We've been hearing and seeing bone broth everywhere recently. It seems like there's a new company serving up bone broth every few months. Even our some of our friends started talking about how they added bone broth to their diets and about how it's great for this health benefit or that. Bone broth has been around for centuries and it doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon.
OK, bone broth. You've finally got our attention. So what are you really all about? Are you a secret elixir to everlasting youth or just another food fad the marketing team conjured up to spike their sales charts?
Search "bone broth health benefits" and you'll get a ton of results pop up. Here are the health benefits that they tend to agree on:
- Contains key nutrients - This all depends on the types of bones you use for your broth but most agree that you can get a large variety of essential vitamins and minerals from bone broth, such as vitamin A, vitamin K, Omega 3's and 6's, iodine for thyroid and metabolism, zinc, and manganese to name a few.
- May prevent joint pain or inflammation - Bone broth can be a source of gelatin and glucosamine that help support bone and joint health. It can also contain amino acids like glycine and arginine, which have shown anti-inflammatory benefits.
- May help the digestive system - Glutamine, an amino acid found in bone broths, has been linked to relieving some symptoms of a "leaky gut." Some studies show that glutamine might be able to help protect and heal the lining of digestive tracts.
- Could help provide better sleep - Another amino acid in bone broth, glycine, has been linked to helping people sleep faster, sleep deeper, and wake less during the night. If you've read some of our earlier articles, you'd know how important it is to get good sleep!
- Better hydration - A small study showed that bone broth can help replace electrolytes after an intense workout and may aid in post-workout recovery.
In actuality, there is no hard scientific evidence that links bone broth to the these amazing benefits. Most of the studies have been connected to the nutrients in bone broth, not bone broth itself. We still don't know the amount of the nutrients per serving, how much you should ingest per day, and whether or not the nutrients in the form of bone broth are the best way for us to absorb them.
As for getting more collagen, some scientist conclude that eating more leafy vegetables is the way to go. They provide better building blocks for your body to produce more collagen and they contain nutrients not found in meat or bone broths. We can't eat collagen to make collagen, we need to eat the right nutrients for our bodies to create more collagen within.
Bone broth does contain key vitamins and minerals though. This is a fact. Many of those nutrients improve our health. However, it's not a magic cure all or a health secret just discovered by modern medicine.
As for us, we view it as a healthy option for non-vegans and non-vegetarians. Bone broth has been around for centuries. It's light and nourishing, and for some reason, it has always popped up as a meal option for people who have a cold or are recovering from a major health issue. It's good for you, no doubt! Just don't go thinking it's the fountain of youth. =)
- https://www.health.com/food/bone-broth-benefits
- https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/cooking-ideas/8-reasons-try-bone-broth
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/1011298-bone-broth-its-good/
- https://www.purefoodcompany.com/is-bone-broth-good-for-you/
- https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7527989/is-bone-broth-good-for-you/
- https://www.today.com/food/i-tried-bone-broth-week-here-s-what-happened-t75226
- https://store.draxe.com/blogs/all/benefits-of-drinking-bone-broth-every-day
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323903
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bone-broth-good-for-you_l_5e0f849be4b0b2520d211700
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bone-broth#tips
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bone-broth#