Broth is a kind of liquid mostly savory which is made up of water. It consists of bones, meats, fishes or vegetables mixed or simmered. It can be served alone but also can be used to prepare other dishes such as soups, gravies and sauces. In this article, we will see amazing bone broth benefits.
Bone Broth is said to be a way in which our ancestors or our elders make use of each part of animal. The parts such as bones, feet, marrow, skin and many other which cannot be consumed directly can be boiled and then simmered for a long duration.
Bone broth usually tastes great when mixed with the spices. It is nothing but the stew which is collected once all the nutrients from the bones and their marrow get dissolved in water. It is extremely nutritious and healthy for human body.
What is the Origin of Bone Broth?
Bone broth may be all the rage these days, but its origins actually date back as far as 2,500 years ago in Chinese medicine. It was used to support kidney and digestive health, and since then, it has been embraced by various cultures around the world for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Traditional Asian meals often feature bone broth as a staple, and it is commonly used as the base for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese soups. Even ancient Greek physician Hippocrates recommended bone broth for cleansing and digestion issues. The rich history of bone broth is further emphasized by a South American proverb that claims “a good broth can resurrect the dead.”
Nutrients Present In Bone Marrow
Bone marrow contains essential nutrients which include –
- Amino acids
- Collagen
- Gelatin
All these nutrients are beneficial to our body and this makes it a healthy recipe to consume regularly.
Some of the major bone broth benefits are as follows.
Bone Broth Benefits
Here is a wonderful video explaining the benefits of Bone Broth for overall health –
1. Protects Joints
The protein found in animal bones, bone marrow and skin are considered as the best source of natural collagen.
With growing age our bones become weak and less flexible. We tend to develop several bone related problems.
Bone Broth also contains gelatin, which acts as the grease or soft cushion between our bones and helps in proper movement without any friction. It also makes bones strong and healthy.
Therefore, if you are suffering from any bone or joint related issue, switch from your normal food to bone broth for a week and see the difference.
2. Bone Broth Benefits For Guts
Gut lining and food sensitivities can be restored with the help of gelatin which is present in sufficient amount in bone broth.
It is easily digestible which thus helps in smoothing our digestive system. It is easily broken down and liver does not require any additional efforts in breaking this food.
It is very healthy and keeps your gut lining smooth and functioning properly.
3. Maintains Healthy Skin
This is one of the beauty foods for the skin. Bone broth contains collagen which is extremely beneficial for the skin.
Collagen present in the bone broth produces elastin which is responsible for maintaining our skin tone and appearance.
To get a healthy and flawless skin, your diet plays a major role. Keep aside all the beauty products that you try for the skin and consume bone broth frequently. You will definitely see a radical change in your skin tone.
4. Maintains Proper Immune System
The most important bone broth benefit is it strengthens the immune system. These days much is said and talked about immunity and the emphasis is always to make your immune system strong.
Leaky guts happen when undigested particles from food enter the blood stream where our immune system detects it and becomes hyperactive. The immune system then releases the high amount of antibodies to protect our body, however, it acts as the barrier in healthy tissue.
Bone broth contains large traces of elements like glutamine, arginine and cysteine which boosts immunity in human beings and makes them strong. Therefore, consume them frequently and stay healthy.
5. Promotes Anabolism
Anabolism is the opposite of catabolism. It is a process of collating the bio-molecules to build muscles and increase the generation of cells in a natural way. The best way to produce more glutathione is through the bone broth.
The amino acids which is found contain many metabolic nutrients which supports muscles and bones and increase building and repairing muscle tissue.
The bone broth tastes good and it has a quick effect on the body as well. Therefore, if you want to promote anabolism in the body; consume bone broth for a week and see the difference.
6. Relieves Cold And Bronchitis
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you suffer from cold and bronchitis? Yes, you are right!! Hot soups or tea or any hot liquid are something which we like to relish on.
Bone broth is one such dish. We all love to consume chicken soup, which is one type of bone broth, during cold as it is very effective. It reduces cold, inhibits running nose and opens up the respiratory system.
Usually bone broth contains amino acid and traces of other elements which are mostly present in the medicines that you intake for cold and bronchitis. Next time when you are suffering from cold and bronchitis, you know exactly what to have.
7. Bone Broth Benefits Promotes Weight Loss
Bone broth is usually a soup; however, it keeps you full for a long period of time. It inhibits craving and therefore, it starts losing weight.
Most of our eating habits include having a soup just before meal. The concept behind this is that soups usually suppress appetite and your hunger pangs are satisfied. Therefore, you eat less after having soups. This promotes weight loss gradually.
Therefore, include bone broth in your diet to see the difference in your weight. It enriches the body with essential nutrients and helps to lose weight naturally.
8. Hydrates The Body
Just like water, bone broth helps to keep your body hydrated. Bone broth is a combination of vegetables and lean protein which supplies electrolytes to the body.
It adds up all the essential minerals, water, protein and carbohydrates to the body which nourishes your body from inside and keeps it hydrated from inside. Some researchers believe it is an excellent stuff for hydration and works even better than water.
9. Prevents Insomnia
All the people who are suffering from sleeping disorder or insomnia, bone broth is the best for them. It can put you to a good sleep.
Bone broth contains an element known as glycine. Glycine is known to soothe the mind and the body and therefore promotes a good sleep.
Consume bone broth for a week and you will never have any sleeping problem.
10. Healthy Nails
Bone broth helps to have healthy nails and bones. Nails are one of the beauty parts of our body and we all like to have healthy nails.
If you are having nail breaks frequently or it looks dull and have blackish in colour, then bone broth is the perfect remedy for the same. Bone broth has the essential nutrients for the nails. It makes them look healthy and shiny.
11. Helps in Detoxification
Bone broth is mostly a liquid and helps in the detoxification process. It is easy on the liver and helps to flush out toxins from the body.
It is, therefore, a liver friendly food and aids the liver in its normal functioning. It is important to remove the waste and unwanted substances from the body as they enter into the blood stream and results in several health issues.
12. Fights Cancer
People suffering from cancer can consume bone broth religiously. The main reason behind being this food is rich in vitamins and minerals and it also helps to have a stronger immunity.
This helps to fight the cancerous cells and the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Also, it is an ideal way to reduce the chances of cancer.
Please note that bone broth is not a cure for cancer nor it is a medicine. It just reduces the effect of cancer or prevents it as your body is high on immunity.
13. Healthy Pregnancy
Bone broth contains all the essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, proteins and good carbohydrates which are the building block of the bodies and very essential for the baby in the womb.
It helps in building the bone structure and keeps the baby healthy. Also, as it is rich in collagen it is helpful for the mothers and the baby to prevent any joint related issue. It helps to build a soft and smooth skin. Therefore, bone broth is a must for mothers to be.
14. Bone Broth Benefits Reduces Cholesterol
Just that bone broth is made up of chicken, meat, vegetables etc does not mean it adds up cholesterol in the body. On the contrary, it reduces the cholesterol level in the body and is good for people suffering from high cholesterol levels.
It keeps cholesterol under check and helps to maintain heart health. Arginine and glycine are some of the important amino acid which helps to eliminate the bad cholesterol from the body.
15. Supports Adrenal Gland
Do you get fatigue easily? Is it always like you feel tired after doing some household chores? Well then, your adrenal gland needs attention. Adrenal fatigue is the primary reason for fatigue in the human body.
However, bone broth has all the essential vitamins and minerals which can keep you up and running and you do not experience any form of fatigue in the body. Therefore, include this soup in your diet and keep yourself healthy and fit.
How to Store Bone Broth
Below are some ways to store the Bone Broth –
- After simmering your bone broth for 10-12 hours and reducing it, strain it and store it according to your preference. We recommend adding it directly to your favorite soup along with some leftover shredded chicken or beef.
- It’s normal for bone broth to gelatinize when refrigerated due to its collagen content. But don’t worry, when you reheat it, it will liquefy again just like store-bought chicken broth.
- Another option is to store the bone broth in glass jars and freeze it for up to 1-2 months or longer. Remember to leave some extra space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.
Conclusion
We have seen here the immense bone broth benefits and how it is useful for the human body. Some vegetarians may not like this broth; however, you can equally prepare a vegetable stew and consume the same to get the benefits.
Your body and well being depends a lot on what you eat. Therefore, consume bone broth frequently and lead a healthy and happy life.
Hope you have found this bone broth benefits article useful. In the case of any feedback or suggestion, please share the same in the comments section below.