Upon discovering that she had to eliminate gluten and dairy from her diet, Shari Regan revamped her eating habits. During her quest for nutritious recipes, she stumbled upon bone broth.
Although the idea of bone broth is ancient, tracing back to prehistoric times, it is experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to the paleo diet, which encourages consumption of foods that were available to our early ancestors.
Regan started to incorporate bone broth into her daily routine, enjoying it on its own and enhancing various dishes with it. When her husband considered skipping breakfast, she urged him to have some, and soon enough, he was asking for it, claiming it kept him full until lunchtime.
Initially, they consumed bone broth for its protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, but Regan soon noticed a surprising and positive side effect: her 62-year-old husband, who had spent years working outdoors in Ohio’s extreme weather, appeared rejuvenated.
“His skin had always been very weathered,” she recalls. “But just a few months of drinking bone broth made it smoother and reduced the wrinkles.”
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The Benefits of Bone Broth
While the term “bone broth” might be misleading as it primarily consists of animal bones (which technically classifies it as stock), enthusiasts are clear-cut about the benefits they associate with it: enhanced immune function, improved metabolism, stronger bones, joint protection, reduced inflammation, and better skin tone.
Supporters attribute these advantages to bone broth’s rich collagen content, essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as amino acids such as glycine and proline.
Many point to collagen’s role in promoting smoother skin, as it acts as a “glue” that binds our bones and muscles, safeguards our joints and organs, and supports the gut lining.
Although our body produces collagen naturally, this ability diminishes as we age, beginning in our mid-twenties with a 1% yearly decline, and women typically experience a sharper decline post-menopause.
External factors like smoking and sun exposure also impede collagen production, leading to dry skin, loss of elasticity, and wrinkles.
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How to Make Bone Broth
To create bone broth, combine animal bones, cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue in water, cooking them for several hours—sometimes up to 48 hours. This prolonged simmering extracts essential nutrients, further enhanced by adding a bit of acid, like apple cider vinegar, to draw out more nutrients that are more abundant in bones than in boneless meat.
5 Tips for Making Your Own Bone Broth
- Select bones from animals raised organically to avoid pesticide or antibiotic residues.
- Collect bones and scraps and store them in the freezer until ready to cook; thaw at room temperature for about an hour beforehand.
- Consider using a reusable muslin brew bag to simmer bones and scraps, eliminating the need for straining.
- Prepare bone broth in a heavy stockpot, slow cooker, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot.
- Refrain from adding salt during the simmering process; season separately when using the broth in recipes or serving as a drink.
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Options for Vegans
Since bone broth inherently requires animal bones, there is no true meatless version. However, plant-based alternatives can still offer significant nutritional value, even if they don’t qualify as bone broth.
The synthesis of collagen in the body relies on amino acids sourced from protein-rich foods, combined with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, zinc, and copper. To effectively promote collagen production, it’s crucial to consume a variety of these essential nutrients.
| Nutrients | Food Sources |
| Vitamin C | Citrus fruits, kiwis, red, yellow, and green peppers |
| Zinc | Pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, kidney beans, wheat germ |
| Copper | Sesame seeds, potatoes, shiitake mushrooms |
| Calcium | Tofu, kale, spinach, tahini |
| Magnesium | Pumpkin seeds, almonds, edamame, legumes |
| Glycine | Seaweed (spirulina), spinach, cauliflower |
To boost flavor, some recipes recommend roasting the bones beforehand and adding pepper, onion, garlic, and spices to the broth as it simmers. After cooking, strain out the solids, and you can either sip the broth directly or incorporate it into other meals.
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Are the Claims Valid?
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding bone broth, not everyone believes in its purported benefits; there is a lack of scientific validation supporting the idea that dietary collagen is effectively absorbed by the body and reaches the skin and joints as claimed.
It is important to note that conducting comprehensive research on this topic is challenging due to the significant variability between individual batches of bone broth, influenced by factors such as the combination of animal parts used, types of acid and spices, and even the quality of the water used during simmering.
Nonetheless, bone broth aficionados like Donna Branch from Chicago remain loyal to it. Even if the effects aren’t precisely as advertised, she finds comfort in the warm, rich liquid on chilly days, which helps curb her appetite and boosts her mood when she glances in the mirror.
“I’ve received compliments lately about how radiant my skin looks,” she shares. “I genuinely believe it’s the bone broth, and I plan to continue drinking it every day.”
