Lemon Curd Gummies (+ the benefits of collagen)

Recipes
Written By Liz Burton

INGREDIENTS:

✦ 100g raw honey

✦ 160g salted butter roughly chopped (or use unsalted with a pinch of celtic salt)

✦ 200mL lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons worth)

✦ Zest from one lemon (use 2 lemons if you like it extra zingy!)

✦ 3 tbsp gelatin

✦ 1 tbsp collagen (optional - but I like it for the extra protein kick)

✦ 3 eggs + 2 egg yolks

 

HOW TO MAKE:

  1. Add the lemon juice to a glass bowl (you’ll use this as a double broiler in a sec), and slowly pour the gelatin and collagen in while whisking, trying to remove any lumps (the gelatin won’t fully dissolve until heated so don’t stress too much here!).

  2. Add everything else into the bowl and pop it over a pot of simmering water.

  3. Whisk together over low heat until it all comes together and is nice and thick like a custard. You can check if it’s ready if it coats the back of a spoon *make sure it is low so the egg doesn't go all scrambled and yuck.

  4. Taste and add more zest or honey depending on your preference.

  5. Take off the heat. At this stage I recommend straining the mixture so that the gummies are nice and smooth, but feel free to leave the lemon zest and pulp in if you wish.

  6. Pour into gummy molds / silicone baking tray / baking paper lined tray.

  7. Pop into the fridge and let set for a couple of hours (you can speed this up by popping them in the freezer for 30-60 mins).

  8. Once set, pop them out of the molds or slice in your tray.

  9. Dig in and enjoy 😍

NOTE: You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (if they last that long!) or you can pop them in an airtight container in the freezer too. They defrost really nicely - in fact Stefan has been enjoying eating them from frozen 😂!

*recipe inspired and adapted from Jordiepieface & Jowhitton, with my wild womb flairs thrown in



THE BENEFITS OF GELATIN & COLLAGEN:

First off, what exactly is collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, in fact it accounts for about 25-35% of your body’s protein! It’s predominant in your extracellular matrix - the stuff that provides structure and support to your tissues and organs -.
and it’s the main structural protein found in your skin, tendons, bones and connective tissue. It’s also found in teeth, joints, blood vessels and the placenta! You can think of it like the glue that helps with structure, strength and stability in your body- pretty important right?

There are a number of different types of collagen (around 28) and they vary depending on their structure, where they are found and their function in the body. They main types you will likely hear about are:

  • Type I (makes up over 90% of the collagen in the human body) - mostly found in teeth, bone and skin, it helps with tissue regeneration and healthy skin

  • Type II - found in cartilage, it aids in cartilage repair and joint support, and might also support against arthritis.

  • Type III - found in muscle and blood vessels to keep arteries strong, and also supports skin health (it makes up 10-15% of the collagen in your skin)

  • Type V - found in the eyes, lungs, liver and placenta - This one you might not hear as much about but I thought it was pretty cool that it’s key for the placenta during pregnancy!

The bad news - this amazing protein declines as you age, which reduces skin elasticity, joint mobility, bone health, gut health and more.

The good news - you can add it in through your diet!

This is why bone broth is so beneficial, it contains lots of great collagen and other nutrients. Alternatively you can use gelatin or hydrolised collagen powders, or some companies also do collagen peptides in a capsule form.
It’s another reason to love these gummies so much - they are a fun way to add in the collagen, plus they are packing lots of other goods too!

Other foods that help build collagen include egg whites (got you covered with those in this recipe too), garlic, leafy green vegetables and foods high in vitamin C, like oranges, lemons, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, guava etc. Vitamin C plays a big role in your body’s production of collagen, which is why I love that these are packed with a zesty lemon kick.

So what’s the difference between collagen, gelatin and hydrolysed collagen??

Gelatin is what results from cooking collagen and breaking the protein down into smaller amino acids with heat

vs

Collagen peptides (aka hydrolysed collagen) comes from breaking collagen down into smaller amino acids but it is done via the process of hydrolysis (basically breaking it down with water vs heat). Generally the amino acids are slightly smaller this way vs in gelatin.

As a result, both gelatin and collagen peptides are benificial and easy to digest. They both also contain the amino acids glycine, glutamine, proline and alanine - which are what your body will use to make new collagen and will benefit your skin, joint, gut and bone health.

The main difference lies in HOW they are used - gelatin has gelling properties and will only dissolve in hot liquid, whereas collagen peptides can dissolve in hot OR cold liquids and won’t gel.

So if you are looking to make gummies - gelatin is needed to make sure they set.
And if you want something you can add to your daily coffee, cacao or smoothie, then the collagen peptides are the way to go.

I’ve chosen to add BOTH to this recipe because I wanted the extra punch of protein with the additional collagen… but without them becoming super firm. I like a little spring to my sweets!

The role of oestrogen and collagen

Fun fact for ya! Studies have shown that oestrogen plays a role in collagen production, so naturally as your cycles change over your life, your collagen will be impacted too. Studies have shown that in post-menopausal women, receiving oestrogen had a positive impact on increasing collagen, thickness and elasticity in their skin. Likewise it has also been seen that when oestrogen decreases, collagen content and skin thickness decreases too.

This is just another reason why it’s so important to have healthy ovulation while you can, and why you might not wanna shut off your cycle. It’s also probably why you have more glowy, perky skin while you are ovulating!

The benefits of collagen

Now that you have seen what collagen does and it’s role in the body, I hope you have a better idea as to WHY it is so beneficial for you, and why getting it in through your diet can be really helpful, especially as you age.

Here’s the round up of what it may help you with:

  • Improving skin health, including elasticity and hydration (and reducing wrinkles and skin aging)

  • Boosting hair and nails

  • Supporting your gut health

  • Strengthening your joints and reduce joint pain

  • Mitigating the loss of collagen with declining oestrogen in menopause

  • During pregnancy while your body is stretching and changing (and you are growing a human!)

Where do I get my gelatin and collagen from??

The source of your collagen makes a difference! The most common sources of collagen comes from bovine (cows), porcine (pigs), or marine (fish) sources, but you might also come across ovine (sheep) and chicken. Of course not all of those are created equally or have the same results or type of collagen available, plus they can vary depending on the season and location that they are sourced.

  • Marine sources mostly have type I collagen

  • Bovine sources have type I and III (some may also have type II)

  • Porcine sources contain type I and III too, and

  • Chicken contains type II (it’s why adding chicken feet to your bone broth can really help with getting your broth to gel, plus it contains essential beneficial nutrients!)

With all that in mind, I recommend finding a grass fed option (if going for land based collagen), or making sure that the fish in your marine based collagen are wild caught.

I get both my gelatin and collagen from The Source Bulk Foods (plus I can buy in bulk and reduce plastic), but I always recommend doing your own research into what is going to work best for you!

“Vitamin C plays a big role in your body’s production of collagen, which is why I love that these are packed with a zesty lemon kick.”

Plus they taste delicious!!

Give them a whirl and let me know what you think below 😘

REFERENCES:

Liz Burton
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