A Collagen Smoothie This Editor Swears Gives Her Glowing Skin & Thick Hair*
I was all for supplements in theory—I am a wellness editor, after all—but in practice, I'd never found one that I felt motivated to take every day. That is until I tried mindbodygreen's beauty & gut collagen+, a comprehensive multi-ingredient collagen powder that has changed my tepid feelings toward supplementing.*
Recently I wrote about how the collagen powder helped provide my joints with more comfort (I'm a runner) and enhance my natural energy levels.* (Read it all here.) But what makes my daily habit so easy is that I have yet to find anything that it doesn't work in—thanks to the taste (it is super mild) and the texture (thick and rich but not chalky).
Perhaps my favorite way I found to enjoy it is in my morning smoothie. It's a decadent, rich, and delicious way to start the day or enjoy as a midday snack. Since I've started making this part of my go-to morning routine, I've noticed some exciting surprise benefits—not just the ones I mentioned above.*
Easy Hair & Skin-Supporting Smoothie for the A.M.
With mbg's beauty & gut collagen+, I know I'm getting plenty of beauty benefits—I didn't necessarily start taking it for those reasons, but it's not a bad bonus.* Now my skin looks and feels more hydrated, and my locks appear shinier and more nourished, even though I haven't changed any other part of my hair care routine.*
I also appreciate that the smoothie's high antioxidant count—from the berries, spinach, and the collagen powder.* What's great is that this supplement comes loaded with vitamin C, E, biotin, turmeric, and sulforaphane—all potent antioxidants that work together to neutralize free radical damage.* I spend so much time running outside, so it's important to me that I get plenty of these as they help protect skin from sun damage and UV rays.*
The rest of the ingredients add rich texture, sweet-yet-smooth flavor, and enough oomph to keep me going all morning. Plus, it's so easy. Simply toss the below in a blender, and power-up till it's smooth.
Ingredients
- 1 scoop mindbodygreen's beauty & gut chocolate collagen+
- 1 handful frozen berries
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 cup unflavored oat milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 date
Emma Loewe is the Sustainability and Health Director at mindbodygreen and the author of Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us. She is also the co-author of The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self Care, which she wrote alongside Lindsay Kellner.
Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She's spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.