Bone broth is making a comeback. While everyone has been told by their moms, grandmas and even doctors, that chicken stock does a body good, does anyone really know why? And what the heck is even considered bone broth? The widely accepted definition of bone broth is the liquid that remains after animal bones are boiled in water for anywhere from 12 – 48 hours in order to break the bones down and allow all the nutrients and minerals to be released.
Bone broth has been rumored to do the following, taking it from just liquid to liquid gold:
— Reduce inflammation
— Help alleviate joint pain
— Be a useful tool for weight loss
— Stimulate hair and nail growth
— Improves memory & sleep patterns
— Has anti-aging properties
— Boost the immune system
— Great for gut health by sealing holes in the intestines
Now, some skeptics may say that bone broth is just dressed up soup. And if we believed all the hype surrounding newly acclaimed superfoods that seem to be popping up in our newsfeeds daily, we wouldn’t be doing our due diligence as health and wellness advocates. And as much as we want all of these benefits to hold true, the fact of the matter is that there is very little scientific backing to many of these claims.
Easy cynics… before you start blasting I told you so comments on your friends Facebook posts about bone broth, take note that there are some very notable pluses to consuming this age-old comfort food.
Just like grandma told you, a homemade bowl of broth will bolster the immune system. It is also true that bone broth (especially that made from the bones of poultry) is a great natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin to support joints – both in humans and pets!
Bone broth also happens to be a great sports recovery drink. Don’t believe me? Ask Kobe Bryant. He and his LA Laker teammates have a special dietary regimen that bone broth is one of the three founding pillars of. In addition to hydrating the body and replenishing electrolytes lost while exercising, the amino acids in bone broth will help the body rebuild muscle.
And on top of it all, from an efficiency standpoint, bone broth really makes use of the entire animal. According to Epic Provisions, who just launched the first-ever refrigerated bone broth, they strongly feel we should be honoring the animals providing for us anyway we can. That it is our responsibility as carnivores that live on a planet with limited resources. Epic embodies this value by using up to 70% of the entire animal in their product line. And just to give you some perspective, most meat snack companies cap off around 8%.
So just because you decide to start drinking a cup of broth a day on top of your 3,000 calorie diet of pizza and beer, does not mean you are suddenly going to be rid of all of your health issues and concerns. But adding bone broth to your routine has the potential to improve general health, especially if you are feeling sick or fatigued. What making and consuming bone broth will do – without question – is get you in the kitchen, making your own food, and opening your consciousness to what you are putting into your body. And for those of you that prefer to skip to the fun part of eating without the hassle of cooking, pick up Beef Jalapeno Sea Salt, Homestyle Chicken, or Turkey Cranberry Sage broth at your local Epic retailer.
