An old South American proverb says, “A good broth will resurrect the dead.” Perhaps that is a bit of melodrama, but you can bet your boots that bone broth is one of the healthiest foods you can eat! Below, we’ve made you a list of bone broth health benefits, so read on to find out more…
What is Bone Broth?
Before we get into the health benefits of bone broth, do you even know what it is? Broths and stocks are usually made with bones and a bit of meat, but bone broth is simmered for a LOT longer. While broths simmer for about 45 minutes and stocks for up to 4 hours, a good bone broth will simmer for as long as 24 hours!
Not only does this simmering infuse the broth with all the rich flavor of the meat and bones, but it produces gelatin from the joints (which are rich in collagen). All of the minerals are also released from the bones, enriching the broth and offering a LOT of health benefits, as you will see in the next section…
Health Benefits of Bone Broth
Here are some of the main reasons you should add bone broth to your diet:
It is gut-friendly. Not only does bone broth help to promote healthy digestion, but it will heal and damage and seal off any leaks in your gut (caused by allergic reactions–such as to lactose, gluten, etc.). The gelatin in the bone broth is effective at both attracting and holding liquid, including the gastric acid and other digestive juices in your stomach and intestines. Eating more of this gelatin will do wonders for the health of your digestive tract.
It is great for your hair, nails, and skin. Collagen is the protein that keeps your skin healthy, fresh, and young, and you need a lot more of it to protect your skin from both age-related decay and environmental toxins. The gelatin in the bone broth will aid in your body’s natural production of collage, and it will do wonders for your hair and nails at the same time.
It promotes healthy bones. You’re eating all of the nutrients that come from animal bones, so it should be no surprise that bone broth is great for your bone health. There is A LOT of magnesium, calcium, and other bone-friendly minerals in the broth. Thanks to these minerals, you can keep your bones healthy and strong.
It fights inflammation. Bone broth is rich in amino acids like arginine, proline, and glycine, all of which help to reduce swelling in your body. Studies have discovered that arginine is very effective at stopping body-wide inflammation. As a bonus, glycine can even help you to sleep better at night!
It can help manage joint pain. What causes the pain in your joints? Swelling, of course! Thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties of bone broth, you can reduce the inflammation in your joints and thereby manage the pain. Thanks to the nutrients from the cartilage in the animal bones and joints, you can improve the health of your own joints.
It is an immunity-booster. Your mother always made you chicken soup when you were sick, but did you know that the remedy has been scientifically proven to be effective? A study published in 2000 backed up the theory that chicken soup is great to boost your immunity when sick, and it can help to stop infections in their tracks.
These are just a few of the many health benefits of bone broth, proof that you should make it a point to add it to your weekly meal plan!