Health Benefits of Bone Broth
How the Hidden Benefits of Bone Broth Can Dramatically Improve Your Overall Health and Wellness… Starting in as little as 24 hours!
Although bone broth claimed superfood status a few years ago (think Paleo), its health benefits have been well known for centuries. Indeed, the Jewish community is where it all started, via chicken broth, coining the term “Jewish Penicillin”, and now cultures worldwide share in the tradition of making this broth.
Most tout it’s health benefits, including everything from healing your stomach to being low in calories. Here’s what nutrition experts have to say about this tasty brew and tips for making it.
by Greg Montoya
What Exactly is Bone Broth?
It’s a liquid/soup made by simmering bones in water along with apple cider vinegar, for an extended period of time (up to 48 hours). Popular bone sources include chicken, beef, turkey, pork, lamb, wild game, and fish. Chicken feet are the best as they contain a high level of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate.
Vegetables, herbs, and spices are typically stewed along with the bones to add flavor. Once cooked, the broth is strained to remove the added ingredients.
Why Is It So Good for You?
There are so many reasons! Here’s just a few:
- It contains minerals in forms that the body can easily absorb.
- The bones, marrow, and connective tissue include the protein collagen, which evolves into gelatin when cooked.
- The bones themselves produce minerals, including magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and phosphorus.
- The marrow is rich in vitamins A, B2, B12, and E, along with omega-3s, omega-6s, iron, zinc, and selenium.
Main Health Benefits:
1) Helps with Digestion
Although research hasn’t yet confirmed the digestive benefits of this broth in humans, initial research in animals demonstrates that the gelatin in bone broth helps promote a healthy gut. In addition, gelatin has a distinctive profile of amino acids and is notably rich in the amino acid glycine.
2) Improves Joint and Muscle Health
The amino acids in bone broth help the joints and muscles remain strong. The gelatin (collagen) in bone broth also supports joint health because it incorporates into muscle and cartilage better than amino acids.
The result? Together they keep joints healthy. The connective tissue in bone broth provides glucosamine and chondroitin, well-known dietary supplements used to treat joint pain and arthritis.
3) Help Boost Your Protein Intake
You more than likely already know protein is essential for your body. Protein is a building block for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. With bone broth, you can get a solid amount from a small serving,
4) Supports The Immune System
The protein found in bone broth may help strengthen the immune system by promoting the production of antibodies, the immune system’s fighter cells.
5) Helps Your Skin Glow
The collagen (known for its anti-aging properties) in bone broth, among other elements, helps keep you healthy and hydrated. Because collagen is challenging to find in many food options, bone broth is a powerful way to support skin health!
6) Weight Loss
It helps with weight loss, thanks to its high protein levels that help you feel fuller for longer. Just drinking a small cup of bone broth adds more protein to your diet and leaves you feeling satisfied without consuming excessive calories.
The ART of Making Bone Broth!
To make this broth yourself and get optimum benefits, you should use grass-fed bones from your local farmers market if available, or order online via a reputable health food store. You can use the bones and carcasses from chicken, turkey, etc., to get the same benefits. Since larger bones take longer to break down, broths made with beef or lamb require a longer cooking time.
Making the broth yourself can be time-consuming, so if you want a faster alternative, you can opt for a pre-made, organic option (to avoid the possibility of pesticides). There are also protein powder-based products available made with bone broth. Look for versions made with vegetables and herbs, which increase nutritional value. Also, choose a low sodium option.
Incorporating This Superfood Into Your Diet
You can use this broth as a tasty base for stews, soups, and sauces, or sip a cup like you would tea or coffee. You can also use it for cooking grains (instead of water), like brown rice (for added flavor). It can also be used to cut back on oil when sautéing vegetables.
Regularly enjoying a cup of this special broth, especially first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (waiting 30-45 minutes before eating afterwards), as well as adding it to recipes can help promote optimal health – in particular in the gut where a majority of the immune system resides.
Bottom line, this broth has been shown to be extremely healing and highly nutritious and can keep your body working at its best.