There are many reasons why people choose to add collagen peptides to their low volume diet. Collagen is a clean protein source, is safe for consumption, and has numerous benefits for your body – no matter your age, lifestyle, or goals.
If you’re looking for the perfect nutritional supplement to accompany your low volume diet, collagen peptides have a lot to offer.
Why might hydrolyzed collagen peptides be the best supplement for you? Let’s dive into what a low volume diet is used for, and then get to know collagen a little better to fully understand how it can support your dietary success.
Living on a low volume diet
A low volume diet doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in calories. Low volume just means a reduction in the amount of food that your body digests. The target is often to reduce the physical effort of eating and digesting, and to maximize nutritional value.
This can be for a variety of reasons, such as:
A post-surgery diet
People recovering from bariatric surgery may benefit from a low volume diet as they aren’t able to comfortably eat as much as they were used to.
The physical effort of eating and digesting the food can be more difficult than before, but the body still needs access to the calories, proteins, and vitamins that it always has. People in this position are looking for efficient foods; foods that fuel us with little waste.
A diet for the elderly
For similar reasons, a low volume diet is preferred by the elderly. The effort of chewing, swallowing, and digesting food can be greater than it used to be – so foods that are naturally easier to swallow are much more comfortable, and preferred.
In addition, many people find that they have a smaller appetite as they grow older, so elderly people can often benefit from a low volume diet.
Just as with post-surgery patients, this is not to say that the elderly should neglect calories. Even though a diet may contain less physical volume, it’s very important to maintain the level of healthy nutrition (and especially protein) as we get older, and daily supplements can help with that.
A diet for losing weight
Perhaps you’re looking to lose weight for health reasons. Maybe you’re looking for added body confidence, or you feel that losing a little weight will help you to feel more mobile and active.
It is always important that you achieve a healthy body weight that fits your individual circumstance, and that ideal weight isn’t a fixed number on a scale.
Nutritionists may calculate your target weight range using genetic factors such as height and biological sex, but it’s important to take into account your lifestyle too. Weight should fluctuate with the seasons (this is why we eat more in winter!).
A low volume diet for someone hoping to lose weight aims to reduce added fat, sugars, and preservatives from foods that aren’t healthy for us.
The good news is that collagen peptides can support a healthy low volume diet, no matter the reason for choosing to reduce your food intake. So let’s zoom in to learn more about collagen and its role in the body.
Understanding collagen
Collagen is a protein. In fact, it’s the most abundant protein in the human body.
The role of collagen is to strengthen, and provide structure to, your connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments, and muscles – as well as bones, organs, skin, blood vessels, and more.
Our bodies produce collagen from the building blocks of protein: amino acids. Collagen is synthesized from the amino acids digested from the food we eat, or from a collagen peptide supplement.
Collagen peptides (also referred to as hydrolyzed collagen or hydrolyzed collagen peptides) are collagen proteins that have been broken down into more easily digestible pieces. This is important, because collagen in its natural state is difficult to digest.
How does the body use collagen?
Collagen’s greatest benefit, and the reason why the body relies on it so much, is its tensile strength.
Collagen peptides benefits are perhaps best visualized in our skin. Collagen has been a popular supplement for a long time because of its use in visibly rejuvenating the skin. This is because increased collagen enhances the moisture content and improves skin elasticity.
You see, strength in the human body doesn’t just come from rigid bulk. Concrete is strong, but it doesn’t move. Collagen peptides provide tensile strength that the human body needs to have a strong, protected range of movement.
Of course, collagen peptides benefits extend far beyond your skin.
In ligaments and tendons, collagen provides resistance while reducing the chance for injury.
Collagen in cartilage helps to cushion against bone-on-bone impact, and potentially slows the onset of arthritis as we get older.
This is just a glimpse into the numerous collagen peptides benefits, and there are even more reasons to add collagen peptides to your low volume diet. Let’s take a look at why this supplement could play a key role in your nutritional needs.
How collagen peptides help a low volume diet
Collagen peptides make a low volume diet easier to attain, and easier to stick to.
Collagen supplements are a more direct way of getting the protein that your body needs compared to eating regular meals.
While it isn’t recommended to supplement all your meals with collagen, if you don’t have the space or appetite to eat 15 grams of protein from a steak, collagen peptides are going to be your new best friend.
Hydrolyzed collagen supplements like ProT Gold come with no added sugars and 0g of fat – they are pure, healthy protein sources condensed into an easy to digest package. Aka: everything you’re looking for, and none of what you aren’t.
Why is protein so important?
We need healthy levels of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins throughout the day to lead a healthy lifestyle, so why should we focus on protein supplements like collagen?
Protein is constantly put to work replenishing cells, and particularly your muscles. What this means is that a low volume diet, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, can look to cut calories, but shouldn’t be cutting protein.
Why? When your body has access to protein, you feel fuller for longer. With this objective in mind, it becomes clear how substituting a meal for a collagen peptide supplement may be a good idea.
The convenience of collagen
A collagen supplement offers a quick and easy way to get the nutrition you need in your low volume diet. And best of all, collagen peptides come in different forms that you can adjust to fit your lifestyle.
For example, ProT Gold hydrolyzed collagen supplements come in powder, liquid, and single-serve liquid forms.
Mixing the powder is quick and simple, and allows you to control the amount of collagen in each serving. That’s MUCH harder to do in meals, especially meals with more than one ingredient.
Drinking, rather than chewing a meal, can be much more convenient – especially for the elderly. And luckily, you can mix collagen powder into your smoothies or nutrition shakes, or even take liquid collagen all on its own.
Perhaps the most convenient way to add collagen to your low volume diet is through single-serving pouches. They are perfectly portioned for your nutritional needs, and easy to toss back while on the go.
The knowledge that you have a collagen supplement ready to go at any moment is an instant boost to anyone on a low volume diet.
A senior-friendly snack
Collagen peptides benefits are numerous, particularly as nutritional drinks for seniors. That’s because our natural collagen levels deplete as we age. This is why we are prone to wrinkles, achy joints, and slow healing wounds as we get on in years.
Many advocates of collagen peptides believe they are a key component of a low volume, longevity diet.
In addition, some elderly people suffer from some level of dysphagia, a condition that makes swallowing more difficult. This can have a huge impact on the desire to actually eat.
The ready-to-go nature of a protein supplement grants you a much easier way to take on some healthy nutrition that is quick and easy to swallow, and also perhaps a less-daunting task than making yourself a meal.
The ease of a liquid pouch means you are also more likely to be able to feed yourself if you’re looking to maintain your independence, but struggle with preparing and setting up a full meal.
Collagen is a natural choice
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that more and more people are turning to collagen to support their low volume diet is because there are so many other supplements out there that make big claims they so rarely can back up.
The sad truth is that with some supplements, the side effects negate any real benefits. Many supplements and nutritional shakes that you could add to your low volume diet are full of sugars, fillers, and additives that you really don’t want in your body.
Luckily, collagen peptides are completely natural, pure protein. In addition, collagen side effects are rare, because it’s already something your body naturally produces.
Other popular protein supplements, like whey protein, don’t come with the same assurances. Because whey protein is made from dairy products, and many people develop lactose intolerance as they age (or after bariatric surgery), whey protein is one of the worst choices for your low volume diet.
Ingesting whey protein can lead to serious bloating and stomach upset, making it even harder to get the nutrients you need in your day.
Luckily, collagen does not contain any dairy. And any negative effects from collagen supplementation that might occur are easy to avoid by determining the proper dosage, and ensuring you find a high-quality supplement. After all, not all supplements are created equal!
Choosing a collagen supplement
If you are looking to add a collagen supplement to your low volume diet, you want to ensure your product is made from collagen peptides – aka hydrolyzed collagen protein.
A hydrolyzed product will aid digestion and ensure you can make use of all the great benefits of collagen. If your supplement isn’t hydrolyzed, the majority of it will not be absorbed and will simply go to waste in your digestive tract.
With a low volume diet, nutrition is more important than ever, so not receiving the nutrients from the supplement you ingest is truly the last thing you want!
If you want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your supplement, ProT Gold goes one step further by nano hydrolyzing the collagen protein. This makes the molecules even smaller, so you are guaranteed to achieve full absorption of your supplement in just 15 minutes or less.
Best yet, ProT Gold is actually a medical grade collagen. This means it is regulated by the FDA, unlike most supplements out there. There are no fillers or unhealthy additives in ProT Gold collagen – it’s just pure, beneficial protein that’s trusted by doctors across the nation.
If you are looking to introduce a convenient protein source to your low volume diet, a medical-grade collagen supplement may just be the best way to do it.
