Our Wellness Editor Took Plant Based Collagen for a Month and Here's the Scoop...

JESSICA LIS, WELLNESS EDITOR

Jessica Lis is the Wellness Editor for The Wellness Refinery’s online blog. She graduated from Temple University with an English Degree and a concentration in Creative Writing. When she’s not writing for the blog you can find her cozied up next to a book or riding her bike around the city. 

Over the course of a month I’ve been drinking Copina Co.’s Cacao Calm Plant Based Collagen Booster. Not only is it a delicious treat for breakfast, it has multiple health benefits. Collagen protein is incredibly beneficial for your hair, skin, and nails. As we age we lose our ability to produce more collagen thus this boost helps keep our joints healthy, hair healthy, and skin happy. Cacao calm contains ashwagandha which is best known to reduce stress and anxiety.  It also contains Bamboo Extract & Amla which are the key ingredients for healthy hair, skin, nail, and joints. The hyaluronic acid in it hydrates the skin and helps fight wrinkles. Cacao promotes healthy digestion, helps lower blood pressure, reduces inflammation throughout the body, and can reduce risk of diabetes. Cacao Calm Beauty Plant Based Collagen Booster is vegan and cruelty free. I used a different recipe every week to spice it up but Cacao Calm Beauty Plant Based Collagen Booster is also delicious paired with plant-based or dairy milk.

Week 0: I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed at work. Nothing too major but definitely experiencing stress and anxiety from working in an office during a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased symptoms of anxiety disorder considerably among people in the United States. Cacao Calm contains ingredients that help boost your mood and allow your body to de-stress.  

Week 1: Iced Mocha Latte (my own at-home version of The Wellness Refinery’s Super Mocha) 

Monday: Chocolate Smoothie

Tuesday: Wellness Refinery’s Mocha Latte (served warm)

Wednesday: Chocolate Smoothie 

First Impressions: Cacao Calm is DELICIOUS. It’s chocolatey with the perfect touch of cinnamon. It comes with a little scooper so you know exactly how much to put into your coffee, milk, smoothie etc. 

Jess with her Cacao Calm Beauty Plant Based Collagen Booster latte.

Week 2: Monday: Overnight oats for breakfast before work 

Wednesday: Cold latte 

Friday: Overnight oats 

Overall: My nails feel noticeably stronger. My nails have been recovering since DECEMBER when I had acrylic nails. My moods are relatively stable; my highs are not too high, my lows are not too low. 

Week 3: Monday: Chocolate Oat Milk (excellent option if you’re super busy; easy & delicious)

Tuesday: Peanut butter toast with Cocao Calm sprinkled on top

Friday: Cold Latte 

Overall: I’ve been super stressed out and dealing with a lot at work, at home, almost everywhere I go. Usually stress causes me extreme anxiety but I’ve been able to manage it. I feel a lot calmer when I’m put in a stressful situation. Instead of panicking, I take a deep breath and come up with a plan. Ashwagandha, a star ingredient, lowers cortisol levels, the stress hormone in our brains. According to Healthline there was a 60-day study with 64 people who reported chronic stress. Those in the group that took ashwagandha daily reported a 69% reduction in anxiety and insomnia, “compared with 11% in the placebo group”.*

Week 4: 

Sunday: Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Tuesday: Overnight Oats 

Wednesday: Iced Latte 

Friday: Chocolate Milk 

My experience with Cacao Calm was so great that it’s become part of my weekly routine. It’s too easy and too delicious not to drink/eat! Keep in mind it works best when you regularly drink it. For me 3 times a week is enough to see noticeable changes.

Cacao Calm Overnight Oats

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ tsp instant coffee regular or decaf

½ cup choice of milk a little warm

1½ tsp cacao or cocoa powder

1 tbsp maple syrup

Mix all ingredients into container, cover and store in fridge overnight!