Health Benefits of Bone Broth Soup: Nutrition, Joints, Gut, and More
Bone broth has recently exploded in popularity as a health food, and for good reason. Simmering bones in water for an extended time extracts vital nutrients like collagen, gelatin, minerals, and amino acids. This nutrient-dense bone broth can then be consumed as a beverage or as the base for soups and stews.
Research shows this traditional food may offer an array of potential benefits, from supporting joint, gut, and heart health to improving sleep quality and even reducing cellulite. Read on to learn all about the science-backed nutritional profile and health impacts of bone broth.
Nutritional Profile
Bone Broth vs Stock
While the terms bone broth and stock are sometimes used interchangeably, bone broth is simmered longer with animal bones to extract more nutrients. Bone broth is cooked for 24 hours or more, while stock is typically simmered for 3-4 hours. The longer simmering time produces a broth rich in compounds like collagen, which bestows unique health benefits.
Health Impact Overview
Preparing bone broth involves simmering animal bones (often beef or chicken) along with vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery over an extended period (usually 24-48 hours). This prolonged cooking time allows all the valuable nutrients present in the bones to be extracted into the liquid, resulting in a highly nutritious end product.
• Protect joints, bones, and the gut lining
• Support the immune system and heart health
• Improve sleep quality and mood
• Enhance skin elasticity and hydration
• Reduce inflammation and arthritis symptoms
These wide-ranging effects make nutrient-dense bone broth a wise addition to your diet. Keep reading to understand the components responsible for bone broth’s health perks.
Nutritional Value of Bone Broth
Protein Content
The collagen fibers and connective tissues break down during prolonged cooking into gelatin and amino acids that deliver a protein punch. Just one cup provides around 6 grams of protein.
This protein content supports muscle maintenance, wound healing, and metabolic health. The amino acid glycine provided may also optimize sleep.
Electrolyte Provision
Homemade broth delivers electrolyte minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous dissolved from the bones. These minerals help regulate fluid balance and nerve signaling. Athletes use bone broth to replace electrolytes lost in sweat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Other micronutrients released from bones/connective tissue into the broth include immune-boosting manganese, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. Bone broth thereby provides easily absorbable nutrition that is lacking in modern diets.
Supporting Joint Health
Collagen and Gelatin
Collagen makes up 50-60% of bone broth since long cooking breaks down collagen fibers abundant in bones, skin, and ligaments. This releases beneficial collagen peptides and gelatin.
Consuming collagen aids the production of cartilage tissues, cushioning joints. Clinical studies found supplemental collagen improved joint pain and flexibility in athletes.
Amino Acids
Bone broth also delivers amino acids like glycine and proline, which are required to build healthy cartilage and prevent arthritis inflammation. The sulfured amino acids promote joint mobility and may lower joint erosion/degeneration.
Enhancing Gut Health
Digestive Benefits
The gelatin in bone broth naturally attracts and holds liquids, forming a protective barrier to the lining of the digestive tract. This helps heal the “leaky gut,” allowing particles to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation.
Immune Function Support
Bone broth’s collagen can also improve microbial balance in the gut to support immune function. Nutrients like zinc/selenium enhance the immune response to pathogens and help maintain gut barrier integrity.
Skin Elasticity and Wound Healing
Collagen Impact
Collagen makes up 70% of skin structure. Consuming the collagen peptides in bone broth increases the distribution of amino acids to dermal cells. This stimulates collagen production for fewer wrinkles and enhanced elasticity and moisture.
Anti-Ageing Properties
Bone broth’s various amino acids also protect skin cells from UV radiation damage. The polysaccharides in bone broth may accelerate wound closure and stimulate new skin, blood vessels, and hair follicle generation for anti-aging benefits.
Bone Health and Density
Calcium and Magnesium
Bones release calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus into broth simmered for 8+ hours. This provides substantial amounts of minerals essential for bone mineralization, density, and fracture prevention.
Bone Strengthening
Amino acids like glycine positively influence calcium and magnesium absorption, reducing bone breakdown. Regular bone broth intake thus helps strengthen bones weakened by age-related osteoporosis.
Hydration and Electrolytes
Fluid Balance
The sodium in bone broth promotes the retention of fluids, helping maintain hydration. Athletes drink bone broth to replace both fluids and electrolytes lost during intense exercise in the heat.
Recovery Aid
The potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus content also make bone broth an effective post-workout recovery drink. These minerals reduce muscle cramps/spasms and pain by regulating neuromuscular function and fluid balance.
Sleep Improvement Potential
Amino Acids Role
Glycine given in doses of 3 grams promotes deeper, more restorative non-REM sleep while also improving cognitive function and mood. Bone broth provides strong glycine doses that may thus enhance sleep quality.
Sleep Promotion
Tryptophan and other amino acids provided by bone broth also serve as precursors to neurotransmitters/hormones like melatonin that regulate healthy sleep-wake cycles. This also helps improve mood and stress resilience.
Risks and Side Effects
Safe Consumption
Consuming homemade broths from Grass-fed, pasture-raised animals ensures safety by avoiding contaminants like pesticides or antibiotics. Provided bones come from healthy animals, bone broth made properly can be enjoyed regularly without risks.
Potential Allergens
The collagen/gelatin content may cause reactions in those with egg allergies. Also, limit sodium content for those with heart issues. Otherwise, bone broth made from beef, lamb, or poultry bones avoids common allergens, making it useful for various diets like GAPS or paleo.
Making Your Own Bone Broth
Simple Recipes
Making broth at home enables controlling ingredients for a low-cost health food. Simply roast marrow bones before simmering with apple cider vinegar and herbs for 24+ hours in a crockpot. Adding veggies boosts nutrients.
Cooking Tips
Marrow and knuckle bones provide the most collagen. Acid from vinegar helps draw minerals from bones into the broth. Skimming fat provides concentrated nutrition. Raw broth keeps 5 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen.
Final Remarks
That's it! You've gained knowledge on the health benefits of bone broth soup. Science confirms bone broth’s multitude of potential health benefits rooted in the rich nutritional profile. Gelatin, amino acids, over 20 minerals and vitamins work synergistically to support joint health, sleep quality, immunity, skin, bones and digestion. Harnessing this traditional food as part of a balanced diet can thereby promote whole-body wellness.
Key Takeaways
• Bone broth contains healing compounds lacking in modern diets like collagen, amino acids, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals
• Consuming collagen and gelatin promotes joint, skin, gut, and heart health
• Bone broth improves sleep quality, immune function, and digestion while reducing inflammation
• Making homemade broth enables controlling for quality ingredients and dosage of nutrients
• Bone broth can be safely consumed regularly as a mineral-rich alternative to sugary drinks or coffee
Frequently Asked Questions
How healthy is bone broth soup?
Bone broth fills nutrient deficiencies underlying many chronic health conditions, making it an incredibly healthy choice. The research-backed benefits to digestion, inflammation levels, immunity plus skin, heart, joint, and bone health confirm bone broth’s superfood status.
How often should you drink bone broth soup?
Health experts suggest drinking 1 cup daily to gain benefits from nutrients like collagen. Those overcoming leaky gut or joint issues may consume up to 1 quart daily for 2-3 months. For maintenance, 3-5 cups weekly provide steady nourishment without overload.
What happens to your body if you drink bone broth every day?
Drinking bone broth daily floods the body with building blocks supporting whole-body health on a cellular level. Consuming collagen, gelatin, and minerals consistently protects joints, fortifies bones, enhances skin, and regulates immunity and gut function while reducing systemic inflammation for anti-aging effects.
Is bone broth anti-inflammatory?
Yes, bone broth contains compounds proven to reduce inflammation underlying many diseases. Amino acids like arginine and glutamine curb inflammatory cytokine production, while glycine also lowers inflammatory C-reactive protein levels. This makes bone broth a powerful anti-inflammatory tool.
What kind of bone broth is healthiest?
Beef or bison bone broths offer the most collagen-rich option, along with more amino acids than poultry/fish. Beef knuckle, marrow, oxtail or femur bones simmered for 24-48 hours make the most nutritionally dense broth, especially from grass-fed cattle. Adding organic veggies boosts antioxidant content.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the work I do for this blog. Please note that I only link to products and services that I know, like, and trust. I personally use or have researched all of the products and services recommended here. I only recommend products or services that I believe will provide value to my readers. The commissions I earn from affiliate links help to fund this website and allow me to continue to create quality content for you. Thank you for supporting me by clicking through and purchasing the products recommended on this page.
Comments
Post a Comment