Written by Alison Bell

There is a reason why so many people are swapping out their morning cup of coffee for a mug of rich brown liquid that makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside. It's the new magic elixir with so many healing and nutritional properties, everyone should be drinking it on a daily basis. Bone Broth.

So why is this beverage so "hot" right now?

The slow simmering of bones causes healing compounds like collagen, glycine, glutamine and proline to be released.  Bone broth contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and sulphur in forms that easily absorbed by the body making it a brilliant anti-inflammatory. It also helps your relax, improves sleep and reduces day time sleepiness. It may well be the best way to start your day AND the way to unwind after a long day.

Here are the main reasons to make bone broth part of your daily diet.

1. Bone Broth heals your gut

Whether you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, auto immune diseases, leaky gut, constipation, diarrhoea, food sensitivities, FODMAP intolerance, acid reflux or plain nausea, this drink is the one to make you feel better.
Our intestine lining is permeable, allowing nutrients to flow from our digestive tract into the bloodstream. Leaky gut occurs when our gut lining has become too permeable and starts allowing nasty substances through the gut lining into our blood stream.  Think of your gut lining like a kitchen sieve. If the holes are too big, food will flow through with the liquid when we only want the water to go through.  At this point, gelatin becomes your friend to repair and patch these holes in the gut lining and prevent unwanted substances from infiltrating the blood stream.

Gelatin is simply broken down collagen which is one of the best protein foods in existence, and the trusty bone broth elixir is jam packed with gelatin. 

For those suffering with acid reflux, this can often be caused by too little stomach acid.  Glycine stimulates the production of stomach acid, which of course, bone broth will provide.  Adding to its metabolic virtues, glycine is also an important component of bile acid, which is necessary for fat digestion in the small intestine, and also helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels.  

2. Bone Broth can fix up a cold in no time.

This is where chicken bone broth becomes your best friend. Chicken broth isn't just good for the soul. There is a reason you were always given a warming chicken soup as a kid when you felt under the weather. Chicken bone broth is full of amino acids which has been proven to reduce inflammation in the respiratory system as well as improve digestion.  Chicken bone broth is the bomb when it comes to boosting your immune system and healing asthma and allergies.

I can personally attest to the immune boosting benefits of bone broth.  When coming down with a cold I revert to drinking chicken broth a minimum of 3 times a day and can literally feel the healing energy sourcing through my body fighting off any nasty bacteria. Doing this has prevented many colds from wiping me out.  It is truly powerful stuff and completely natural.

3. Bone Broth helps joint pain

Beef bone broth i​s​ irreplaceable for anyone suffering joint pain. As mentioned earlier, collagen is the main protein found in bones, tendons and ligaments, and it is broken down in the slow cooking process to make gelatin. Gelatin contains proline and glycine which perform a variety of crucial functions. They give the the body raw materials to rebuild connective tissue, tendons and ligaments.

People suffering with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis are in fact feeling the damage to these connective tissues.  A cup of broth will help repair the damaged tissue due to the high gelatin content. This will also be very beneficial to any athletes doing high impact sports such as running and basketball.

4. Bone Broth is great for a detox

Everyone wants to detox these days. Glycine can help you do this by using your body's own natural detox centre - the liver. Our liver was never designed to tolerate the number of chemicals we are exposed to in today's life. Glycine gives the liver a helping hand in removing toxins from the body. So next time you have a hang over, reach for the bone broth to help recover!

5. Bone Broth is great for your vanity!

You don't need collagen injections! Drink a cup of bone broth, which is loaded with collagen, and you have an easier way prevent your skin from sagging and wrinkling! It can even reduce the appearance of cellulite! 

The gelatin in bone broth will help improve the appearance of your skin and hair, making skin smoother and healthier, hair shinier and nails stronger.

Why did we dehydrate it?

One of the difficulties in bone broth is it's short lifespan and the issue of re-heating the fluid. Microwaving bone broth denalures the proteins, specifically from L-proline to D-proline, which unfortunately makes it toxic.  If you are concerned about microwaves, reheat your broth in a pot on the stove or buy some dehydrated broth in powder form that can be rehydrated by simply adding water, allowing consumption of broth whenever you feel the need.

Dehydrated broth in a jar also makes it possible to access broth whilst travelling when a kitchen is not always available. The powder can be stirred into any liquid you like, take it straight in water or hide it in soups and smoothies. 

Dehydrated bone broth also makes it easy to hide broth for children (or adults) that refuse to drink it. The powder can be sprinkled on foods in the same way you would a seasoning such as salt. Several children even like to eat it straight off the spoon.

Consuming broth as a seasoning or hidden in cold smoothie is of course beneficial for those of us living in warmer climates.  The minute the mercury hits 30 degrees, most of us don't want to consume a hot beverage, but placing a teaspoon on a salad is simple and just as effective as in the liquid form.

What do you think?

So have I opened your eyes into the many ways bone broth can help you? What has been your favourite benefit from consuming bone broth? I'd love to hear how you use it and what ailments you are trying to rectify or prevent?

FURTHER READING:

Which Broth is Right for Me?

BUY DEHYDRATED BONE BROTH