If you have a mason jar and a few delicious Keto Zone® ingredients, you’ve got everything you need to make a delicious chocolate collagen shake. As the weather heats up, this decadent treat will keep you cool.

What’s more, our Keto Zone® Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake is incredibly nourishing. Unlike most store-bought or restaurant shakes, it’s loaded with ingredients that actually promote health and wellness rather than junk ingredients that drag you down.

Here’s how to easily make Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake with Keto Zone powders!

Keto Zone® Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream (low-carb, such as Organic Valley) OR full fat organic canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoon Keto Zone® Dutch Chocolate MCT Oil Powder
• 1 scoop Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder (unflavored)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• non-dairy low-carb milk (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a wide mouth, pint-sized (16 oz.) mason jar.
2. Tighten the lid and shake vigorously for 5-7 minutes.
3. You’ll know you’re done shaking when liquid doubles in volume, filling the jar.
4. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours (and up to 24 hours).
5. Scoop out and enjoy. Add non-dairy milk to thin and re-shake if needed. Serves 3-4.

Why Make Keto Zone® Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake Instead of Buying a Shake

In case you didn’t notice, this is no ordinary chocolate shake. The average store-bought or restaurant shake has 250 calories and over 20 grams sugar per 1/2 cup (2 grams fiber, 21 grams sugar)! Ingredients can include:

cream, liquid sugar (sugar, water), skim milk, water, cocoa (processed with alkali), wheat flour, sugar, soybean oil, brown sugar, egg yolks, chocolate liquor, cocoa, honey, guar gum, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, natural flavors, soy lecithin, carrageenan

The ingredients that stand out are 3 types of sugar, and soybean oil.

How Conventional Shake Ingredients Harm Health

First, sugar. Not only can overeating sugar cause elevated blood glucose, insulin resistance, weight gain, inflammation, and high triglycerides, it’s now linked to elevated health risk for women (1).

In fact, sugars in liquid form are the quickest sugars through the digestive tract and have the most potential for destruction.

Next, soybean oil is one of the most detrimental ingredients found in our commercial food supply. It can cause declines in:

• Metabolic Health: Lab studies show soybean oil is one of the most detrimental foods to metabolic health (2).
• Cardiovascular Health: Soybean oil has been shown to cause harmful abnormalities in cholesterol and triglycerides (3).
• Overall Health and Inflammation: Many studies have concluded that concentrated sources of omega-6 fats increase inflammation in the body (4).

How Keto Zone® Chocolate Collagen Shake Promotes Wellbeing

Opposed to eating harmful, sugary ingredients, our Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake contains real foods to improve your health. These ingredients include:

• cacao
• collagen
• mct oil powder
• cinnamon

In fact, the healthy fats and amino acids are nutrition superstars!

Keto Zone® Shake Healthy Fats and Collagen

The post Mason Jar Chocolate Collagen Shake appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

It’s easy. It’s incredibly healthy. And, it’s practically free since you’ll have likely already paid for a turkey anyway.

Here’s how to make turkey bone broth, concentrate the nutrients, and store it for the months to come.

Keto Zone® Nourishing Turkey Bone Broth

Ingredients

• leftover bones from your roasted turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ cup raw apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• salt

Equipment

• Stock Pot, Electric Pressure Cooker, or Slow Cooker
• Fine-mesh Strainer

Instructions

On the stove:

1. 1. Place the turkey bones, onion, garlic, and apple cider vinegar into a large stockpot. Cover the ingredients with water by two inches, and then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, immediately turn down the heat to medium-low, and keep at a low simmer for 4-6 hours.
2. Add the parsley and thyme, and allow to continue to simmer for ~30 minutes.
3. Strain the broth, serve, or transfer to a jar for storage.

In an Electric Pressure Cooker (such as an InstantPot) : 

1. Follow instructions above, but fill water to the max line. Seal. Pressure cook on high for 2 hours. Allow pressure to release naturally.
2. Add the parsley and thyme. Pressure cook on high again for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to release.
3. Strain the broth, serve, or transfer to a jar for storage.

In a slow cooker:

1. Follow instructions above, but slow cook on low for 6 hours. 
2. Add the parsley and thyme. Then, continue to slow cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
3. Strain the broth, serve, or transfer to a jar for storage.

To store the broth, first, adjust seasoning with salt as you like it. Serve the strained broth immediately, concentrate the nutrients (see below), or store it in a mason jar for up to 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer (make sure to allow 2 inches of headspace in the jar if freezing).

Concentrating the Nutrients:

After straining broth, add Keto Zone® Collagen Powder and stir well until dissolved. For added immune support nutrients, also add one serving of Dr. Colbert’s Immune Support daily.

Turkey Bone Broth & Collagen Benefits

There are many health benefits to drinking bone broth and taking collagen. In fact, you can get double the nourishment by making the broth and adding collagen. These include:

1. Healthy Digestion

Bone broth, the gelatin in it, and collagen (hydrolyzed from gelatin) have been shown to restore strength and promote health in the gut lining. This means your digestive tract can absorb better, deal with food intolerances, and work to more effectively digest food. What’s more, it can make a difference in your small intestine’s healthy bacteria colonies since they depend on a healthy gut lining.

A recent report from The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that gelatin promotes intestinal health, integrity, and reduced inflammation (1).

In addition, studies have found that collagen supports digestive balance and strong digestive tissue (2).

2. Healthy Immune System Function

When digestion malfunctions, inflammation is increased throughout the body. When inflammation is increased, the entire body can suffer as immune responses attack healthy cells and the body deals with chronic inflammatory reactions.

On the other hand, your digestive tract and immune function are supported by bone broth and collagen. In fact, lab studies have found that bone broths support both healthy inflammatory responses and normal immune system function (3).

3. Joint Protection

Bone broth, gelatin, and collagen also support joint health. As we age, cartilage wears down and degenerates. The gelatin from bone broth can actually act like a soft cushion between bones that helps them “glide” without friction. What’s more, its amino acids become building blocks needed to form and maintain strong bones.

One study from the Department of Nutrition and Sports Nutrition for Athletics at Penn State University reported a decrease in joint discomfort and improved athletic performance when athletes supplemented collagen for 24 weeks (4). Moreover, another review of over 60 studies found that  hydrolyzed collagen stimulates collagen-dependent tissue regeneration by increasing not only collagen synthesis but other minor components’ synthesis as well. With long-term consumption, collagen can promote pain-free joints, improved bone density, and healthy skin (5).

3. Maintains Healthy Skin

Collagen helps form elastin and other compounds within healthy skin. The major structural constituents of the matrix outside cells in the skin are collagen, elastic fibers, and hyaluronic acid (6,7,8). Collagen likely makes up >70% of the dry weight of the human skin dermis (9,10). Amazingly, ingesting collagen and bone broth supports these structures and can increase skin’s hydration, elasticity, and health.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies investigating the age-defending properties of collagen have found that ingesting 2.5–5 grams of collagen hydrolysate daily for eight weeks supports and improves skin elasticity, skin moisture, transepidermal water loss (dryness) and skin roughness (11, 12).

Collagen is great for skin!

5. Boosts Glutathione

Glutathione is an amazingly potent antioxidant made by the body. However, the human body requires certain substrates and nutrients to produce it. Many believe that modern diets do not contain enough of these substrates.

Thankfully, bone broth and collagen contain potassium, glycine, and cysteine. These nutrients support cellular health glutathione production. One review published in the Scientific World Journal (13) found that glutathione helps with elimination of fat-soluble compounds and the detoxification of health metals like mercury and lead. It also helps with the absorption of various nutrients, the use of antioxidants and with liver-cleansing functions.

6. Supports Brain Health and Reduced Headache Severity

Millions of Americans suffer from acute or chronic headaches each day. Collagen may just help with this issue as well.

One animal study found that bone broth and collagen suppressed headache pain and sensation, and thus may provide neuroprotective activity for reducing migraine risk (14).

Bottom Line

There are many great reasons to make bone broth with collagen! For a triple immune punch, make this nourishing turkey bone broth, add Keto Zone® Collagen Powder and take Dr. Colbert’s Immune Support this Thanksgiving and throughout the cold months to come!

The post Don’t Waste It! Make Nourishing Turkey Bone Broth this Thanksgiving appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

However, there’s no need to be alarmed! Here we’ll go through everything you need to know on why you need sleep, what is keto insomnia, and how to beat it to go on living healthily on keto.

Why You Need Sleep

You’ve probably been told your whole life to stick to 7-9 hours of sleep. But according to the CDC, only one in three people get the recommended amount. (1) In this day and age, stress and busy lives easily get in the way of rest, but our bodies have a hard time responding positively to the aftermath.

Lack of sleep slows weight loss progress, amplifies the likelihood of storing fat, raises cortisol (stress hormone) levels, increases appetite, boosts sugar cravings, and lowers motivation. (2,3,4,5,6) On top of that, it escalates your risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. (7,8)

Skimping out on one or two nights of rest a month probably won’t put you in these risk categories. But they’re worth noting if you have a hard time sleeping more than 3-4 times a week.

What Causes Keto Zone Insomnia?

In a nutshell, insomnia is when you have trouble falling and staying asleep, and it isn’t just caused by the keto diet. Those who consume excess caffeine or struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, certain medications, hormonal problems, and sleep apnea can have insomnia as a result.

However, keto insomnia is a different story. Instead, it’s usually caused by these factors:

• Keto Flu
• Extra Energy
• Electrolyte Imbalance
• Excess Urination
• Food Cravings

Keto insomnia is perfectly normal to experience during the first few weeks of ketosis as your body adjusts to burning fat for fuel. And it doesn’t last forever! Check out How to Know You’re In Ketosis: 5 Signs to Look Out For.

6 Tips to Beat Keto Zone Insomnia

Now that you know what’s behind keto insomnia, let’s talk about how to beat it.

1. Don’t Eat Right Before Bed

Try to eat 4 hours before bedtime, so you don’t feel starving when you hit the sheets, but you feel comfortable enough to sleep. Falling asleep on a full stomach interferes with your snooze because it can give you an energy jump and require your digestion to get moving.

2. Focus on Electrolytes

At the beginning of keto, your electrolyte balance might be out of whack since you’re excreting more water. Unfortunately, this imbalance can cause sleep issues. To stabilize them, take Keto Zone Instant Ketones, use Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken + Marin Collagen with Probiotics, and sip on bone broth during the day. (9, 10, 11)

3. Drink Less Water Before Bed

When you excrete more water, you also have to urinate more often, which means frequent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. These trips can mess with your sleeping pattern if you have to get up too many times. To help, slow down on your water intake before bed.

4. Balance Out Your Body Temperature

Keep your bedroom cool, but not so cold that your hands and feet can’t warm up along with the rest of your body. If your extremities are warmer than the rest of you, your body naturally relaxes and falls asleep much easier.

5. Banish Blue Light

To regulate sleep, our bodies use the circadian rhythm, which is based on the light of the sun– darkness instigates sleep by raising melatonin levels, whereas light does the opposite. When you stare at the blue light on electronic screens, you can confuse the melatonin receptors into thinking it’s daytime, which messes with your sleep cycle.

Although you can remove the blue light factor from screens, it’s probably best to avoid them altogether to refrain from getting sucked into a social media wormhole. You can also dim the lights as a way to signal your brain that it’s bedtime.

6. Exercise Earlier in the Day

Exercise does wonders for increasing your energy levels, but it also means it’s not a great idea to do it right before bed. You might find yourself too wound up and awake after a 7 pm or later workout.

Instead, stick to a morning or afternoon exercise routine and try to implement them 2-3 times a week to see positive sleeping results.

Bottom Line

Keto insomnia can put your sleep out of sorts. But after using the above tips, purchasing your Keto Zone supplements, and sticking it out for a week or two, many keto-dieters actually claim they sleep better than before they started the diet! (12)

The post How to Beat Insomnia: Sleeping Well on Keto Zone appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

But not to worry! You can make Thanksgiving entirely keto-friendly, starting with the low-carb stuffing recipe down below. And if you’re stressing out about staying on track for the rest of the holiday season, you’re covered there too! All of the tips you need are below the recipe to help you get through Thanksgiving and beyond.

Keto Zone Thanksgiving Stuffing

This keto recipe easily replaces traditional stuffing by removing high-carb grains and adding in low-carb vegetables. It’s easy, nutritious, and won’t ruin your ketosis progress. Win!

Ingredients

8 tablespoons grass-fed butter

1/4 cup organic minced onion

1 organic celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 organic clove garlic, minced

1 large head organic cauliflower (roughly chopped)

1 cup organic chopped mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup organic bone broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh organic parsley

2 tablespoons fresh chopped organic rosemary

1 tablespoon fresh chopped organic sage

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large skillet.
2. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft.
4. Stir in bone broth, parsley, rosemary, sage, and pecans.
5. Cover with lid and let cook another 5-7 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and bone broth is completely absorbed.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 8

Per Serving:

Calories: 297

Fat: 31 g

Total Carbohydrates: 6.1 g

Fiber: 3.8 g

Net Carbs: 2.3 g

Protein: 4.1 g

Recipe adapted from betterthanbreadketo.com

How to Stay in Ketosis During the Holidays

‘Tis the season for sugary, processed eats that don’t agree with the Keto Zone diet. Some may think it’s impossible to get through the holiday season without slipping up on festive foods. But this isn’t the case, especially when you implement the following tips.

1. Focus on Sleep

Lack of sleep can put hunger and appetite hormones like leptin and ghrelin out of whack, which means it’s extra important to get your 7-9 hours every night during the holidays. (1) You already have enough temptations as it is, and a bad night’s sleep will only boost the cravings.

2. Use Keto-Friendly Holiday Recipes

It might seem like nothing can compare to the standard carb-loaded Thanksgiving foods like mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. But recipes like Keto Zone Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and Keto Zone Pumpkin Pie tell a different story.

Instead of eating foods that can knock you out of ketosis, make keto-friendly substitute recipes that will keep you enjoying both the holiday favorites and fat-burning benefits.

3. Fuel Before You Go

Holiday parties are often the culprit of keto slip-ups. To avoid a social binge, eat a high-protein, high-fat meal along with lots of water before you head out the door. This way, you’re too full-on healthy, keto-friendly foods to even consider those holiday cookies.

As an easy before-party fix, drink a Keto Zone Shake!

4. Eat When You’re Hungry

During the holidays, eating unhealthy foods becomes a social ritual. All of a sudden you find yourself grabbing a slice of cake because everyone else is– not because you’re hungry.

Combat this by becoming more in tune with your appetite cues and only eating when you’re hungry.

5. Move

The holidays are crazy busy, and as a result, exercise is often thrown out the window. However, it’s actually one of the most important times of the year to keep up with physical activity as we tend to eat more food in general.

You can make time to move by going for a relaxing walk after a meal or by making an effort to play with the little ones in your family. Any movement counts!

6. Keep Up with Keto Zone Supplements

The festive season means your routine will be out of balance, which is okay! It doesn’t mean to throw all of your healthy habits to the curb.

Stick to the basics, like using Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder in your coffee and including supplements like Keto Zone Instant Ketones and Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken + Marine Collagen with Probiotics in your diet. Not only are they gentle reminders to stick to your keto plan, but they’ll also aid in continuing fat loss throughout the holidays.

Instead of leaving the season feeling down about gaining weight, leave it feeling ecstatic because you shed pounds!

Bottom Line

The challenge of eating healthy throughout this upcoming season hopefully seems a little less worrisome.

Have you added Keto Zone supplements to your holiday cart yet? Now’s the time you’ve been waiting for!

The post Keto Zone Thanksgiving Stuffing & 6 Tips to Stay in Ketosis During the Holidays appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

How to Start the Keto Zone Diet

1. Know the Basics

What is the Keto Zone? The Keto Zone is when your body enters into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of using glucose. It naturally allows for weight loss, balanced blood sugar, decreased inflammation, better energy, and more focus. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

To enter this state, you must be eating fat as your primary source of food with fewer carbs and adequate amounts of protein.

The breakdown looks like this:

• 70% of calories are fat
• 10-15% of calories are protein
• 10-15% of calories are carbohydrates

When you know the basics, you have a better understanding of how to go about the diet.

Dr. Colbert’s New York Times Best Selling Books The Keto Zone Diet and Quick and Healthy Keto Zone Cookbook are the perfect places to start learning about the keto diet!

2. Learn to Count Macros

What are macros? Macro is another term for macronutrient, which refers to the protein, fat, and carbohydrates found in food. (6)

To get into the Keto Zone, you must be eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. Counting your macros helps ensure you’re reaching and not going above that number. Get used to paying attention to nutrition labels, as often you’ll be surprised at how many carbohydrates are in everyday foods.

Once you get familiar with how many carbs are in what foods and make a habit of counting, it will come naturally and without much thought.

3. Become Familiar with Keto Foods

Even though you’re reducing your carb intake, you still have plenty of delicious food options to play around with. Take this Hearty Healthy Oatmeal Cookie recipe for instance! Here are some of your choices to familiarize yourself with.

• Meats: Chicken, turkey, beef, salmon
• Vegetables: Spinach, garlic, onions, squash
• Fruits: Avocados, blueberries, strawberries
• Nuts: Almonds, pecans, walnuts
• Dairy: Organic cheese, heavy cream, grass-fed butter
• Fats/Oils: Organic peanut butter, MCT Oil Powder, olive oil
• Coffee/Tea

Try to avoid high-carb foods such as legumes, grains, added sugars and sweeteners, and root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets. It’s easier than you think! A high-fat diet makes you feel full for longer, curbing your normal high-carb cravings. (7, 8)

Overall, a better understanding of what you can and can’t eat helps to make the keto diet less overwhelming.

4. Prepare for Side Effects

You may have heard of the keto flu, which is an array of flu-like symptoms caused by the keto diet. Your body goes through a “withdrawal” from carbs, as it adjusts its metabolism and enters ketosis. (9)

Headaches, fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, and irritability are all normal during the first few days of the Keto Zone. They go away with time and can easily be treated with more water intake, sleep, light exercise, and eating more fat. (10, 11, 12, 13)

For more info on how to deal with the keto flu, check out 5 Easy Remedies for Keto Side Effects.

Keep in mind that while you begin Keto Zone, you may experience these side effects, but remember that they don’t last forever.

5. Purchase Your Supplements

The last step is to purchase the supplements you need to aid your keto diet journey.

Keto Zone Instant Ketones make it easy to enter ketosis, and MCT Oil Powder provides clean energy that aids the fat-burning process. The Keto Zone Shakes bring a quality keto-friendly meal replacement, and Hydrolyzed Collagen provides essential protein, probiotics, and collagen.

You can also use the Keto Zone Fat-Zyme to help with keto digestion. All of these Keto Zone formulas are a great combination of supplements to produce the best possible results for you and your needs.

Bottom Line

Beginning the Keto Zone diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Keto comes to knowing the basics, learning about macros, becoming familiar with keto-friendly foods, preparing for side effects, and grabbing your supplements.

Are you ready? It’s time to get started. Shop Keto Zone here.

The post How to Start the Keto Zone Diet in 5 Simple Steps appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

If you’re used to drinking sugary sodas and lattes every day, water can seem especially boring. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious keto-friendly options to choose from. Here’s what you can and cannot drink on the Keto Zone diet.

What You CAN Drink on Keto Zone

Coffee

Coffee (hot or iced), espresso, and americanos are great keto choices. Coffee has been proven to aid the ketosis process, as it boosts fat loss, appetite suppression, and metabolic rate. (1, 2, 3) To learn more benefits of coffee, check out 13 Jaw-Dropping Benefits of Coffee.

If you don’t like your coffee black, add a splash of unsweetened heavy cream and some keto sweetener like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol. Not ready to give up your lattes yet? Make it with unsweetened nut milk without flavoring.

MCT Oil Powder is always our go-to coffee creamer and is perfect for an extra boost of healthy fats in the morning!

Tea

Tea has been around for centuries for good reason. Green and black tea support the body by offering antioxidants, anti-aging benefits, weight loss improvement, heart disease protection, and a lower risk of cancer, (4, 5, 6 ).

You can also try herbal teas like peppermint, ginger, and Calming Keto Zone Chamomile Tea.

Sparkling Water

Fizz things up! Sparkling drinks such as non-flavored San Pellegrino are a great way to change up your water intake. Popular sparkling beverage, La Croix, even comes in many different delicious flavors like Blackberry Cucumber and Coconut that are low-carb and sugar-free.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is made by boiling down bones from meat like chicken and beef. It can restore gut health, protect joints, offer a healthy dose of collagen, aid weight loss, fight osteoarthritis, and positively impact your immune system. (7, 8, 9, 10) Make some yourself by trying the Keto Zone Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Bone Broth recipe.

Shakes & Smoothies

Even though a lot of fruits aren’t keto-friendly, you can still enjoy a smoothie. (And even a shake!) Here’s what you need:

• Healthy fat source: Coconut oil, MCT Oil Powder, avocado, or nut butter
• Protein: Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken + Marine Collagen with Probiotics
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are all keto-friendly. You can also add in some veggies like spinach or kale for extra nutrients.
• Extras: Keto Zone Instant Ketones or Keto Zone Coffee

When it comes to whipping up a delicious keto shake, use the Keto Zone Cookies & Cream Shake for a high-fat, low-carb meal replacement and read The 5 Must-Have Ingredients in a Health Shake.

What You CAN’T Drink on Keto Zone

Sodas

As tempting as it is to grab that diet or zero soda and call it keto-friendly, they’re often loaded with artificial sweeteners that will do more harm than good.

And as you probably guessed, regular soda is out of the question too. One 12 ounce can of Coca-Cola has 33 grams of sugar and 35.2 grams of carbs– not keto-friendly! (11)

Juice

Those juices marked down as healthy are more than meets the eye. Usually, fruit and even sometimes vegetable juices have an excess amount of added sugar. This goes for orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, and other sugary drinks like lemonade.

Sports Drinks

Beverages like Gatorade, Powerade, and even Vitamin Water are full of unnecessary sugar and carbs. One bottle of Gatorade has almost 40 grams of carbohydrates and 32 grams of sugar! (12)

At the end of the day, it’s best to stay away and make your own electrolyte drink at home using a pinch of salt and a glass of water. Or, you can drink low-carb, unsweetened coconut water instead.

You can also take Instant Ketones since they’re filled with electrolytes and are a perfect source of hydration.

Sugary Coffee

Unfortunately, those pumpkin spice lattes, milky beverages, and Frappuccinos don’t make the cut. Their sugary, high-carb substances outweigh the benefits of the coffee, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite coffee treat. Try making a Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mocha.

Bottom Line

Water isn’t your only option. You have plenty of yummy, keto-friendly drinks to choose from to avoid getting bored or discouraged in the Keto Zone. Try out one of the recipes above and head over to our Keto Zone shopping page to purchase all of the products you need!

The post Keto Drinks: What You Can & Can’t Drink on Keto Zone appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Fortunately, we’ve pulled together a Keto Zone Guide to Collagen.

There are three well-known types of collagen crucial for your health, and each type has different functions.

If you’re interested in taking collagen, you need to know the functions of each type and how it’ll benefit you.

Keto Zone Guide to Collagen

What is Collagen Powder?

Collagen powder is a supplemental powder derived from bones, hooves, skin, ligaments, and tendons of animals. Appetizing, huh?

While it may not be the most appealing of supplements, collagen contains powerful and effective nutrients that are valuable to the human body. In fact, many important amino acids found in collagen are absent in modern diets.

Basically, there are 3 ways you can get collagen on a daily basis:

1. By drinking bone broth.
2. If you eat small tiny bones in seafood (some bones are usually eaten when you eat salmon, for example).
3. You can use a gelatin, collagen powder or supplements.

For most people, supplemental powder is the easiest way to routinely add collagen to your diet.

Ease of Collagen Powder

While both bone broth and tiny bones are great for health, they aren’t always easy to come by (or cost-effective) in a daily diet.

Collagen powder, on the other hand, is easy to use. You can add powder to coffee, tea, smoothies, soups and more. Unlike gelatin, powder dissolves easily and doesn’t “gel” or harden liquids.

You only need a small amount, about 2 tablespoons per day, to get the benefits boosted in research, as long as you are taking the right type of collagen.

How to Make Sure You’re Taking the Right Type of Collagen

Again, there are over 30 types of collagen, but here’s a breakdown of the 3 most important ones. The majority of collagen powders are made from cow, chicken, fish, pig or egg sources. For example, our Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder is a combination of chicken and fish.

Use our Keto Zone Guide to Collagen, to find out which type matches your health goals.

Type I Collagen

Type I Collagen makes up 90% of our hair, skin, and nails. If you’re looking to improve your appearance, Type I is the right type for you.

In fact, Type I Collagen can help ward off the hallmarks of skin aging, like the stretching out or thinning of the skin.

How you may ask? There are a few distinct ways:

1. Improved Elasticity of Skin and Tissue

A 2014 study of 46 women, ages 35-55, showed that 8 weeks of collagen powder supplementation improved skin elasticity within just 4 weeks (1).

When skin’s elasticity is improved it can stretch and rebound better, without sagging, to create a youthful appearance.

2. Reduced Wrinkles

Another 2014 study concluded that collagen supplementation reduced wrinkles after just 8 weeks of use (2).

Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology concluded that collagen supplementation not only improved skin moisture, but also produced younger-looking, less-fragmented skin (3).

3. Improved Skin and Tissue Structure

In a 2017 lab study, researchers found that 6 months of oral consumption of collagen increased the collagen content in the skin to improve the skin structure.

This study enhanced the density of different types of collagen (Type I and Type III) and resulted in improved color and luster of skin and fur. While the study was on mice, it showed a strong promise for human skin and hair as well (4).

How do you get Type I Collagen? It’s most abundant in bovine and marine collagen. However, there’s a relatively high incidence of allergy to bovine collagen among humans, in addition to some concerns of disease in cows transferred to humans. The best source of Type I Collagen is from fish. Check your collagen sources before consuming and make sure they include fish (5).

Type II Collagen

Type II Collagen is the most important form when you’re feeling sick and under-the-weather. This is one reason why good chicken soup or broth always makes people feel better when they’re sick.

In fact, Type II Collagen is known for its immune-boosting and joint-supporting properties.

How?

Type II Collagen improves your digestion and is a major part of our gut lining. Type II acts as a barrier between the substances we consume and our bloodstream, ultimately helping both digestion and immune function.

In addition, Type II Collagen is a major building block of cartilage, which is why it’s so crucial for joint health.

So if you’re looking to improve your immune function and joints, search for Type II Collagen.

Where does Type II come from? Chicken bone broth and bovine (or cow) sources. 

Type III Collagen

Type III Collagen specifically promotes cardiovascular health and aids in the formation of arterial walls.

It’s often found alongside Type I Collagen in human and animal bodies.

Which means your gaining both cardiovascular and skin health improvements.

How is it made? Type III collagen supplements are often made from bovine (cow) and other animal sources. 

Other Types of Collagen

While 80-90% of human collagen is Types I, II, and III, there are other less-known types as well. Two other important types are V and X, which are important for cell membranes, placenta health during pregnancy, bone formation, and more. When you consume chicken or bovine sources for collagen, you are usually getting an additional small amount of V and X types.

Your Best Collagen Powder

Fortunately, the Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen and Marine Powder is a great source of these collagens, especially Types I, II, and III.

The benefits are unlimited, supporting your joints, skin, ligaments, heart, and digestive health. It’s easy to add your collagen to water, coffee, smoothies, and cooking. Collagen also adds a great source of essential amino acids to your everyday diet.

Bottom Line

If you’re not adding collagen powder to your diet, you’re likely not getting these great health-benefiting aminos on a regular basis. Thankfully, adding a daily scoop of hydrolyzed collagen powder to your morning coffee or your cooking, makes your life easier. And since Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder contains both chicken and marine collagens, you can get the 3 most important types in each scoop. Utilize our guide to collagen to help choose the best option for you.

The post Keto Zone Guide to Collagen appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Then this easy and delicious Keto Zone Chocolate Avocado Smoothie is for you!

With a base of organic coconut milk and avocado, this tasty smoothie starts off with a hefty serving of healthy fat and fiber.

The addition of Dutch Chocolate MCT Oil Powder and Chocolate Hydrolyzed Collagen adds more good fats and a dose of bioavailable protein with a smooth chocolate flavor.

This recipe is great in the morning to start your day or after exercise to help your body refuel and recover.

Try the Keto Zone Chocolate Avocado Smoothie out today!

Ingredients

1/2 cup organic coconut milk
1 scoop Dutch Chocolate MCT Oil Powder
2 scoops of Chocolate Hydrolyzed Collagen
1/2 a frozen avocado
1 cup filtered water
1/2 cup ice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except for Hydrolyzed Collagen in a high powered blender.
2. Blend on high until all ingredients are well combined.
3. Add in the Chocolate Hydrolyzed Collagen.
4. Blend on low for a few seconds.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Yields: 1 serving

Serving Size: 1 smoothie

Per Serving:

Calories: 555 kcalories

Protein: 25 grams

Carbs: 11 grams

Fiber: 9 grams

Net Carbs: 2 grams

Fat: 45 grams

The post Keto Zone Chocolate Avocado Smoothie appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

This tasty pumpkin bread recipe is bursting with fall flavor and ketogenic nutrition.

Made with low-carb coconut flour and keto-friendly sweetener, our pumpkin bread won’t spike your blood sugar so you can keep losing weight and feeling great in the Keto Zone.

Eat your protein pumpkin bread as a ketogenic snack, a low-carb dessert, or a quick protein breakfast.

And whenever you eat, remember that it will definitely taste great with a pat of grass-fed butter!

So without further ado, here is our Keto Zone Protein Pumpkin Bread recipe:

Keto Zone Protein Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

5 organic/pasture-raised eggs
1 cup organic pumpkin, pureed
1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons erythritol (or other keto sweetener)
1/3 cup organic coconut flour
1/2 cup Hydrolyzed Collagen +Probiotics
1 scoop MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice)
1 tablespoon organic pumpkin pie spice mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until well combined.
3. Add in coconut oil and pureed pumpkin.
4. Mix until well combined.
5. In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing as you go.
7. Once batter is well combined, pour the batter into a greased aluminum or glass bread pan.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Once cooked, remove from oven.
10. Turn bread pan on its side and allow it to cool.
11. Once cooled, carefully remove bread from pan.
12. Slice into 9 servings, cool and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 9

Per Serving:

Calories: 134 kilocalories

Total carbohydrates: 6 grams

Fiber: 4 grams

Net carbs: 2 grams

Fat: 10 grams

Protein: 13 grams

How did your pumpkin bread turn out? Let us know in the comments below!

Recipe adapted from primaledgehealth.com

The post Keto Protein Pumpkin Bread appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.