Bone Broth 101
IS THE HYPE REAL?!
Glorified chicken broth or miracle drink? Bone broth has been flying off the shelves in grocery stores + blowing up the social media scene for a while now — and I’m ready to talk about it!
So what is bone broth? It’s exactly what it sounds like: broth made from simmering animal bones + connective tissues.
Despite its growing popularity, there is very little research on the benefits of drinking or utilizing bone broth in cooking. There have been no direct correlations found between bone broth + better health (1) — but a few nutrients found in bone broth do! Such as protein, collagen, and many minerals. However, the utilization of these nutrients in the body doesn’t happen quite the way media portrays, specifically with collagen. Drinking bone broth for additional collagen content does not create a higher collagen content in specific areas or parts of the body as believed, such as the joints or skin (1,2) since we cannot absorb it whole. But this doesn’t mean that we can’t reap the benefits of the nutrients found in bone broth in other ways — the body has a way of shuttling nutrients to where we need them, such as essential animo acids.
What kind of health benefits can we expect from using bone broth? Based on the nutrients found in bone broth (not the actual bone broth itself) — here are 5 health benefits that make this nutrient packed drink worth the time to make!
4 POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH
1//: High vitamin + mineral content — Boiling + simmering animal bones for a long period of time (or pressure cooking them) draws out the minerals contained in the bones, connective tissues + cartilage. Bones are naturally high in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium + potassium which all aid in bone health + strength (3). Bone marrow additionally contains zinc, iron, omega-3 + omega-6 fatty acids, + selenium (3).
2//: Boosts GI health — Bone broth is rich in gelatin contained in the connective tissue of animals which has been shown to be helpful in promotion gut health + relief from some gastrointestinal concerns such as leaky gut syndrome (4). Gelatin helps repair the lining of the gut which can also promote increased immune function, as the majority of our immune system lies in the GI!
3//: Benefits joint health — Didn’t we just say that collagen intake doesn’t directly impact the collagen in your joints? YES. But what about the gelatin, glycine + proline all promote increased joint health! Your body utilizes these nutrients to build + support connective tissue health including tendons + ligaments (3). Other studies have also shown that glucosamine + chondroitin, also found in bone broth, decreased joint pain (5)! The amino acids glycine + arginine have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects which can also benefit joint health + pain relief (3).
4//: May aid in better sleep + brain function — Maybe the most surprising benefit, bone broth may promote a better night’s sleep! Bone broth contains the amino acid glycine which has been shown to help with sleep quality + clearer, more focused brain function during the following day (6).
IS IT WORTH THE PRICE?
Store bought bone broth can be a little bit pricey depending on the brand + grocery store. But, don’t worry! Bone broth is actually super easy to make at home with leftover bones from holiday meals, rotisserie chickens, broken down beef bones, or fish bones. Whether it’s slow cooked on the stove or pressure cooked in an InstantPot, if you’re willing to invest a little time, making your own broth at home can save you a serious amount of money! PLUS, you can customize your broth to your taste preference, keep it low sodium, make it spicy, or so many other options!
So, what’s the verdict? Is bone broth really the miracle drink we should all be sipping on? Based on current research, there isn’t anything in bone broth that we can’t also receive benefit from other foods, plant + animal. Basically it is up to you! Want to get a little extra protein + mineral bump from sipping a warm, comforting mug of bone broth? Go for it! Would you rather get your collagen + vitamin intake from dark leafy greens? Great! So many foods serve so many purposes + bone broth should be treated the same as any other in a well balanced diet.
Tip for boosting nutrient intake! Add in some veggies + herbs when cooking up your own batch! Studies have also shown that the nutrient content in bone broths are much higher + more varied when vegetables, spices + herbs are added to the broth for cooking!
xx,
mallory
SOURCES:
Time, Science Can’t Explain Why Everyone is Drinking Bone Broth
Harvard Health, What’s the scoop on bone broth?
Healthline, Bone Broth: How to Make It and 6 Reasons Why You Should
Clin Exp Gastroenterol, Gelatin tannate reduces the proinflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide in human intestinal epithelial cells
Japanese Society of Sleep Research, Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes