Bone Broth Nutrition Facts
Gwyneth Paltrow, Kobe Bryant, Salma Hayek?
If you catch any of these stars sipping from a mug, there’s a good chance it isn’t coffee or tea.
That’s because these are just a few of the many celebrities who swear by bone broth nutrition facts for health and healing.
I thought to myself: “Hmmm. Interesting.”
You’ve likely heard all about this.
Bone broth is the same as most stocks and clear soups with animal products in them.
But wait, there's more:
The basic concept is that boiling animal bones imparts the liquid with gelatin, collagen, minerals, and more.
So, does drinking a soup made from bones heal your gut, give you smoother skin, and reduce aches and pains?
What’s the big secret I’m talking about?
Today, I’ll divulge all the secrets as we examine what bone broth is, and what it can do for you.
It gets better…
Bone Broth Nutrition Facts Craze
I think you’ll agree with me when I say…
If you take a closer look at the popularity of bone broth, the whole thing screams, “Fad diet!”
After all, we definitely weren’t shouting about beef stock from the rooftops ten years ago.
However, Grandma always swore by a reparitif or consommé when someone was ill.
Currently, many still consider chicken soup a solid cure for what ails you. All of these typically feature a moderately clear broth made with animal parts.
So what’s my point?
These, when homemade, really aren’t different from bone broth at all.
It’s just been re-branded.
Bone broth is a staple for many who follow the Paleo diet.
The term is used to reflect what’s allegedly so great about it - bones.
Every bone contains more than just calcium. There are many important minerals and amino acids associated with the marrow and connective tissues.
Devotees of bone broth want collagen and the gelatin it creates, magnesium, hyaluronic acid, and more.
But that’s not all…
How this affects us can be murky.
Most of what you hear about the benefits of bone broth is anecdotal, or conjecture.
The problem is…
Very few studies have been done on it.
Unfortunately, one of these studies raises concerns about lead in some broths.
So what’s the solution?
We have a pretty good idea of what’s in bones used to make broth. Therefore, we can refer to studies that involve the consumption of those particular elements.
Orally ingesting collagen, for instance, may be really beneficial for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
The list of ailments bone broth is said to cure is so impressive that it’s suspicious.
Let me break this down for you…
So today, we’ll look at the big three: digestion, arthritis, and cellulite.
How is it possible that drinking a thin soup can help with these?
Here’s how…
Bone Broth for Digestion
Would bone broth sound as appealing if we called it “beef tea”?
Probably not...
...though it’s still amusing.
Stay with me now…
Funnily enough, this is essentially what it was called when a chemist began creating this meat extract 170 years ago.
Eventually, the marketing of this beef tea took on the distinct air of snake oil sales.
Doesn't this make you ever wonder… ?
However, Justus von Liebig created it for a particular purpose. It was for “weakness” and digestive disorders.
Any healthy food, even a broth, should indeed make you feel less weak.
cooked chicken bones
That’s what food’s all about - energy.
What we want to know is, does it really do anything for digestion?
You won’t believe how the story ends…
Read on:
Among the many other desirable contents found in bone broth is an amino acid known as glycine.
We have natural glycine in our connective tissues and bones also, which helps with joint health and muscle growth.
Oral ingestion of glycine, however, can have digestive benefits.
Glycine can help you produce more stomach acid, which is key if you suffer from acid reflux.
Now, this is important…
As we now know, reflux isn’t too much acid; it’s not enough.
Glycine is also said to be restorative to damaged intestinal lining - very important for people struggling with IBS.
Glycine and other aminos are the building blocks of collagen and gelatin, which might explain why they’re great for repair.
It’s additionally essential for bile production, which impacts how you digest fat. It can help deliver fats to be used as energy rather than storage.
Overall, glycine is probably bone broth’s biggest asset. It’s foundational to many beneficial substances, even if it doesn’t work alone.
Bone broth is popular among people who suspect they have leaky gut syndrome as well.
I say “suspect” only because it’s very difficult for many to get a diagnosis.
Why?
Many doctors don’t acknowledge it as an actual syndrome.
Along with glycine, glutamine is available in good quantities in bone broth.
Glutamine has a special relationship with gut lining, as it can be easily absorbed.
It’s the preferred source of energy for cells in the gut that need to get to work repairing gaps.
Once the lining of the gut heals and is less permeable, the benefits don’t stop.
In fact, it’s thought that this is where a whole kind of new bone broth nutrition facts begin.
Bone Broth for Arthritis
Here’s the interesting part…
If you’re an arthritis sufferer who’s been reading this carefully, a few words have rung a bell.
Things like glycine and hyaluronic acid are often taken as medication or supplements for the treatment of joint pain.
Far and away, the most common supplement would include glucosamine and chondroitin. These are also present in bone broth, and can help reduce pain from arthritis.
But due to the self-regulated nature of the supplement industry, pills aren’t always effective.
As is common, eating the right foods is then the most reliable way to verify you’re getting the nutrients you desire.
However, some people are confused as to how eating bone broth actually works for arthritis.
Some swear that they can “rebuild” their joints and other components because of what’s in the bones.
Here’s the truth…
The truth is, eating something else’s bones and ligaments does not give you new bones and ligaments.
Rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, hurts because of an autoimmune response.
The immune system is mistakenly attacking the body.
While osteoarthritis is not a disorder of the immune system, it is a condition marked by inflammation.
Any benefits you see will likely come from bone broth’s anti inflammatory properties.
Yet amino acids and their positive effect on the gut have an interesting relationship to the immune system.
You guessed it…
This is the exact “good side effect” people who have repaired their intestinal lining began to notice.
Once the intestinal lining is in good shape, immune responses which cause pain slow down.
That’s because particles from the gut don’t leak out where they have no business, triggering that autoimmune reaction.
This illustrates the long-suspected connection between digestive disorders and joint pain.
Possibly, leaky gut can lead to arthritis, or at least, the gut plays some role in arthritis.
Leaky gut carries many symptoms that people with autoimmune disorders experience also.
Therefore, people who swear by bone broth are taking a targeted, methodical approach.
Here’s what they found out…
Heal the gut, reduce inflammation, and the immune system will calm down.
That’s the kind of pain relief you won’t get from a prescription.
So while broth won’t “regenerate” your joints, it may prevent further damage and encourage healing.
Bone Broth for Cellulite
Many doctors are skeptical about the reported bone broth nutrition facts for a good reason.
It leads people, even some doctors, to imply things that are impossible.
Collagen is a great example.
Collagen is a protein present in our skin and underlying tissues.
It’s what gives skin that full, taut appearance in youth. After age 30, natural collagen production slows down.
This leaves us hunting down ways to fight nature and produce more.
Especially when we first notice we have a little cellulite.
Cellulite involves a dimpled appearance to the skin which results from irregular fat deposits in the connective tissue.
How do we fix this?
An endless number of blogs will tell you to just take some animal or marine collagen.
However, eating collagen does not mean you will have more collagen in the skin.
After all, the body breaks down everything we ingest to the tiniest possible variable.
And if it was eating fat that made our bodies fat (it isn’t), we’d barely care about sugar intake.
If you want to ingest protein aminos, some doctors say, just have milk and eggs.
They’re better sources.
Personally, though, I’m not willing to dismiss the scores of people who say bone broth reduced their cellulite.
By examining what bone broth is most likely to do - reduce inflammation - we may have found an answer.
Cellulite is often the product of inflammation.
Among the many ill effects of inflammation, it causes poor circulation and lymphatic drainage.
This can make skin depressions like cellulite look even worse than they really are.
Once you reduce inflammation, there is a chance the quality of your connective tissues could improve.
This can lessen the appearance of cellulite, although it does not mean you’ll increase production of natural collagen.
The results won’t be universal, as there are a variety of reasons why we have cellulite, but it’s possible.
Make Your Own Bone Broth
Because bone broth is so hot right now, you can pay out the nose for it.
In fact, animal bones have gotten more expensive because everyone wants that broth.
homemade bone broth
Still, even with the rising price of knuckles and necks, it’s best you make it yourself.
As usual, the reason for this is all of the nasty secrets lurking in the food industry.
When you buy a carton of stock, you’re not just getting bones and carrots and a few spices. Companies pour in excess sodium, sugar, MSG, and preservatives.
We know very well these are not inflammation curatives.
Furthermore, good bone broth is a bit thicker, more gelatinous, than watery stocks.
There’s no shortage of bone broth recipes out there now.
If you want to take it to the limit, I recommend purchasing a few books - Shop now at Amazon.com from authorities on the matter.
Until then, here are a few tips to bear in mind for your first batch.
1. You must blanch and roast
Blanching is a step many overlook, but I’m definitely all for it.
In my opinion, it’s vital to “sanitize” the bones by giving them a pre-roast boil. It can make your broth a little thinner, but it can also improve the taste.
Still, nothing improves the taste of bone broth like a long, hot roast in the oven. Crank the heat up to 400 or even 450, and let them go for about an hour.
2. Keep it simple
It’s tempting to throw in all of those veggies scraps.
But don’t do it.
The very reason for roasting those bones was to give it the right flavor. Throwing in carrots, celery, herbs, onions, and anything else hanging around conflates the dish.
Instead, keep it narrow with just two or three additions.
Most people choose garlic and onion, and perhaps some pepper.
Also, many people swear that apple cider vinegar is key to their recipe.
3. Make a day of it
When you move from roasting to simmering, there’s a lot of debate as to what amount of time is just right. If you’re using thin bones, like with poultry, a few hours should do.
However, bone broth aficionados most often make beef, and these heavier bones demand more time.
When using a crockpot, some will let their bones simmer for a few days!
Of course, that requires quite a large crockpot.
On top of the stove, an eight-hour simmer is preferable to many.
Don’t listen to those who say that two hours will suffice.
4. Consider the Source Before Consuming It All
As referenced earlier, bone broth gets pretty thick.
Once you chill it (and you should do so slowly to discourage bacterial growth), it becomes a bit like Jell-O.
There will also be a layer of fat on the top, which may have begun to form during cooking.
All of this is normal, and in fact appropriate.
However, whether or not you skim that fat off, or even blanch the bones, depends on where you got them.
Factory farms and slaughterhouses are not sanitary, and don’t prioritize the health of the animal.
Therefore, if you got your bones from the grocery store, you may want to skim off and discard that fat.
You’ll still get much of the good stuff that’s been extracted from the bones.
Should you desire not to make your own you can purchase Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Bone Broth - Shop now at Amazon.com.
Let's Wrap it Up
Bone broth is the new chicken soup, and that’s not a bad thing.
Both have anti inflammatory effects.
Given that we live in a very inflammatory world currently, we need every tool we can get to reduce it.
Inflammation often occurs due to gaps in the intestinal lining.
Our immune systems aren’t clear about what to attack, and start directing their efforts toward healthy tissue.
The amino acids in the bones can both work to repair the lining, and reduce inflammation.
Since inflammation is the true source of many health problems, bone broth is a potential help in multiple areas.
Okay, that’s enough Bone Broth Nutrition Facts for today.
I know a lot of people have been drinking bone broth for quite some time.
What are your secrets to a great broth?
Have you healed your gut?
Notice less cellulite?
Let us know below! Talk soon.
