Eating fungus and pig skin to supplement collagen is a wrong myth! A nutritionist teaches a daily trick to synthesize collagen

Many people like to drink fungus to supplement collagen, but this is actually a misconception! Dietitian Liu Suying reminds that plant foods do not contain collagen. Collagen is the main protein that constitutes connective tissue. Connective tissue only exists in animals, and plants do not have connective tissue, so plant foods do not contain collagen. People only need to consume more high-quality protein and fruits and vegetables every day, so they don’t have to worry too much about collagen synthesis.

What makes the food look thick is mainly plant gum, which is derived from sugars, that is, polysaccharide molecules; collagen is protein, and the two are different things. And where do the gums in plant foods come from? Liu Suying said that in addition to starch, dietary fiber is also a polysaccharide molecule. Dietary fiber can be divided into two categories according to solubility: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. The gum or sticky substance of plant food is actually water-soluble polysaccharide molecules, that is, water-soluble fiber.

Plant gelatin is also good for health

Although the gelatin in plant food is not collagen, and eating fungus, aloe vera, etc. cannot supplement collagen protein, in fact, plant gelatin can be said to be a good food for health. Polysaccharide molecules have the health care function of water-soluble fiber, which can reduce cholesterol and delay blood sugar absorption, thereby helping blood sugar management and promoting cardiovascular health; it can also help weight management, promote defecation, and avoid harmful substances. In addition, the polysaccharide fragments of some plants also have the effect of enhancing immunity.

What exactly is collagen? Liu Suying said that when looking at the hands, the skin layer seen is "epithelial tissue", and below it is "connective tissue", which is the main group that makes the skin Q-bounce.become. Connective tissue contains a large amount of "intercellular substance", that is, the filler between cells, with protein fibers such as collagen as the main structure, and the middle is filled with jelly-like substances, which connect cells with cells and provide cells. Survival environment, And protect and fix cells. Collagen is the most important protein in animal connective tissue, accounting for about 20 to 30% of connective tissue, second only to 60 to 70% of water.

Collagen will not exist in the human body after eating food containing collagen

Because the connective tissue is animal tissue, only animals contain collagen, and plant food does not contain collagen. Ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bone tissue, etc. are parts of the animal body that are rich in connective tissue. These parts also have high collagen content. Therefore, when they want to supplement collagen, many people choose to eat pigskin, fish skin, chicken skin and other animals. skin, or pig's feet, etc.

Liu Suying said that collagen is protein, which is decomposed into amino acids in the body. Even if you eat food rich in collagen, it will not exist in the form of collagen after entering the body. "Eat these Food does not directly supplement collagen.”

Ingestion of high-quality protein + with vegetables and fruits can synthesize collagen

The human body can use amino acids as raw materials to synthesize collagen by itself with the help of vitamin C. As long as you consume more high-quality protein such as lean meat on weekdays, and mix it with vegetables and fruits, it is not too much. Worry about collagen synthesis. From a nutritional point of view, collagen-rich foods such as animal skins or pig feet contain a lot of skin or fat, and the calories are not low but the nutritional value is poor, so it is not a cost-effective method.

◎ Image source/Dazhi Image/Shutterstock ◎ Source/Liu Suying nutritionist