These days everyone seems to be jumping on the bone broth bandwagon!
Fans of bone broth claim it to be a nutrient gold mine and with an abundance of minerals, collagen, gelatin, and amino acids such as glutamine and glycine… it may very well be.
Bone broth is simply animal bones that are simmered, often with vegetables, for many hours to allow the nutrients from the bones to infuse into the water to become a nutrient dense broth.
Top 7 Benefits Of Bone Broth
Supports Immunity
Amino acids present in bone broth, like arginine, glutamine, and cysteine, have been shown to boost immunity. Studies have shown that bone broth can help to improve upper respiratory tract infections by mitigating inflammation, clearing mucus, and opening respiratory pathways.
Reduces Inflammation
Studies show that many of the amino acids in bone broth, such as cystine, histidine, and glycine, reduce inflammation. Additionally, L-glutamine specifically reduces gut inflammation.
Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails
Collagen and chondroitin sulfate in bone broth supports skin, nail, and hair health. Collagen is a compound that our body’s create to keep our skin healthy and young looking, to make our nails strong but flexible, and to build lustrous hair. By consuming animal-based collagen, it ensures your body is provided all the building-blocks necessary for collagen production in hair, skin and nails.
Strong Bones and Joints
The rich mineral and glucosamine content in bone broth has been shown to strengthen bones and teeth, and support connective tissue, joint and bone health.
Hydration
Bone broth adds electrolytes (minerals) and to the diet. Studies have shown that drinking broth can rehydrate better than water alone due to the electrolytes. This may be especially useful if you’re recovering from an illness.
Build & Maintain Muscle Mass
The amino acids in bone broth can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, otherwise described as building muscle. Muscle protein synthesis is essential for the ongoing growth, repair, and maintenance of skeletal muscle groups. The maintenance of muscle mass is a major factor in overall health following an injury and as we age.
Gut Health
Perhaps bone broth’s biggest claim to fame in today’s diet is the role it plays in supporting gut health. Bone broth is easily digested and soothing to the digestive system and therefore is a staple of many therapeutic, gut-healing diets.
In a healthy gut, the intestinal lining consists of tight junctions (a special pathway where two intestinal cells meet) which control what passes through into the bloodstream. For an individual with “leaky gut”, these junctions don’t work properly resulting in undigested particles of food “leaking” through the intestinal lining and entering the bloodstream. The body then recognizes these undigested food particles in the blood as foreign substances resulting in an autoimmune-like response, as the body attacks healthy tissue. Studies have shown bone broth to be beneficial in restoring the gut lining and supporting intestinal health.
How To Consume Bone Broth
The best and least expensive way to consume bone broth is to make it yourself using bones (ideally from grass fed, organic animals). Check out our Turkey Bone Broth recipe here.
If you cannot, or do not want to, make bone broth, there are now several companies that make it that can be found in natural health food stores. Look for companies that use only organic bones and do not add any MSG, stabilizers, flavours, or preservatives. Often they can be found in the frozen section.
Whether you make it yourself or purchase it, bone broth can be enjoyed in many ways! It can be used as a base for soups or stews, to cook veggies or rice in, or simply in a mug by itself as a warm and soothing drink.
References:
i. Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis In Vitro
iii. Broth is beautiful
