Collagen In Coffee, Explained: Up-To-Date Research, Benefits & 5 Fun Recipes

Of all the vitamins, minerals, and supplements, collagen peptides are relatively new players in the supplement world. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies—that we've known for a long time—but consuming collagen supplements for their array of health benefits is a younger venture (the bulk of the science only dates back about two decades).* We're continuing to learn about collagen supplementation in real time—which is exciting, of course, but it also means there's a ton of conflicting information to parse. 

One hot debate is whether you can add collagen to coffee (or any warm beverage, for that matter). Some declare the high temperature can mess with its benefits; others assert it's totally stable, offering up a menu of decadent, collagen-infused sips. What's the right move here? 

You may have heard that adding collagen to coffee causes its molecular structure to melt because of the high heat—but this is a total myth, assuming you're using high-quality collagen peptides.

"High-quality collagen peptides in powders are temperature stable," says mbg's director of scientific affairs and in-house nutritionist, Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN. For example, we made sure that the collagen in our beauty & gut collagen+ powder has this kind of sturdiness. "What this means is that the collagen powder is quite versatile in its ability to be incorporated into your favorite cold, tepid, warm, or hot beverage, smoothie, or food." 

However, collagen is not completely indestructible: "Really high, prolonged temps can be a denaturation culprit," says Ferira. Specifically, collagen can withstand temperatures up to approximately 200 degrees Celsius (or 392 degrees Fahrenheit). Anything hotter than that for a long period of time can potentially damage the integrity of the protein.

But here's the thing: Hot liquids (like your morning coffee) usually hover around 100 degrees Celsius (or 212 degrees Fahrenheit) at boiling point—that's not even close to the limit, so there's no need to worry about breaking down the collagen with your piping cup of coffee. 

By the way, Ferira adds, the peptide bonds that keep the amino acids together in collagen peptides eventually get broken down by your body, anyway. "If the molecular structure of collagen does happen to get shaken up a bit (e.g., higher baking temperature or adding it to coffee, which is a slightly acidic pH), that ultimately doesn't matter since you actually have to break down the protein into peptides and amino acids to absorb them in your gut," she says. "In essence, your collagen (whether in your daily coffee or something else entirely) is delivering the building blocks, so the "construction" of this collagen "architecture" can reconvene where it's needed in your body." Be it your skin, gut, eyes, bones, joints, et al. 

Collagen and coffee actually make a wonderful duo: "A robust collagen formula added to coffee is not only a fun pairing but one with unique bioactives to boot," Ferira explains. "You not only get the collagen peptides, collagen-supporting nutrients like vitamins C and E (assuming they are provided in your collagen formula), etc., but also the numerous (thought to be hundreds!) of phytonutrients provided by the coffee plant itself. And if it's not decaffeinated, then the native caffeine bioactive is present for its many nootropic and mind/body energizing and focus benefits. Win win."

Adding collagen to your morning coffee routine doesn't have to be a giant undertaking; it's as easy as stirring in a spoonful and sipping away. A high-quality collagen powder will dissolve into any liquid, and if you have an unflavored variety, you might not even detect it in your drink. 

Take the same method from recipe No. 1, but swap the unflavored collagen for chocolate. It creates this deliciously rich and creamy blend. Our beauty director, Alexandra Engler, especially loves this simple recipe for a sweet pick-me-up. "To make my morning cup extra special, I always add a dash of milk and one scoop of mbg's beauty & gut chocolate collagen+. The chocolate option is naturally flavored and sweetened with premium organic cocoa powder and organic monk fruit, which makes the coffee "rich, smooth, and decadent without being too saccharine," she says. 

Another chocolate option, this healthier take on the traditional frappe is just as rich and decadent. It's also easy to get creative with proportions in the recipe, depending on how strong you like your coffee. Just make sure to brew your coffee in advance so it's fully chilled. 

To make this dreamy, frothy frappe, place 1 cup chilled coffee, ¼ cup milk of your choice, ⅓ cup coconut cream, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1½ cups ice cubes, and 1 scoop collagen powder into a blender and mix until smooth. 

This cozy, cinnamon aroma will surely lure anyone out of bed. Paired with vanilla extract, it nails that subtly sweet taste without the blood sugar spike, and the frothed collagen mixture makes it extra creamy. 

In a medium saucepan add 2 cups milk of your choice, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract over medium heat. Add 1 scoop of collagen to the milk mixture. Once the milk is warmed up and collagen is mixed in, pour the milk/collagen mixture into a glass or bowl and use a frother to create the milk foam (you can also pour the mixture into a blender to froth it). Next, pour some coffee into a mug, then add the milk foam on top of the coffee, sprinkling some extra cinnamon on top if you'd like. 

Here's a great tip to get that pumpkin-spiced flavor without any added sugar: Simply add those flavors (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove) to your coffee grounds before brewing. As you (or a machine) send hot water through the grounds, it will extract the flavor from all those warming spices. We should note: This hack works best with pour-over methods, a French press, and classic coffee pots (you might not want to try it with an espresso machine).