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We’ve been hearing about collagen for years, but many of us never get around to actually seeking it out. We love it in beauty products as an added bonus, but when we discovered all the benefits that are solely attributed to collagen, we decided to look into top-notch collagen brands.
Beyond our usual beauty products, collagen in itself is a protein found in our skin, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, organs, and muscles. It maintains the structure and strength of these tissues. Yet as we age, our bodies produce less collagen, leading to wrinkles, joint pain, and loss of muscle mass. In fact – the stat that led us scurrying to add collagen into our routines – after the age of 20, our bodies produce 1% less collagen in the skin every year.*
Supplementing with collagen has been shown to have numerous benefits, such as improving skin elasticity, reducing joint pain and inflammation, promoting gut health, and even fortifying muscle mass.
A number of brands claim to provide the best natural collagen, so in an effort to find which brand offers the best collagen powder, we compared NativePath, Ancient Nutrition, and Vital Proteins. Here’s how they shape up:
Key Similarities
- All source their collagen from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows
- All are gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free
- All offer flavored and unflavored options
- All have subscribe-and-save options
Key Differences
- Native Path focuses solely on collagen | Vital Proteins and Ancient Nutrition also include Vitamin C and other ingredients
- NativePath costs $37.99 | Ancient Nutrition costs $49.95 | Vital Proteins costs $27
- NativePath and Ancient Nutrition come with a scoop | Vital Proteins does not
NativePath
NativePath sources its collagen from 100% pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished, happy, healthy cows. It’s free from gluten, dairy, soy, and any artificial sweeteners or sugars. They only use natural sweeteners that include monk fruit and stevia so you can avoid a sugar crash. Their collagen features a range of flavors like vanilla bean, wild berry, peach, and chocolate. They also offer an unflavored choice that is perfect for mixing into any liquid, smoothie, or bowl.
Their simple ingredient includes both Type 1 and Type 3 collagen. While there are 28 different forms of collagen, Types 1 and 3 make up 90% of the collagen found in our bodies. Each scoop of NativePath’s Collagen Peptides includes 10g of both Type 1 and 3, giving you the ideal dosage to maintain healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints.
NativePath
Collagen sourced from 100% pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished, happy, healthy cows
Bundle and Save Up to 45%
Ancient Nutrition
Ancient Nutrition’s unflavored and flavored collagen is packed with Vitamin C. It also contains clinically-studied SBO probiotics, and 10 different forms of collagen from 4 sources. Similar to NativePath, it’s sourced from pasture-raised and grass-fed cows, and is designed to help boost healthy skin, hair, nails, joints, and bones.
One scoop includes 10g of collagen and 100% daily value of Vitamin C.
While Ancient Nutrition includes additional additives, those are more readily available from other supplements which gives us pause about the $49.95 price point.
Vital Proteins
Much like Ancient Nutrition and NativePath, Vital Proteins only uses collagen from grass-fed cows. They offer a wide variety of flavors and an unflavored option. One scoop provides 20g of bovine hide collagen, and their formula also incorporates Vitamin C as well as hyaluronic acid.
While Vital Proteins is a popular brand, several customer reviews say that their formula is difficult to mix into drinks and their collagen no longer comes with a scoop to accurately measure. With specific serving size requirements for both collagen loading and collagen maintenance, not being able to accurately measure is a strong detriment.
Verdict
In the interest of working smarter – not harder – we’re going with NativePath. While Vital Proteins and Ancient Nutrition include additional ingredients like Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, we like how NativePath focuses specifically on what our body needs – Type 1 and Type 3 collagen!
Plus, with Vital Proteins discontinuation of their scooper, we worry about accurately measuring out the recommended portion. And even though Ancient Nutrition comes with a scoop, it also comes with a hefty price tag – no thanks!
Overall, NativePath is the clear choice! We’re thrilled that they use two different forms of grass-fed bovine collagen that’s sourced in the US. Not to mention the glowing reviews about how easy it is to use from scooping to dissolving. This is the simplest yet most effective way to get our collagen.
Plus, NativePath offers a subscribe-and-save option that saves 10% on our monthly deliveries. If you’re looking for premium quality collagen packed with health benefits, we recommend NativePath.
