Help skin snap back with these best foods to boost collagen production

While you can’t stop the aging process, there are foods you can consume that can help increase the collagen in your body.

The body’s most abundant structural protein, collagen is responsible for giving structure to tissues, including skin, bone, tenderloins and ligaments.

“As we age, collagen production decreases,” dermatologist and author of “Stop Aging, Start Living,” Dr. Jeannette Graf, told Coveteur. “That can mean deeper creases and enlarged pores. As your skin becomes less elastic, pores expand because the collagen fibers in the walls around them are diminishing. As we mature, naturally occurring enzymes that erode collagen become stronger than the mechanisms in our skin that combat them.”

While wrinkles and stiff joints result from less collagen production as we age, you can help stimulate collagen production by consuming certain nutrients from particular foods, according to Medical News Today.

■ Amino acids

■ Vitamin C

■ Zinc

■ Manganese

■ Copper

“Foods like bone broth contain a bioavailable form of collagen your body can use right away, making it arguably superior to supplements,” registered dietitian Carrie Gabriel told Healthline about looking to food before supplements when seeking to increase collagen.

According to Healthline, eating collagen-rich foods may help create amino acids, the building blocks needed for increasing skin health.