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What is bone broth?

Before pre-packaged broth became the norm, bone broth was the OG soup base. Bone broth is made from chicken or beef bones simmered with water, vegetables, and other seasonings anywhere between 8-48 hours. 

Cooking the bones for an extensive period of time releases beneficial nutrients including collagen, amino acids, gelatin and other important trace minerals that your body can easily absorb and utilize. 

What makes bone broth different from conventional stock that you buy at the store is this long cooking time with real bones. Most broth is made the fast and cheap way with meat-like flavoring to cut down on time and overall production cost. This unfortunately cuts out the nutritional value of traditional bone broth.

Bone broth benefits

Bone broth has many benefits and can affect your health positively in many ways since the body is so interconnected. However, it’s worth noting that bone broth really shines in these particular areas:

     1. Bone broth protects your joints

Collagen is made up of three amino acids - glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline - and is the building block of your connective tissue that includes your cartilage, bones, blood vessels, joints, and tendons. Joint pain can be attributed to a loss in collagen from aging and overuse and is something that needs to constantly be replenished since your body doesn't naturally produce it on its own.

One study found that athletes who included more collagen in their diets significantly reduced joint pain and were able to enhance overall performance and mobility. (1) Instead of adding yet another supplement to your routine, bone broth is a great way to get more collagen into your diet.

     2. Bone broth supports gut health

Studies have shown that gelatin acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory in your gut and can help restore the integrity of the gut lining in cases of leaky gut syndrome. (2) Since it is also rich in nutrients but easy to digest, bone broth helps to support the restoration of a damaged gut by giving your digestion a break from the intensive work of having to break down other food.

     3. Bone broth improves immune health

Because bone broth helps heal and seal a leaky gut, it also helps support immune function. Almost 80% of your immune system is located in your gut, and when your gut lining is compromised, undigested food particles and bacteria enter your bloodstream where they don’t belong causing chronic inflammation and poor immune function.

     4. Bone broth enhances healthy skin

Collagen isn’t just found in your joints, it’s also an important component to healthy, youthful looking skin. As you age, you lose collagen that controls the elasticity of your skin and contributes to the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin. Studies have shown that collagen has been linked to a decrease in wrinkles and cellulite as well as an improvement in hydration - aka that youthful “glow.” (4)

How to use bone broth

Bone broth is most commonly used as a base for soups and stews but you can use it as a healing tool in a few different ways to elevate your healing journey and overall health.

     1. Bone broth cleanse

If you struggle with chronic gut problems, a bone broth cleanse does wonders for healing. Since it is so rich in nutrients, a targeted bone broth cleanse of plain bone broth or bone broth based soups for a few days can help calm gut inflammation, soothe a leaky gut, and speed up healing.

Usually, a bone broth cleanse lasts 24 hours and consists of drinking 4-8 cups of bone broth throughout the day instead of eating your normal food. Luckily, it is safe to drink more than that if you would like to

     2. Sipping broth

Don’t feel like you have to do a bone broth cleanse to reap the benefits of bone broth. Bone broth is great to sip on by itself in the middle of the day to calm an upset stomach or alongside meals to help aid in digestion.

     3. Ingredient substitute

Bone broth can be used as a substitute for water or any other liquid in a variety of recipes for an added boost of flavor and nutrients.

For more ways to incorporate bone broth into your life, check out my article with more delicious recipes.

Bone broth side effects

The amazing thing about bone broth is that there are very minimal, if any, side effects to worry about. However, there are a few things worth considering depending on your individual health case.

     1. Histamine intolerance

Histamines are chemicals in your body produced in response to allergens. This is part of a healthy, balanced immune system. Histamine intolerance happens when there is a deficiency of the enzymes that break down histamine leading to excess histamine and a variety of health problems. 

Many foods naturally contain histamine, or trigger the release of histamine in the body, including bone broth. If you do have histamine intolerance, bone broth can still be beneficial but you do have to pay more attention to how it is cooked and how much you are having. One way to combat this is to cook your broth for less time to avoid the release of more histamines. 

     2. FODMAPS

This acronym stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols - aka, fermentable sugars. Found in certain foods commonly used in bone broth like garlic and onions, they contribute to excessive gas and bloating. If you struggle with these symptoms, have IBS, SIBO, or other gut problems, avoid brands that contain high-FODMAP ingredients and leave them out of your homemade bone broth.

     3. Nightshades

While bone broth is great for your health, it is typically made with certain nightshades like pepper and tomatoes that a lot of people with autoimmune disease can’t tolerate and can contribute to more inflammation. If you have an autoimmune condition, look for brands that leave these ingredients out of their recipes. 

How to make bone broth

Bone broth is surprisingly easy to make - it just takes a little time. While the actual prep time is minimal, it does require a little patience to reach the final product since the cook time is what takes the longest.

This recipe can be used with whatever bones you have on hand - as long as they are organic and grass-fed - as the formula is the same. You can also switch up what seasonings and vegetables you use depending on your preferences.

Simple Homemade Bone Broth

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken, beef, or turkey bones
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (helps to break down and release more nutrients from the bones)
• Sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• 1 small onion, diced

Directions:

1. Place your bones, apple cider vinegar, vegetables, and seasonings in a large soup pot or slow cooker.
2. Fill the slow cooker or pot with water until it covers the bones about an inch from the top and cover with a lid.
3. If cooking over the stove, bring the pot to a boil over medium high-heat, reduce the heat, and let simmer between 24-48 hours. If cooking in a slow cooker, set it to LOW and let cook for 24-48 hours.
4. Once cooked, strain the broth, let it cool, and store in glass containers in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Where to buy bone broth

If you have limited time, you can purchase pre-made bone broth instead of making it at home. Whether it is for a bone broth cleanse, or just to sip on throughout the day, there are a handful of brands that comply with different dietary restrictions and preferences. These are the ones that I recommend to my patients most often.

• FOND Bone Broth

100% organic, FOND Bone Broth is shelf-stables and produced and packaged in glass containers. Their state-of-the-art canning process means healthy bone broth without preservatives. FOND even offer low-fodmap options that are both nutrient-dense and delicious.

• Bare Bones Broth

What makes Bare Bones unique is that in addition to their classic beef, chicken, and turkey bone broths, they also have a line of instant bone broth. These individual sachets make taking bone broth with you on-the-go easier than ever and are perfect for flying where the amount of liquid you can pack is limited.

• Osso Good Broth

Osso Good leaves nightshades out of their line of AIP-compliant chicken and bone broths. If you struggle with autoimmunity this allows you to truly reap the health benefits of bone broth without having to make it yourself.

Whether you decide to go on a bone broth cleanse, or include it in more of your meals, there is no denying just how beneficial it is for your health. So instead of turning to another supplement, try incorporating more bone broth into your life and see what it can do for you.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

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