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The Unsuspecting Herb That Boosts Collagen Production + A Quick Smoothie Recipe
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Skin smoothies are all the rage right now, partially due to the famous Hailey Bieber Skin Smoothie that took Los Angeles–based health market Erewhon by storm earlier this year. But aside from loads of antioxidant-rich fruit, what else can you add to your smoothie to make it beneficial for your skin?
Here, find a common and unsuspecting cooking herb that will load your smoothie with collagen-boosting power. Plus, a quick recipe to go with it.
Why cilantro is good for your skin
The surprising skin-loving ingredient: cilantro (no, not parsley). Yep, you read that right: Research shows that cilantro can help reduce the aging effects of sun damage1 in mice in addition to boosting—you guessed it!—collagen. Pretty cool, right?
Of course, you can always just add a scoop of collagen powder to your smoothie for those firming, plumping benefits. But why not double the perks with some cilantro?
That being said, this herb isn't the first ingredient you might reach for when whipping up a tasty smoothie. If you do it right, however, the flavor will actually enhance your blend rather than dominate it. In my experience, the best way to add cilantro is with a tropical base. To come, my go-to recipe:
Tropical Cilantro Detox Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1 cup clean cilantro
- 1 small thumb ginger
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- ½ cup frozen mango
- 1 scoop collagen powder
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ peeled lime
- 2 cups coconut milk
How to:
If you want your blend on the sweeter side, toss in a few ripe strawberries, frozen or fresh. Blend everything up, and you'll have a refreshing, collagen-boosting blend. If you're not sure which collagen powder to use, take a look at this list for some expert guidance.
The takeaway
If you want to make a skin-loving smoothie, try adding cilantro to your blend for its collagen-boosting power. Of course, it's not the only way to boost your collagen production naturally: Check out this guide for a full breakdown.
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