We鈥檙e not talking about . We鈥檙e talking about the structural protein that provides support to tendons, ligaments, and fascia鈥攁nd , such as ACL tears or Achilles ruptures.

Here鈥檚 the claim: As聽an athlete, you ask a lot of your soft tissue, like your joints and IT band. You . Think of collagen molecules in these places like a rope that鈥檚 constantly stretched to its max and then snapped back into place. Over time, that rope might fray鈥攚hich you鈥檒l feel as something like an overuse strain or tendinitis鈥攐r break down completely, which you experience as a more traumatic injury like a tear. To heal quicker, all you have to do is increase your intake of collagen to restore and replace the broken strands. Easy, right?

Lots of smart businesspeople thought so, and they鈥檝e created an entire industry of products promising to restore soft-tissue health and prevent injuries. You鈥檒l find , , , , and that claim to help rebuild and restore your soft tissue.

But while collagen does indeed play a pivotal role in keeping you healthy, it loses nearly all its efficacy when you get it from a package. That鈥檚 because it has a serious transportation problem. 鈥淭he central issue of collagen and other supplementation is that your body has no way to 鈥榮end鈥� digested collagen (broken down into amino acids) to specific locations in the body that would allow them to then help rebuild what鈥檚 degenerated,鈥� says Michael Joseph, assistant professor in the at the University of Connecticut.

In March, Jeffrey Weiss, professor and director of the , along with grad student Jared Zitnay, looked at the . It鈥檚 not as easy as capping off your collagen fuel tank. The structure of collagen specifically found in tendons and ligaments鈥攅ssentially three threads of molecules woven into strands that link together as sturdy chains鈥攊s complicated, as is the way your body digests it. Injuries aren鈥檛 just straight tears through these chains; rather, they鈥檙e caused by a gradual breakdown of the individual molecules that make the chain weaker or less capable of surviving repeated pressure. You can鈥檛 fully heal without collagen molecules in that same complex form.

When you chew, drink, or swallow collagen, it immediately hits your digestive tract. You digest it the same way you do any other natural protein: into individual amino acids. Your聽body can't bring those aminos聽directly to the site of the injury in order to create or rebuild tendons and ligaments. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no evidence that I鈥檝e seen that what you鈥檙e ingesting can actually be used by your body鈥t goes through your body and comes out as waste,鈥� Zitnay says.

The bottom line: There will probably never be an oral way to bolster your collagen levels. Instead, Zitnay and Weiss鈥� latest research hopes to target and activate the cells that produce collagen鈥攁 more natural, proven way to increase the number of healthy molecules in the body. That鈥檚 a long way from being consumer-ready. In the meantime, the remedy for collagen-related injuries is simple and familiar: Live a healthy lifestyle with exercise, strength training, and a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. And if you do get a tendon and ligament injury, .

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Jerky is high in protein, , and nearly nil on carbs. But these days, choosing a jerky means so much more than just picking your favorite brand or flavor. Now聽you鈥檙e faced with an ever-growing bevy of protein sources being dried, spiced, and packaged for the trail.

With each different protein source comes a different nutritional profile. And the best jerky for you isn鈥檛 necessarily the one with the highest protein count; it鈥檚 the one you like the most that aligns with your environmental values and complements the rest of your diet. 鈥淲hat matters for health-conscious eaters is that it鈥檚 uncured and comes from an animal that was allowed to graze freely and not given hormones or antibiotics,鈥� says , sports nutritionist and author of .

The big knock on jerky has always been its unhealthy dousing聽of salt and sugar, added to preserve the meat and boost flavor. This isn鈥檛 always bad: if you鈥檙e hiking on a hot day, the sodium will replace what you鈥檙e losing while sweating, and the sugar is good for a quick-burn energy boost. But the same things that make jerky a great trekking snack make it a lesser choice for running errands, says , a Burlington, Vermont鈥揵ased dietitian.

The bottom line: choose wisely. To help you find the best fit for you, we鈥檝e evaluated supermarket jerkies based on health profile and environmental impact, as assessed by the Environmental Working Group鈥檚 . Let鈥檚 get snacking.

Fish Jerky

: 52 percent fat, 48 percent protein
: 40 percent fat, 60 percent protein

When it comes to environmental impact, fish jerkies are one of, if not the best, sources of animal proteins because they leave a much smaller footprint. When it comes to athletic performance, the selling point on fish over beef jerky is that it contains , which help with cell function. 鈥淚n endurance athletes and exercisers, omega-3 deficiency harms performance in a variety of ways, including increased post-exercise tissue inflammation,鈥� says Fitzgerald.

Beef

: 60 percent fat, 40 percent protein
: 43 percent fat, 57 percent protein

The most iconic jerky falls short from an environmental standpoint鈥攃ows are a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions鈥攂ut it is high in protein and iron, which helps in the production of blood and is necessary for lung and muscle functions. Beef and bison also contain vitamin B12, a key weapon in keeping anemia at bay.

Poultry

: 50 percent fat, 50 percent protein
: 50 percent fat, 50 percent protein

Poultry has a lower environmental impact than beef and packs about the same amount of protein. Turkey and chicken varieties make for good jerky precisely because they鈥檙e a little bland, allowing them to pick up all the added flavors. Just be sure to stick with spice blends that don鈥檛 load up on sweet additives鈥攕kew toward smoky options that may also offer inflammatory benefits (look for turmeric, cayenne, or chipotle). It鈥檒l pick up the flavor more readily than any other option on this list.

Pork

42 percent fat, 58 percent protein

In addition to protein, contains a lot of potassium. But the meat typically leaves a .

Vegan Jerky

: 15 percent carbs, 4 percent fat, 81 percent protein
: 15 percent carbs, 31 percent fat, 54 percent protein

In a world where alternative meat products are becoming common, vegan jerky has developed a loyal following. Unlike animal-sourced jerkies, which are almost exclusively protein and fat, vegan alternatives contain a more balanced mix of macronutrients that blend protein with some carbs. They鈥檙e the most environmentally friendly and humane of the options here. Plus, some contain other healthy ingredients as fillers, like mushrooms or barley.

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We all know that聽eating too much sugar can lead to serious and often grave long-term health effects. 聽But, you might wonder, is there a healthy way I can incorporate it into my diet? We asked three experts for their advice on how to put the sweet stuff to good use.

Look at the Entire Nutritional Profile of Your Meal

The Expert: Nancy Clark, Boston聽sports nutritionist and author of

This means you can loosen up with so-called hidden sources of sugar and聽pay closer attention to the foods you鈥檙e eating alongside them. Take salad dressing, for example. 鈥淩ather than focusing on the sugar in the dressing, I would look at the nutrients in the vegetables and the leafy greens,鈥� Clark says. In other words, nixing sugar without giving thought to what goes with it can cause you to miss out on important nutrients. Another example: orange juice. Once considered a breakfast essential, it was quickly phased out when sugar became a topic of concern, says Clark. is 66 calories and contains 11 grams of sugar, but it聽also contains your entire daily allowance of vitamin C. Few people consciously seek out vitamin C elsewhere, which can lead to deficiency, Clark cautions.

Focus on Real Foods

The Expert: Adena Neglia, former competitive figure skater who specializes in sports nutrition at

鈥淚f you eat mostly whole foods, limit processed ones and sugary drinks, and try to balance your meals with complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats, then it鈥檚 unlikely you will have to worry about your sugar intake,鈥� Neglia says. Rather than falling for 鈥渄iet鈥� foods that just masquerade as healthy, opt for the real stuff. Pick full-fat yogurts topped with real berries and rolled oats rather than fruit-on-the-bottom alternatives, and beware of 鈥渉ealthier sugars鈥� like agave, beet sugar, tapioca syrup, or even honey and maple syrup. There鈥檚 , she says. But聽many processed foods are loaded with these so-called 鈥渘atural鈥� alternatives to make them聽taste better and to appear to consumers as a healthier choice. 聽

Deploy It at the Right Time

The Expert: Allen Tran, dietician for

For top athletic performance, sugar is a must. But, cautions Tran, 鈥渄ose matters, and each sport differs in its demands on the body.鈥� Endurance athletes may need more carbs than power athletes, who specialize in all-out sprints. And you can game your sugar intake so it releases quickly or slowly, depending on when you need it.

Here鈥檚 what Allen recommends for optimal performance.

More than 45 minutes before a race:聽Have a nut-butter and jelly sandwich, a power bar, or a fruit yogurt.

Immediately before:聽Throw back a shot block, gel, or gulp of sports drink, or have a small piece of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, apple, or banana.

Midrace: Stick with things聽that digest聽quickly, like shot blocks and sports drinks. (Gummy bears are also popular.)

Post-race: For recovery, aim for a combo of carbs and protein, such as chocolate milk, a peanut butter sandwich, a hard-boiled egg with crackers, string cheese and pretzels, or a fruit and protein-powder smoothie.

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