The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth
So, you bought the bone broth your friend has been raving about. Now…. what do you do with it? Drink it straight? No, wait, that can’t be right. Use it in soup? Mix it with your favourite liquor and come up with a fun shot name? The possibilities are endless!
We may know that bone broth has some pretty unbelievable health-enhancing properties, but we don’t necessarily know how to incorporate it into our daily routines. Never fear, that’s where this guide comes in. In this article, we’ve taken a deep dive into the common uses of bone broth and the benefits that it can provide, as well as detailing the frequency and amount you should consume, based on your particular health concerns. Keep reading for some good to the bone insights on the latest addition to your pantry.
Digestion, Leaky Gut and IBD
Bone broth contains glutamine which helps to repair the walls of your intestines and reverse leaky gut. It is also rich in nutrients that help to stimulate stomach acid, resulting in improved digestion. Further, bone broth is rich in healthy fats and protein, both of which support the big intestine to effectively eliminate waste. It has long been recommended by gut health specialists as an effective way to promote gut health.
How often? Consider drinking bone broth daily. When you are suffering from problems with digestion, absorption, inflammation, and irritation, it’s essential to consider what will help you to maintain and balance your gut health over time. Bone broth isn’t best served as a quick fix here (though it may help with a bad flare up) but should be something that you incorporate into your wellness regimen for the long term.
How much? At least one bottle (or around 8 ounces) a day. Possibly more, depending on your current state of gut wellness.
How? Consider spreading consumption out over your day. Start your day right by drinking 8- 12 warm ounces. Consider factoring it into lunch as part of a soup and ending your day with some after dinner. The key is consistency, to allow for the continued maintenance of your gut.
Arthritis/Joint Pain
Do you suffer from arthritis (rheumatoid or osteo), fibromyalgia or another chronic pain condition? Bone broth can also help here. Bone broth is rich in chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. These are two properties that help to ward off joint pain and keep your cartilage healthy and strong.
How often? You should drink a minimum of one bottle daily.
How much? It may be advisable to start with a larger amount (16 - 32 ounces a day) for a short stretch (one-two weeks). Starting big like this can help to significantly challenge and reduce inflammation. From there, you can go down to 8- 12 ounces daily.
How? Plain or in a soup or stew with other ingredients that can help to reduce inflammation.
Metabolism, Detox, Fasting and Weight Loss
Bone broth has become a very interesting and well-reputed option for people seeking to detoxify and lose some weight. It contains glycine which helps the liver to remove toxins from the body. Bone broth is also extremely hearty and nutrient dense, so you will feel quite satisfied after having a bottle (as if you’ve eaten a full meal), while only taking in 50 - 60 calories.
How often? This really depends on what your end goal is. Are you following a bone broth diet plan or simply trying to incorporate it into your regimen when and where you can? Are you using it as a meal replacement or a meal accompaniment? Remember, bone broth can help to regulate other parts of your system that will aid in detoxification and optimal health as well.
How much? Some people drink 40 - 50 ounces of broth a day. Some people drink less. This depends on what kind of plan/cleanse/fast you are on and the degree to which bone broth plays a part.
How? This again depends on how you are incorporating it into your diet. If you are going on a “bone broth fast”, then you would need to heat it in a mug and drink it plain. A lot of people get nervous about doing this, but this has been well reputed as a high protein, nutrient dense and nourishing weight loss/ cleanse option.
Autoimmunity and Increased Immunity
Firstly, bone broth supports a healthy gut. A healthy gut supports a healthy immune system. The gut is known as the body’s “second brain”. When there is an imbalance, studies show that this increases inflammation in the whole body and predisposes the body to autoimmune conditions. Secondly, bone broth is absolutely rich in essential vitamins and minerals that support immune health, like zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, and many other others.
How much? As much as you or your doctor deem fit based on what specific health issues you are tackling.
How often? Daily, or at least 4 times per week. This too can depend on what in particular you are dealing with. Bone broth can help to support both an overactive and underactive immune system, and it’s definitely worth trying different amounts to see what might be best for your particular ailment.
How? If you have a bad cold, consider sipping it in place of a traditional hot drink like tea. If you’re in the middle of an autoimmune flare up, try to incorporate as much as possible (3 bottles would be ideal) and try to incorporate it into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Consider making a stew or soup with other immune boosting superfoods.
Final Thoughts?
Bone broth is an amazing and nutrient dense solution for a lot of life’s problems. The great news? Just because it’s treating you for one thing, doesn’t mean it’s ignoring all the others. That means that even if you are primarily drinking bone broth for its gut healing benefits, you are still gaining all of the additional health perks discussed above, which are all serving to turn your body into a more balanced and thriving ecosystem! Awesome. We hope this guide helped to answer some questions that you have. Now go drink some bone broth, before we beat you to it!
Sources:
https://1md.org/article/bone-broth-helps-arthritis-pain-1md
https://www.medicaldaily.com/4-reasons-you-should-be-drinking-bone-broth-every-day-364000
https://blog.kettleandfire.com/how-to-drink-bone-broth/