Collagen lemonade is one of my favorite beverages at the moment. I know I know it’s not summer, it’s almost Christmas… But, who doesn’t love an ice-cold lemonade any time of the year?!
So, before we dive in, I want to list a couple of benefits to taking collagen regularly…
Benefits Of Collagen:
*Collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin hydration and elasticity. They may also help lessen the appearance of wrinkles.
*Has been known to help relieve joint pain
*May help heal leaky gut syndrome
*Taking collagen is known to increase the strength of your nails. It may also stimulate hair and nails to grow faster and or longer.
*Studies have shown collagen could help improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
A little background on why I decided to start taking collagen…
Back in 2019 when we were living in Chicago, my functional medicine doctor recommended I start taking collagen daily to help heal my gut. My body felt completely out of whack after having my oldest daughter. We started the healing process beginning with the gut.(Collagen is known to help with the healing of intestinal permeability-aka leaky gut.)There is an entire blog post I could dedicate to this subject but I will stick to the topic of collagen for this one. My doctor suggested making gelatin gummies and adding plain water to collagen peptides. I tried both options but wasn’t thrilled with the taste of the final product. I looked into premade collagen products like gummies, capsules, and drinks and found one beverage item that I enjoyed. It was a premade strawberry Lemonade Collagen Water by Vital Proteins. (The same company that I buy my collagen peptide powder from.) While I liked the taste of the water there were a couple of concerns...1 being the cost. The prepared collagen water was around $ 3.50 a bottle per 12 oz. serving Yikes! Not to mention the amount of plastic consumed if I drank these regularly. I tried their powdered version of the lemonade as well but wasn’t impressed by the consistency or flavor.
So, to make a long story short, I decided to come up with my version and was thrilled by the results.
*Ideally to make the perfect batch of lemonade, freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferable. However, that also can be time-consuming and get expensive to do daily. So, as life has gotten busier, I have tried to find the most convenient, cost-efficient, healthy drink possible. That’s when I came across True Lemon Flavored Powder. Think crystal light but no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and non-gmo. It also tastes like you squeezed a fresh lemon in your water. I started experimenting by adding stevia, blending frozen berries to make flavored lemonade, and adding to just plain old water. It was delicious, quick, cleanish ingredients, and the perfect solution for this busy mama. So whether you want to spice up the flavor of plain ol’ water or are looking to make some healthy, fun, beverages on the fly, this simple recipe is for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I have experimented making several variations of this lemonade. i.e. adding frozen raspberries, and strawberries and blended..Both of which are a perfectly refreshing beverage in the summer months.
Side note: True Life Lemon makes several different flavors and versions of its powders. Some have sugar and some do not. Make sure that you are buying the NON-SUGAR versions and adding sweeteners yourself or none at all if preferred. Alternative sweeteners that I enjoy on occasion are Maple Syrup, Honey, and Liquid Stevia.
Collagen Lemonade Water
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Serving Size: 1 (32 Oz.)
Ingredients:
*32 Oz. Mason jar.
*2 Packets of True Lemon Powder (Unsweetened version) Or 1/2 C freshly squeezed lemon juice.
*1 Serving of Vital Proteins Unflavored Collagen Peptides.
*32 Oz. Filtered water
*3-4 Drops Liquid Stevia Or 1 Tbs Honey (For sweetening)
* Handful Ice Cubes
*Add Lemon packets, collagen peptides, water, and stevia to the mason jar. Screw the lid onto the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Add ice cubes and voila!
Great content! Keep up the good work!
Thanks.