Bone Broth – yeah you have seen it in the stores recently.
But did you know that for thousands of years, humans have relied on bone broth for its nutritive and restorative properties. When our lifestyles moved us away from utilizing the bones and connective tissue of animals to make soups and fulfill other aspects of our diet, we also lost vital nutrients that can be difficult to get in other foods. Read about the “4 Broth Gains” available from adding bone broth into your diet.
Broth Gain 1: Collagen
Did you know that bone broth contains collagen? You might be familiar with the term by now — collagen supplements are all the rage these days for its beautifying properties.
It also offers up hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and more than a few minerals. These are the building blocks of healthy hair, skin, nails, and joints. Collagen consumption is also said to provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease, help treat heart disease, heal leaky gut syndrome, and ease joint and back pain.
Image credit: Genesis Dermatology
Broth Gain 2: Dental Health
Although there has been a recent revival of this health elixir, few people are aware of the broth’s ability to strengthen teeth and gums. The stellar helpers here are the glycosaminoglycans that the body uses to make collagen.
Since gum tissue and teeth contain collagen, broths provide the building blocks for their repair and maintenance. And the calcium, magnesium, and trace minerals aid in remineralization of the teeth. This is great for prevention and perhaps even resolution of dental caries.
Also, collagen in the bone and connective tissue helps keep teeth set in the jaw. Here, bone broth assists in improving bone density and arresting gum tissue atrophy too.
Image credit: Howard Family Dental
Broth Gain 3: Gut-Brain Connection
Further down our digestive tract, this simmered broth can help repair the endothelial lining of your gut to calm inflammation and aid in the restoration of a healthy balance of bacteria in your GI tract. Amazingly, this rebalancing can calm anxiety, improve thinking and alleviate depression because there really is truth to the idea that the gut is a second brain.
When your GI tract is healthy, it communicates more effectively with the brain, and changes in mental clarity, moods and stress levels are not unusual. Of course, your digestion and bowel function do benefit, but your immune system is also strengthened.
Image Credit: The Indian Superstore
Broth Gain 4: Auto-Immune Conditions
Furthermore, auto-immune diseases link to a damaged gut lining, so anything that helps to restore its integrity again can ease symptoms and even reverse conditions. Challenging ailments like asthma and arthritis can subside with regular consumption of bone broth.
Making soup with the bones and connective tissue of animals releases a store of nutrients and minerals in a form so easy to absorb that it really is a superfood. Choose bones from grass-fed animals, and you’ll get even more hard to get nutrients and minerals.
Image Credit: Chiropractic Beacon
Lots of online recipes exist for ways to make your own bone broth. Here are a few I liked:
Slow Cooker “Better Than Botox” Bone Broth