: Wet ingredients: 1 ripe banana 1/4 cup unsalted almond butter 2 tbsp almond milk 1 tbsp Organika® Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds combined with 3 tbsp water) or regular egg Dry Ingredients: 1/4 cup almond flour 2 tbsp Organika's Enhanced Collagen Powder 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 1/4 cup chocolate chips Directions: Preheat your oven to 350°F Combine all of the wet ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until mixed. Add all of the dry ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, and process until combined thoroughly into cookie dough. Stir in the chocolate chips. Shape cookies on to a parchment lined baking tray. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned Remove from the oven, and cool before eating. Indulge! How to make a chia egg: Chia eggs are a gelatinous mixture that can be used to replace an egg in baking. It’s rich in fibre and calcium. All you need is 1 tbsp of chia seeds and 3 tbsp of water. Mix the two ingredients in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes a gel-like mix, and voila! You’re done! This gelly mixture will help bind your baked goods just like an egg normally would! What's your favourite healthy treat?

A GREAT VALENTINE’S CAKE THAT IS SIMPLE TO MAKE, EVEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS ROMANTIC PREP 25 MINS | COOK 60 MINS MEDIUM | SERVES 12 For the cake: 250 ml of your favourite Porter/Dark beer 250 g organic unsalted butter 50 g cocoa powder 25 g Organika®’s Maca+Cacao powder 400 g Organika®’s Coconut Palm Sugar 142 ml organic sour cream 2 organic large eggs 1 tbsp vanilla extract 275 g plain flour 2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 10–15 caps of Organika®’s Reishi Mushroom Extract, opened For the icing: 300 g organic cream cheese 2 tbsp of Organika®’s Enhanced Collagen™ 150 g Organika®’s Coconut Palm Sugar, finely ground in a Magic Bullet or food processor 125 ml organic double cream (or whipping cream) Directions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter and line parchment in a 23 cm / 9 inch springform tin. Pour the Dark/Porter beer into a large wide saucepan, add the butter–in spoons or slices–and heat until the butter is melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa, Reishi, Maca+Cacao and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan. Whisk in the flour and bicarb. Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake. Once the cake is cool, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sift over the finely ground coconut sugar and then beat them together. To do this in a processor, put the coconut sugar in first and blitz until it is finely ground before adding the cream cheese. Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint. Enjoy!