This cozy Collagen Apple Cider is a new Fall fave, just in time for the weather to start getting chilly.
And while we’re warming up our bones by the fire, how about supporting them too with an extra dose of collagen? In fact, this Collagen Apple Cider recipe is a festive way to support our bones, joints, skin AND gut health while also creating the ambience of Fall all throughout the house.
I added my collagen to this recipe because it’s literally undetectable in anything you add it to and it dissolves completely. So you get that bonus boost of peptides that support your body tissue without even noticing.
One reason I’ve really been paying attention to my collagen intake these days is gut health. The cells that line the intestines (the epithelial cells) form tight junctions that create an impermeable barrier that keep microorganisms and toxins out of our bloodstream (1)(2). The extracellular matrix that supports this important structure is made of collagen.
You don’t necessarily need to take a collagen supplement, as our body synthesizes it from different amino acids from the protein we eat. There are some things that can reduce your ability to make collagen however, like stress, smoking, lack of adequate protein in the diet, and also as we age we simply make less of it (3).
I take powdered collagen pretty much daily at this point in my life (47 right now) as I’m wanting that extra boost to support my joints and bones, and my gut health as well. Good gut health is super important at every age, but becomes especially important for us as women when we enter the perimenopause years and transition into menopause. A balanced gut can help mitigate some of the symptoms we associate with fluctuating hormones (hot flashes, mood swings, etc) by breaking down and recycling estrogen through a specialized section of the microbiome called the estrobolome.
Eating a balanced diet with enough protein on your plate with each meal is a great way to support your body’s natural production of collagen. And taking a collagen supplement can be a great backup, and make a difference with regular use.
I know you’ll love this festive Fall recipe, and I hope you get to share it with your friends and family!
Collagen Apple Cider
Yield: 4 servings
You will need: blender, measuring cup
Key: T=Tablespoon; tsp=teaspoon 
Ingredients:
- 6 cups filtered water
- 1 orange, sliced into quarter wedges
- 2 apples (any variety), chopped into small chunks
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp apple pie spice (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg + 1/4 tsp ground allspice + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
- 2-4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 servings (52 grams) Full Body Collagen,* divided
Optional additions:
- 3 T sweetener of choice (pure maple syrup, honey or monk fruit sweetener)
- whole star anise
- dash of sea salt
Directions:
- Add water to saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to simmer.
- Addorange slices, apples, ginger, spices and cinnamon sticks, plus any of the optional additions and simmer on low for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off heat, and add vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Using a large bowl and strainer, strain the fruits and whole spices from the cider (discard fruit or remove whole spices and store fruit to be added to your smoothies or overnight oatmeal).
- Pour cider into mug. Add 1 serving (13 g) Full Body Collagen for each serving of cider and stir briefly to dissolve.
- Serve immediately with orange wedge and a cinnamon stick and enjoy!
*Boost any beverage by adding collagen peptides. I don’t count the peptides toward my overall daily protein count, as collagen is not a complete protein source on its own.
Nutrition Facts
Additional Notes: Peptides: 11 grams*
* I don’t count the peptides toward my overall daily protein count, as collagen is not a complete protein source on its own.
Full Body Collagen is in my personal daily rotation because of its amazing protective benefits for our skin, joints and bones. It’s really versatile in that it is flavorless, can be mixed in anything and dissolves completely and instantly.
- Williams, J M et al. “Epithelial cell shedding and barrier function: a matter of life and death at the small intestinal villus tip.” Veterinary pathology vol. 52,3 (2015): 445-55. doi:10.1177/0300985814559404. Web.
- Qianru Chen et al. “Collagen peptides ameliorate intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction in immunostimulatory Caco-2 cell monolayers via enhancing tight junctions” Food Funct., 2017,8, 1144-1151. Web.
- Varani, James et al. “Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation.” The American journal of pathology vol. 168,6 (2006): 1861-8. doi:10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302. Web.
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