The Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Food trends come and go–think acai, or quinoa - but when a food has provable health benefits, it can move from trend to kitchen staple. Bone broth, with its array of medicinal values, transitioned seamlessly from fad to fundamental. Made with only whole foods, its taste is comforting, rich, and filling, and bone broth’s health benefits can be felt quickly. Let’s examine what bone broth can accomplish for your health.

Bone Broth Builds Immunity

Bone broth’s strongest scientifically-proven health asset  is its ability to boost immunity. Chicken soup, often used as a household cure for a cold isn’t just a family tradition—it’s a proven, effective tool. Chicken broth contains an anti-inflammatory agent that reduces respiratory distress, and its carnosine content helps ward off colds and cases of the flu. Using bone broth to make a bone broth soup with immune boosters such as garlic and mushrooms produces an even stronger cold-fighting powerhouse.

Anti-Aging Properties

Collagen is the structural protein in skin and connective tissue. Aging causes the body’s collagen production to decrease. To increase its production, you can eat plant foods that are high in vitamin C, which your body uses to make collagen, or you can consume collagen directly in sources like bone broth, which provides better results. Studies have shown that consumption of collagen leads directly to better skin elasticity and hydration.

Joint Health

Part of bone broth’s rise to fame came from the tale of an NBA doctor who prescribed drinking bone broth regularly to professional basketball players. Players experienced less turnover time from injuries, and this isn’t surprising: bone broth contains gelatin, the form of collagen that cushions your joints. Daily intake of it reduces recovery time for joint injuries to heal, as well as lessens the pain that can occur from overdoing a physical activity. You don’t need to be a pro ball player to experience this benefit; many people notice a reduction of joint-related aches quickly after adding bone broth to their diet.

Gut Health

Another benefit of gelatin is its ability to soothe and heal the intestines. The gelatin in bone broth has been proven to reduce gut inflammation, and it also aids the good bacteria that keep your digestive system working. Additionally, bone broth contains multiple amino acids, including arginine, proline and glutamine, that strengthen the lining of your intestines. Bone broth is rich in the amino acid glycine, which reduces inflammation not only in your gut, but throughout your body.

Metabolism

Bone broth is generally considered a weight loss tool because it is filling without being high in calories. With an average of 10 grams of protein per 50-calorie serving and no fat Bonafide broths are a nutrient-dense choice that can easily be incorporated into a weight management plan. Additionally, bone broth is full of multiple nutrients that aid your metabolism, making it a good choice for weight management beyond its low-calorie content. Amino acid glutamine helps with muscle building, proline assists with metabolism and glycine has been proven to modulate blood sugar, which can reduce sugar cravings.

I’m a fan of bone broth for all of these reasons, having used it successfully for everything from curing Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth to weight loss with my clients. My collection of bone broth recipes is constantly growing because I drink it so often myself, and Bonafide Provisions takes care of all the prep work for me!

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Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist and bestselling author. She has been featured in media such as Forbes, CBS’ “The Doctors” and Huffington Post, and her private clientele includes celebrities such as P!nk. Ariane has written four books, the first of which, The Bone Broth Miracle, reached the ranking of #1 cookbook on Amazon on multiple occasions.