Collagen and Glucose

Protein(Collagen) and Glucose. These are what we need to be arguing about and what are the best sources of them. Vegan, Carnivore, Vegetarian, Keto, Pescatarian, Paleo, or Whatevero misses the point. It’s not what our stomach needs but what do our cells and their mitochondria need.

The protein that is most abundant in the human body is collagen. Collagen is the main component of connective tissue and is crucial for maintaining the structure and integrity of skin, tendons, bones, and ligaments. In fact, about one-third of the protein content in your body is made up of collagen. It also plays a vital role in maintaining healthy hair and nails.

Your body makes collagen by combining amino acids, which you can get from eating protein-rich foods. Additionally, the process requires vitamin C, zinc, and copper. Here are some foods that can help your body produce collagen:

Protein-Rich Foods: The key amino acids needed for collagen production include glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. You can get these from protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and plant-based proteins like beans and legumes.

Vitamin C: This vitamin is necessary for collagen synthesis. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are rich in vitamin C. Other good sources include strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli.

Zinc: This mineral is a co-factor in collagen synthesis. Zinc is present in high amounts in foods like oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products.

Copper: This trace mineral can help promote collagen production. You can find copper in organ meats, sesame seeds, cocoa, cashews, and lentils.

Bone Broth: This is a particularly good source of collagen, as it is made by boiling down the bones of animals, which are rich in this protein.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Antioxidants help protect against damage to collagen. Foods high in antioxidants include berries, green tea, dark chocolate, and colorful fruits and vegetables.

Remember, the best way to ensure adequate collagen production is to maintain a balanced, varied diet with plenty of whole foods. It’s also important to note that factors such as aging, smoking, and excessive sun exposure can impair collagen production and damage existing collagen in your body.

Your body makes collagen by combining amino acids, which you can get from eating protein-rich foods. Additionally, the process requires vitamin C, zinc, and copper. Here are some foods that can help your body produce collagen:

1. Protein-Rich Foods: The key amino acids needed for collagen production include glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. You can get these from protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and plant-based proteins like beans and legumes.

2. Vitamin C: This vitamin is necessary for collagen synthesis. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are rich in vitamin C. Other good sources include strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli.

3. Zinc: This mineral is a co-factor in collagen synthesis. Zinc is present in high amounts in foods like oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products.

4. Copper: This trace mineral can help promote collagen production. You can find copper in organ meats, sesame seeds, cocoa, cashews, and lentils.

5. Bone Broth: This is a particularly good source of collagen, as it is made by boiling down the bones of animals, which are rich in this protein.

6. Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Antioxidants help protect against damage to collagen. Foods high in antioxidants include berries, green tea, dark chocolate, and colorful fruits and vegetables.

And then there is Glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar that your body uses as its main source of energy. All carbohydrates you consume are broken down into glucose during digestion, although the speed and efficiency of this process vary depending on the type of carbohydrate. Here are some food sources that can be easily turned into glucose:

1. Simple Carbohydrates: These are the quickest source of glucose since they require less processing in the body. These include fruits like bananas, grapes, apples, and oranges; honey; milk; and sugar.

2. Complex Carbohydrates: These take a bit longer to be converted into glucose, providing a more steady release of energy. They include whole grains (like brown rice, oats, quinoa), legumes (like beans, lentils), starchy vegetables (like potatoes, corn), and whole grain breads and pastas.

3. High Glycemic Index Foods: Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) are digested more quickly and hence raise blood glucose levels rapidly. This includes foods like white bread, most breakfast cereals, potatoes, and sugary drinks.

It’s important to note that while all these foods can be turned into glucose easily, it doesn’t mean you should rely on them for your energy needs. A balanced diet that includes a mix of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals is the best approach for overall health. Also, consuming too many high-GI or simple carbohydrate foods can lead to health issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The best way to ensure adequate collagen production is to maintain a balanced, varied diet with plenty of whole foods. It’s also important to note that factors such as aging, smoking, and excessive sun exposure can impair collagen production and damage existing collagen in your body.

Magic Meat?

One of my favorite teachers, researchers, scientists, and authors, Valter Longo, author of the book, The Longevity Diet has observed that a vegan diet is the best way to get to a healthy 65 years of age. However, he has also observed that there are diminishing returns on that vegan diet and overall mortality beyond the age of 65. His answer is to incorporate a small piece of fish once a week for greater longevity and overall mortality.

Personally, I am not satisfied with this answer. I want to know why.

On the surface, this seems counterintuitive to me because there is nothing magic about eating meat. Nothing special is found in eating meat that cannot be obtained from plant-based sources. True, we cannot get animal-based collagen from plant sources, but animal-based collagen is not a necessary nutrient. Our body makes its own collagen when provided with sufficient amino acids and other nutrients, like copper, zinc, and vitamin C. All things found in plant-based foods.

So what is it that happens at age 65 that would make meat confer greater overall mortality to an aging population? I am thinking that it has more to do with the production of stem cells and an elevated white blood cell count associated with eating cooked foods referred to as digestive leukocytosis. This occurs when any foods, plant or animal-based enter the body that has been cooked. Eating cooked or overheated foods result in an increase in leukocyte production similar to what we see when the body has suffered an injury or some form of infection. Eating raw foods does not have this effect.

Some people, especially raw vegans, and fruitarians might feel that this justifies a completely uncooked diet, however, that is a conclusion that is not really justified in that the solution is to simply eat a diet of both cooked and raw. Dr. Paul Kouchakoff demonstrated all this in two papers he published back in the 1930s. However, most people only read his first paper on the topic published in 1930 that points out that digestive leukocytosis happens when foods are overcooked. It is his second paper published in 1937 that is only available in French that further explains that eating cooked foods isn’t a problem if one also eats even a small amount, some 10%, of the same foods uncooked. But alas, most people only read the first paper that had been published in English while ignoring the second one that was published later, available only in French.

This leads me to suspect that the answer can be found in a process called hormesis, whereby our body’s immune system is upregulated. That a diet that incorporates certain kinds of cooked foods into our diet to trigger an increased amount of neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes that then go out into the body resulting in a greater level of regeneration. A cleansing effect if you will. Maybe this is why soups have been loved by many as not only comfort food, but one that makes them feel better when they are suffering the effects of the common cold.

I figure I have another 15 years until I see age 65. I imagine that will be long enough to resolve these questions.