Is bone broth healthy?

Author: Dr. Michelle Durkin on 26 October 2021

Have you ever heard the saying “what’s old becomes new again”? Well it is certainly true when we think about bone broth. Do you remember grandma’s bone broth soup being the cure all for everything when you were little? 

Turns out though that bone broth soup has more than just a placebo effect. 

Here are my top 3 reasons for why bone broth is pretty good for us.

  1. It heals a leaky gut.

Leaky gut syndrome is a functional disorder that occurs in response to inflammatory foods, excessive stress, or insidious infections in the digestive tract. Patients are often also diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, or a whole host of inflammatory conditions ranging from eczema to arthritis -but the underlying cause is a leaky gut.

  1. It is less invasive and less expensive than a plastic surgeon or the beauty salon.

Bone broth is an excellent source of collagen and gelatin. Lack of collagen is what causes wrinkles and cellulite on your thighs. Both collagen and gelatin are important to all of our connective tissue in the body – this includes healthy hair, skin, and nails.

  1. It strengthens our bones.

For so many years the emphasis has been on which individual minerals and vitamins we need for healthy bones. Turns out bone broth has all the mineral and non-mineral components we need for healthy bones. Bonus – it is in an easy to absorb form plus it heals a leaky gut – a major reason why people develop osteoporosis in the first place.

So how can you incorporate bone broth into your regular diet to get all the health benefits?

Well you have 2 choices - make it or buy it. 

If you want to buy it, you can buy the powdered broth (from a company like Kettle and Fire) OR you can buy the extracted hydrolyzed collagen. The one I use with patients is called Whole Body Collagen powder by Designs for Health. 

If you want to make it, I have put a simple video by my friend Carolyn on how to do so in your slow cooker in my App.

Don't have the App? You can sign up here: Apple A Day

Now I would love to hear from you! Which of these 3 benefits are you interested in the most? Leave a comment below and I'll be back next week with another edition of Doctor as Teacher Tuesday!

5 Replies to “Is bone broth healthy?”

Cesar

Great article!!

Barb Ashley-Caterer

Dr. Durkin,
Do you carry the product, Whole Body Collagen?
If so cost please and availability.

Sylvia

HI MICHELLE,
BONE BROTH MAY BE AN EXCELLENT REMEDY FOR SUPPORTING GUT HEALTH AND BUILDING BONES, BUT NONE OF THIS WILL HELP THOSE WHO ARE VEGETARIANS!
ANY ALTERNATIVES?
SW

Dr Michelle Durkin ND

Yes, we carry this product. Reception will send you an email with that information Barb.

Dr Michelle Durkin ND

There is no vegetarian substitute for bone broth, and in particular the collagen. You would have to use other ingredients that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids as building blocks instead. Collagen can be synthesized in the body from amino acids. Some suggestions for a vegan broth include:
Wakame seaweed:
Great source of omega 3 – one of the best for vegans, act as preobiotics which are great for intestinal health, full of vitamins and minerals (particularly good source of iron, calcium, magnesium and iodine).
Shiitake mushrooms:
These mushrooms have been shown to inhibit inflammation in the gut. They’re also full of amino acids, vitamin D, zinc and B vitamins.

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