Health Benefits of Bone Broth

A cup of bone broth a day keeps the doctor away….. that’s not really how the saying goes but honestly it should!

If you know me at all you know that I’m a researcher. I like to make sure what I recommend and put my name behind is both reputable and supported by facts. When it comes to biotin and protein, I have preached the benefits for hair growth and health to my clients for 16 years, however there just wasn’t a collagen supplement I could get behind. The topic of collagen supplements are so controversial right now, I just think there’s more research and studying to be done before we can truly deem it “effective” as far as helping hair growth. I’ve always been a big advocate for consuming foods that contain protein for optimal protein intake versus taking a supplement, so when I began my research for a collagen rich food, bone broth was the best recommendation. There are options available at the grocery store if you don’t want to DIY, however I wanted to get the best results possible so I gathered all the ingredients needed and made it myself at home. It was so easy, and did you know it can last up to two to three months in the freezer?! That’s so much more cost effective than buying one jar at the store and getting minimal usage versus making your own and saving it (for my family size anyway). My whole family is on this bone broth journey with me, so it just made more sense for us to make a big batch.

Here’s the link for how we made ours! (Bone Broth Recipe)

Bone marrow is really the driving force behind the nutrient density of bone broth. It not only contains rich amounts of collagen but also glycine (an anti-inflammatory and relaxing agent), conjugated linoleic acid (helps skin to retain moisture), and glucosamine (fights against joint arthritis and joint pain). Because bone broth contains the benefits that are found in bone marrow, it makes it a great option for helping your body with functions like; fighting osteoarthritis (bone arthritis), reducing joint pain as mentioned before, protecting overall joint health, helping in production of healthy hair, skin and nails, aiding in digestive functions and reducing inflammation in the gut, aiding in sleep and sleep quality, and in some cases may help people lose weight (because it’s rich in protein, drinking bone broth can make people feel more full for longer periods which reduces a persons eating). If bone broth reduces inflammation in the gut and helps promote gut health, then it also helps support your immune system because 70% of our immune system is located in the gut! I mean…..Do I need to keep going further?!

There’s a reason the practice of making and consuming bone broth has literally been around for hundreds and thousands of years. Interestingly enough, cancer patients are often encouraged by their doctors to drink bone broth when going through Chemo treatments in order to replace key nutrients their bodies are lacking and to help keep their strength while going through treatment. Vomiting and diarrhea are often accompanied with chemo treatments so bone broth also ensures the patient stays hydrated and those nutrients that are lost are replaced. If bone broth is a great option for when a person is most-sick in their life, think of level of benefit the majority of people can experience when they consume it while not being sick?

While bone broth may not be “magic” or a “cure-all” there’s no denying it contains really beneficial nutrients and minerals that our bodies need and that we probably aren’t getting in our daily American diets. I hope you will consider trying this out, it truly could be a game changer for you. I’m excited to keep traveling on this bone broth journey and seeing where it leads me and the health of my family.

To give credit where credit is due, the facts stated above are cited from articles and journals. Check out the list of references below and use the web links if you’d like to read the full articles yourself!

-Nourish by WebMD. [retrieved on 8/5/2022]. Health Benefits of Bone Marrow. Nourish by WebMD. Website. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bone-marrow#1

-Cohen, Sandy. [March 19, 2021]. If You Want to Boost Immunity, Look To The Gut. UCLA Health. Website. https://connect.uclahealth.org/2021/03/19/want-to-boost-immunity-look-to-the-gut/#:~:text=70%25%20of%20the%20immune%20system,diet%20affects%20the%20immune%20system.

-Johnson, Season. [9-12-2014]. Bone Broth as an Alternative Therapy for Cancer. Season Johnson. Website. https://www.seasonjohnson.com/bone-broth-alternative-therapy-cancer/

-McDonnell, Kayla. [11-30-2020]. Bone Broth: How to Make It and 6 Reasons Why You Should. Healthline. Website. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bone-broth#:~:text=The%20amino%20acid%20glycine%2C%20found,have%20difficulty%20sleeping%20(%2032).

-Gunnars, Kris. [10-10-2018]. CLA (Conjugates Linoleic Acid): A Detailed Review. Healthline. Website. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/conjugated-linoleic-acid

-USDA. [7-17-2019]. Chicken Broth Shelf Life. Ask USDA. Website. https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-keep-chicken-broth-in-the-refrigerator

-Johnson, John. [1-12-2020]. What Are The Benefits of Bone Broth? Medical News Today. Website. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323903

-Philpotts, Rachel. [Reviewed 11-26-2021]. Top 5 Health Benefits of Bone Broth. BBC Good Food. Website. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-of-bone-broth