Pot Roast Isn't Just Delicious, It Also Offers This Beneficial Nutrient

Pot roast is a tasty, comforting dinner that's ideal when cooking for a crowd and can easily be made in a slow cooker or Dutch oven. It also offers plenty of amino acids thanks to being high in collagen, a nutrient that has some major health benefits, including improving joint health and skin elasticity.

Because our bodies can't actually absorb whole collagen, we have to consume foods that support collagen production — meaning foods high in amino acids — to receive collagen's health benefits. Beef naturally is a great source of amino acids, but lean toward cuts with high amounts of connective tissue. Those are usually tougher cuts, including chuck roast, which is commonly used for pot roast (for the best pot roast, know what to look for in a chuck roast). As these tough cuts cook low and slow, the connective tissue breaks down and the collagen denatures, ultimately tenderizing the meat and letting our bodies take in those amino acids.

So, when eating pot roast for dinner, consuming a tough cut's collagen doesn't directly increase the collagen within our bodies. Instead, the collagen levels in red meat are a sign of high amino acid levels, and it's the amino acids we consume that let our bodies produce the collagen we need.

Collagen has a role in many bodily functions, making it necessary for several aspects of our health. The joints are one of collagen's biggest beneficiaries because collagen forms within the joints. Consuming adequate amounts of amino acids helps overall joint function. Collagen helps new skin cells grow and helps replace dead skin cells, too. This is why you might see people consuming collagen peptides (a smaller, broken-down form of whole animal collagen that our bodies can absorb) to reduce wrinkles or keep skin structured and strong.

Collagen also aids in blood clotting, a necessary function for anything from getting a papercut to undergoing surgery. The bottom line: To keep our bodies functioning properly, we need essential amino acids. Chuck roast (and other tough cuts used for pot roast) is a great source thanks to its intense layers of amino acid-filled connective tissue.