Healthy Collagen Smoothie Recipe: Strawberry Banana With 10 g of Collagen Peptides

For a collagen smoothie, blend 1 cup of frozen strawberries, half a banana, half a cup of plain Greek yogurt, three quarters of a cup of almond milk and 10 g of unflavored collagen peptides for about a minute. It makes one tall glass, with about 248 calories and 24 g of protein (USDA estimate).

The difference is in one detail: the order. Liquid and powder first, fruit last, and the collagen disappears into the smoothie instead of clumping. This collagen smoothie takes five minutes, needs one blender and no added sugar, and it has a collagen coffee version further down.

Collagen smoothie and collagen coffee at a glance

Version	What goes in	Where to find it
Strawberry banana collagen smoothie	Strawberries, banana, Greek yogurt, almond milk and 10 g of collagen peptides	The recipe card below
Collagen powder in any smoothie	The same 10 g scoop, added to the liquid before the fruit	The section on adding powder, below
Collagen peptide smoothie	Peptides are what this recipe uses, unflavored	The recipe card below
Collagen coffee	1 cup of brewed coffee, 2 tablespoons of milk and 10 g of collagen peptides	The coffee section, below

What goes into this collagen smoothie

Mise en place first. Measure everything before the blender runs, because a frozen smoothie waits for no one.

• Frozen strawberries. One cup, unsweetened. They make the smoothie cold and thick without ice, and they give it its color.
• Banana. Half of a medium one, ripe. It sweetens the glass, so no honey or syrup is needed.
• Plain Greek yogurt. Half a cup of the nonfat kind. It adds body and most of the protein that does not come from the collagen. With the rest of the tub, our Greek yogurt protein parfait is an easy next breakfast.
• Unsweetened almond milk. Three quarters of a cup. Any milk works, but the numbers below use almond.
• Collagen peptides. 10 g of unflavored bovine peptides, or marine ones if you prefer. Check the label for the source and for allergens.

Nutrition of this collagen peptide smoothie

Per smoothie, with the amounts above: about 248 calories, 24 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrate and 4 g of fat. Of the protein, about 8.6 g comes from the 10 g of collagen peptides and the rest from the yogurt, almond milk and fruit.

These are estimates. USDA FoodData Central has no entry for collagen peptides, so we used its entry for dry gelatin powder, which is also hydrolyzed collagen, at 85.6 g of protein per 100 g. Your product's label is the better number, so use it if it differs.

Collagen powder in smoothie: how to add it

The order matters more than the brand.

1. Liquid first. Pour the almond milk into the jar, then add the powder. It dissolves into the liquid before the blades start.
2. Yogurt, then fruit. Soft before hard, frozen last, so the frozen pieces sit on top and pull everything down.
3. Low, then high. Ten seconds low to break up the fruit, then forty to sixty seconds high.

The same 10 g scoop works in any smoothie you already make. Unflavored peptides barely change the taste. A flavored powder does, and it changes the numbers too.

What the research says about oral collagen and skin

Collagen smoothies are popular because of skin. So we checked PubMed and read three reviews of clinical trials. Here is what they report, and where they stop.

• A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis in Nutrients (PMID 37432180) pooled 26 randomized controlled trials with 1,721 participants. Compared with placebo, hydrolyzed collagen was followed by higher skin hydration and elasticity. The authors also found several biases in the included trials and wrote that larger trials are needed.
• A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis in the International Journal of Dermatology (PMID 33742704) pooled 19 trials with 1,125 participants, 95% of them women aged 20 to 70. Its pooled analysis favored collagen over placebo for hydration, elasticity and wrinkles, with supplementation lasting about 90 days.
• A 2019 systematic review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (PMID 30681787) covered 11 randomized trials with 805 patients. The trials used 2.5 to 10 g a day for 8 to 24 weeks. The authors called the results preliminary and reported no adverse events, and said more studies are needed.

Here is what these trials cannot tell you. These trials tested collagen supplements taken daily, not a smoothie, and we found no study of a collagen smoothie itself. They measured skin with instruments, and a result across a group is not a result for you. So we make no promise about your skin. In this recipe, the collagen is a protein ingredient: about 8.6 g of protein per scoop, by our USDA estimate.

Collagen coffee: the five-minute version

Collagen coffee is the same idea in a mug. Put 10 g of collagen peptides in the mug first, pour over 1 cup of hot brewed coffee, and stir or froth for about twenty seconds until it dissolves. Add 2 tablespoons of milk.

By our USDA estimate it has about 51 calories and 10 g of protein, and about 95 mg of caffeine from the coffee. MedlinePlus says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is safe for most people, and lists who should check with a health care provider about limiting it: MedlinePlus on caffeine. It is a coffee with extra protein, nothing more. If you like café-style drinks, our matcha latte recipe is a caffeine-lighter option you can make the same way.

Foods in this smoothie, and "collagen boosting foods"

You will see lists of "collagen boosting foods" online. The studies above tested collagen supplements, not foods, and we make no claim that any ingredient in this smoothie raises the collagen in your skin. What the ingredients do give, by USDA data, is plain: a cup of frozen strawberries brings about 3 g of fiber, the yogurt adds protein, and the banana replaces added sugar. If you want a thicker glass without collagen, see our shake with high protein, or try the blueberry and spinach antioxidant smoothie for a different fruit base.

This one barely registered as effort for Alin. Blended exactly as written, it was delicious with a great texture, and Alin would make it again.

For the foods behind the skin claims, our guide to foods for clear skin goes through what studies found.

Curious about fiber from a supplement rather than from fruit? Our blueberry banana smoothie with psyllium husk covers what trials found and how much liquid to take it with.

Tips for collagen recipes that blend smooth

• Let the banana ripen. Spots on the peel mean more sweetness.
• Do not skip the liquid first. It is the one step that prevents clumps.
• Thaw for a minute if your blender struggles. Frozen strawberries straight from the freezer are hard on small motors.
• Weigh the scoop once. Scoops vary, and a kitchen scale tells you what yours holds.
• Drink it fresh. It is thickest in the first few minutes.

Looking for a smoothie built around whey, tofu or kefir instead of collagen? Try our protein smoothies for weight loss.

If you prepare breakfasts ahead, our meal prep ideas for weight loss cover what to cook in bulk.

Safety: who should check first

Check the label of your collagen product for its source (bovine or marine), for allergens and for the amount per scoop. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a health condition, or take medicine, ask your healthcare professional before adding a supplement to your day. The 2019 review above reported no adverse events in the trials it covered, but it also says more research is needed.