Hydrolysed collagen powder

Hi, my daughter has just started levo for hashi's. She has gone gluten free but she has also been a vegaterian for years, I have been reading a lot about the importance of protein for her and I have been trying to get her to reintroduce meat, but she really can't bring herself to eat it. I read that putting hydrolysed collegen into smoothies can be a good source of animal protein. Does anyone know of a good one I could get or a reputable site to go to for it. She is low in iron too, so I thought animal protein might help that too.

[Nanaedake]

I would have thought that vegetarians should be able to get enough protein from dairy and pulses but one thing to look out for with autoimmune thyroid conditions is low B12, vitamin D deficiency, folate and ferritin which need to be optimal and all have to work together for thyroid hormone to work effectively. It could be a good idea to get blood tests to check this out since you say she is deficient in iron.

[Hidden in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks

[Lentil61]

I'm not sure why you think she is low in protein. For info derived from reliable peer reviewed research regarding vegetarian/vegan diets please take a look at vivahealth.org.uk.

Also search for Dr Michael Greger, author of "How Not to Die".

[Hidden in reply to Lentil61]

I think she isn't getting enough protein because she doesn't have a great diet, she's a teenager and won't eat leafy greens and stuff like that, before going gluten free she lived on bread and pasta. She is getting a little better now. Thanks for the info I'll read up on those sites

[SmallBlueThing]

The proportions of amino acids are considered important, with collagen/gelatine being a good source of glycine but low in tryptophan: nutritiondata.self.com/food...

I've used pork gelatine with orange juice to make a jelly, and bought the gelatine direct from an eBay seller's own site: mmingredients.co.uk/

They are now stocking collagen, though I haven't tried it. Note that theirs is Type 1 and other suppliers on eBay have a different type, which I haven't looked into.

As a one time, long time veggie I tell myself that the meat products I consume are pretty much waste products. Liver, heart and bones are regularly at reduced price at the supermarket I use, as there isn't sufficient demand.

[Hidden in reply to SmallBlueThing]

Thank you for the links, I have actually just got bone to try a bone broth and make soup with it. Not a chance she would eat liver or heart, but then I wouldn't have either when I was 17.😃

[SmallBlueThing in reply to Hidden]

I completely swamp it with veggies, or at least a large onion per 100g, and cook in cider or wine. Chopping or mincing helps, not least in reducing any stringiness. Chopped heart can take a couple of hours in a pressure cooker and would no doubt take longer in the oven, but with the intensified sweetness I recall from childhood meals, cooked in cast iron (which is something else to consider).

But collagen is easier to incorporate... forefronthealth.com/collage...

[thyr01d]

Hi - I'm a vegan and an nhs nutritionist advised me to eat chia seeds for protein, you could easily pop those into smoothies. Can't help with the iron, sorry, though I gather peas are good and most teens like peas even though green!

[Camdentown]

You could try Great Lakes green label, which seems to be one of the best quality you can buy. I get mine from Amazon. The green label is soluble in cold liquid and is tasteless. Chia seeds are a good source of protein and work well in smoothies; max 15g per day, I seem to remember. Good luck with it all.

[BeansMummy]

I’m a strict vegetarian and, because of Hashimoto’s, I have had quite an issue with multiple deficiencies as I have a real problems with absorbing my nutrients from food. I always thought I ate a lot of protein (mostly nuts, seeds and pulses) but, when I started seeing a good private nutritionist, she advised me that you need a range of different proteins to ensure that you get all the essential amino acids … just eating copious amounts of chick peas (which I love) wasn’t enough. I also have a concentrated pea protein powder to mix into smoothies, casseroles, soups or whatever.

I am also gluten, soya and sugar-free, and eat a very good, healthy diet.

I certainly wouldn’t be having hydrolysed collagen or gelatine, or anything similar, as it isn’t remotely vegetarian – unless your daughter is happy eating animal products as long as they don’t look like meat, she might not be too happy!