Are you looking for the best fish collagen? Then you are not the only one! Collagen may be a new word for many people, but we have actually had experience with it for years. And without even knowing it.
How our ancestors got their collagen
We eat very differently these days than our grandfathers and grandmothers did. I can still remember the image of sleepovers at my grandparents' farm. At dinner they would happily eat a rabbit together, almost skin and all. That also means all kinds of connective tissue and cartilage, parts we are no longer used to seeing on our plates.
My parents regularly ate clear broth with a marrow bone, which was spread on toast as a valuable delicacy. And then there was the tin of pink salmon with small cooked bones that were simply mashed into the salmon salad. Sound familiar?
Now I know why my grandmother had such lovely cheeks and kept such a spry step into very old age. They ate collagen protein without knowing it! Collagen is found in skin, hair, nails, connective tissue, blood vessels, tendons, joints, cartilage and bones.
Where do we get collagen from?
Most of the building blocks (amino acids) of collagen are essential or semi-essential. That means we cannot make them entirely ourselves, but have to get them through our diet. In recent years, companies that were already making gelatine from cow bones and hides have responded to this. Bovine collagen is now also extracted from these and sold as collagen.
Which is best: fish collagen or bovine collagen?
Is fish collagen better than bovine collagen? In terms of effect, there is little difference between bovine collagen powder or collagen made from fish. Both consist of collagen peptides. Compared to bovine collagen, fish collagen has a slightly different amino acid composition. The structure of fish collagen is similar to that of human skin.
Why we do not choose bovine collagen
In our search for the best collagen, we found an important reason to avoid bovine collagen: its unclear origin from factory farming.
Just as we do not sell fish oil from farmed fish from packed ponds, we only want products from wild sources with the MSC label.
Because we do not know where and how a cow is raised in factory farming, this is a no go for us. Factory farming (certainly in America) is a world we (to put it politely) do not want to gain experience with. There is also 'grass-fed' bovine collagen, and this is a claim (not a certification) that cannot be verified. So it is quite far removed from what we consider important: transparency and quality.
Our experiences: the search for the best fish collagen
Our experiences with fish collagen were initially disappointing. When we discovered that most fish collagen is made from tilapia from Vietnam, our review was quickly done. Is farmed tilapia really the best fish collagen? This fish grows up in packed ponds with artificial feed and often antibiotics.
Our answer: MSC-certified fish collagen
By introducing the world's first fish collagen with an MSC label, we can guarantee that it is 100% made from wild Arctic cod from Norway. So no Asian farmed fish like tilapia or pangasius. We guarantee that this fishery keeps its hands off the food chain of whales, dolphins and sea lions and that there is no adverse effect on the ocean, environment or fish stocks.
How do you recognise the best fish collagen?
To the question of what the best fish collagen is, we now DO have an answer! When choosing, pay particular attention to origin and transparency. Choose wild fish instead of farmed fish and make sure there is clear information about where the fish comes from. Certifications such as MSC guarantee sustainable fishing.
Quality and purity are also important. The best fish collagen is processed fresh, contains no unnecessary additives or fillers and has a complete amino acid composition.
So the best fish collagen is transparent about origin, sustainably produced and made from wild fish. That way you can be sure you are getting quality you can rely on.
Ready to choose the best fish collagen? Then take a look at our range and experience the difference of wild fish for yourself.
