Collagen in a hot drink: coffee, chocolate, latte

Reading time: 6 minutes

As the days get shorter, the cold shaker often gives way to a hot mug. Your collagen can follow. Here's what heat changes, what it doesn't, and how to add your collagen to a coffee, a hot chocolate or a matcha latte.

In short

• Yes, hydrolysed collagen can be added to a hot drink: heat doesn't damage it.
• For vitamin C, it's best not to boil the drink: drink it hot, straight away.
• For a smooth drink: the powder first in a splash of water, then the milk or coffee.

What is hydrolysed collagen?

Collagen is the structural protein of skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. In its original form, it's a very large molecule. To make it easy to dissolve and absorb, it's cut into small fragments, peptides: this is hydrolysis. The PEPTAN® collagen peptides in the Choco Latte and Matcha Latte are hydrolysed collagens. To find out more, read our article What is collagen?

Does heat damage collagen?

No. Making hydrolysed collagen already involves heat: collagen is extracted with hot water, then cut into peptides by enzymes. These peptides remain stable in a hot drink, which is why the food industry uses them in both hot and cold drinks (León-López et al., 2019).

Once drunk, these peptides are digested and absorbed: researchers have found collagen fragments in the blood after people took hydrolysed collagen (Iwai et al., 2005). Whether your drink is hot or cold makes no difference.

What about vitamin C?

Collagen Choco Latte contains 40 mg of vitamin C per serving. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage, bones and skin.

For vitamin C, it's best not to boil it (Herbig and Renard, 2017). To make the most of it:

• choose a hot drink rather than a boiling one;
• add your serving just before drinking, rather than leaving it to heat on the hob;
• drink your mug straight away, and avoid reheating it.

Does coffee interfere with collagen?

We found no study showing that coffee reduces the absorption of collagen peptides. The thing to watch is caffeine. For a healthy adult, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers that up to 400 mg of caffeine a day raises no safety concerns. The threshold is lower during pregnancy (EFSA, 2015). One serving of Collagen Matcha Latte provides 31.5 mg of caffeine. The Choco Latte contains none, apart from the small amount naturally present in cocoa.

Does collagen change the taste of the drink?

A plain hydrolysed collagen has no taste. In Collagen Choco Latte, it's the cocoa powder, combined with organic coconut milk, that gives your drink its chocolate taste. In the Matcha Latte, it's the organic matcha green tea from Japan.

Three hot recipes

1. Collagen hot chocolate

• 1 serving of Collagen Choco Latte
• 50 ml of lukewarm water
• 200 ml of hot milk, dairy or plant-based (oat, almond, coconut)

Pour the serving into the lukewarm water and stir until the powder has dissolved. Add the hot milk, stir and enjoy.

2. Collagen mocha

• 1 coffee (an espresso or a cup of filter coffee)
• 1 serving of Collagen Choco Latte
• a little hot milk or milk foam, if you like

First mix the serving with a little coffee, then top up with the rest of the coffee and the milk. You get coffee, cocoa and 8,500 mg of PEPTAN® collagen peptides in the same cup.

3. Hot collagen matcha latte

• 1 serving of Collagen Matcha Latte
• 50 ml of hot, but not boiling, water
• 200 ml of hot milk, dairy or plant-based

Whisk the serving into the hot water, then add the milk. Matcha contains caffeine: have it during or after a meal, and avoid it in the evening. To compare the two drinks, read our article Matcha latte or coffee. For more variations, read our hot collagen matcha latte recipe.

Which drink should you choose?

All three drinks provide 8,500 mg of PEPTAN® collagen peptides per serving. What changes is the caffeine and the time of day.

What our customers say

“I put it in my coffee or take it with milk.”
Virginie T., Collagen Choco Latte, review published on vitamoon.fr

“I've just received my order and made myself a cup. […] I added cocoa and almond milk.”
Nanou, Collagen Choco Latte, review published on vitamoon.fr

“Dissolves well in hot and cold.”
Elemaitre, Collagen Matcha Latte, review published on Amazon

What about Liquid Marine Collagen?

With its strawberry taste, it's best drunk neat, or diluted in a glass of cold water or fruit juice. For a hot drink, the Choco Latte and Matcha Latte are better suited.

When?

Consistency matters more than timing: one serving a day, whenever suits you. Hot at breakfast, in your morning coffee, or cold in a shaker after exercise. Our article whey, creatine and collagen explains how to combine it with a protein.

Precautions for use

• One serving a day: do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
• Collagen Choco Latte should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women or by children.
• Collagen Matcha Latte contains caffeine. It should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women or by under-18s. It is not recommended for people with gastroduodenal ulcers, heart conditions or hyperthyroidism.
• If you have a health condition or are on treatment, ask a healthcare professional for advice.
• Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put collagen in hot coffee?

Yes. Collagen peptides can withstand the heat of a coffee. For vitamin C, it's best not to boil the drink.

Can it be prepared in the microwave?

Heat the milk first, then add the serving. Avoid reheating the drink once the powder has been added, to preserve the vitamin C.

How do you avoid lumps?

First dissolve the powder in a splash of water or coffee, then add the rest of the liquid.

Do you need milk?

No. Hot water works too. Milk, dairy or plant-based, gives a creamier texture.

How many servings a day?

One serving a day. A 230 g jar of Collagen Choco Latte contains about 20 servings, i.e. 20 days.

Does the Choco Latte contain added sugar?

No. Its formula has just four ingredients: PEPTAN® collagen peptides, cocoa powder, organic coconut milk powder and vitamin C.

In summary

• Hydrolysed collagen can be added to a hot drink: heat doesn't damage it.
• For vitamin C, choose a hot rather than boiling drink, and drink it straight away.
• Hot chocolate, mocha or matcha latte: the serving in a splash of water, then the milk or coffee.

Discover Collagen Choco Latte →

Sources

• León-López A. et al. (2019). Hydrolyzed Collagen—Sources and Applications. Molecules, 24(22), 4031.
• Iwai K. et al. (2005). Identification of food-derived collagen peptides in human blood after oral ingestion of gelatin hydrolysates. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53(16), 6531-6536.
• Herbig A.-L., Renard C.M.G.C. (2017). Factors that impact the stability of vitamin C at intermediate temperatures in a food matrix. Food Chemistry, 220, 444-451.
• EFSA (2015). Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal, 13(5), 4102.
• Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims.