7 Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Bone broth is made by boiling the bones of just about any animal in water for an extended period of time, usually between 4 and 40 hours. The most common types of bone broth are made from chicken, beef, pork, lamb and fish bones, cartilage and sometimes the whole carcasses of smaller animals. Vegetables and herbs are often added to the broth and the resulting stock becomes the base of many soups, stews and other dishes.

Bone broth is rich in vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and compounds, including glycine and proline, two unique amino acids that are important to human health.

Here are 7 health benefits of bone broth:

Proline & Glycine

The body is able to produce proline and glycine, but they are best obtained from food to avoid deficiency. Proline and glycine are part of the glue that holds the body together. They play key roles in our connective tissues, the formation of cartilage in the joints and muscle growth and repair. Glycine plays a key role in the development of glucose. Proline is essential to the structure of collagen. Proline and glycine deficiency may contribute to weak bones and joints, increased inflammation and arthritis and other chronic problems related to the body's connective tissues.

Arthritis & Chronic Inflammation

Bone broth is usually made with a significant amount cartilage, which can help treat arthritis, Crohn's disease and other conditions stemming from chronic inflammation. Regular consumption of bone broth may help to prevent these conditions as well.

Wound Healing

The proline and glycine obtained from bone broth play an important role in wound healing. Proline is essential to the development of collagen, which is also obtained from bone broth in the form of gelatin. Collagen is needed when recovering from surgery, tissue damage or broken bones.

Bone Health

Bone broth is chalk full of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. These three elements are critical to bone growth and maintaining good bone density as the body grows older.

Digestion

Bone broth aids the body's digestive process. The compounds found in bone broth help facilitate the gastrointestinal process and help the body absorb protein and other essential minerals. Gelatin obtained from bone broth helps coat and heal the mucus membranes of the intestinal tract and can help protect from irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders.

Detoxifier

Bone broth helps the liver process toxins and could be a good addition to any productive, nutritional cleanse.

Blood Health

Glycine is essential in the body's production of heme, the part of the blood that carries oxygen. Heme plays an important role in the absorption and distribution of iron and other essential minerals in the body.