What can't bone broth do for health?

Bone broth has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to an increased awareness of foods equating directly to health.  What has become well known to those who have read many newspaper articles or the successful food-as-medicine "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" are how real broth improves digestion improves immune health, brain health, and much more.

What isn’t as well known is that broth can help reduce cellulite by improving connective tissue, increase hair growth/strength, improve digestive issues and remineralize teeth.

Broth is also helpful to have on hand when anyone in the family gets sick as it can be a soothing and immune boosting drink during illness, even if the person doesn’t feel like eating.

Broth is very high in the amino acids proline and glycine which are vital for healthy connective tissue (ligaments, joints, around organs, etc).

In addition, glycine is required for synthesis of DNA, RNA and many proteins in the body. As such, it plays extensive roles in digestive health, the proper functioning of the nervous system and in wound healing. Glycine aids digestion by helping to regulate the synthesis of gastric acid.  Bone broth is highly recommended for detox programs because of its high levels of glycine - which is involved in detoxification and is required for production of glutathione, an important antioxidant. Glycine helps regulate blood sugar levels by controlling the manufacture of glucose from proteins in the liver.

Glycine also enhances muscle repair/growth by increasing levels of creatine and regulating Human Growth Hormone secretion from the pituitary gland. This wonderful amino acid is also critical for healthy functioning of the central nervous system. In the brain, it inhibits excitatory neurotransmitters, thus producing a calming effect. Glycine is also converted into the neurotransmitter serine, which promotes mental alertness, improves memory, boosts mood, and reduces stress.

Proline has an additional role in reversing atherosclerotic deposits. It enables the blood vessel walls to release cholesterol buildups into your blood stream, decreasing the size of potential blockages in your heart and the surrounding blood vessels.  Proline also helps your body break down proteins for use in creating new, healthy muscle cells.

There are now several studies utilizing control groups - the groups consuming a condensed bone gelatin (much like Best of the Bone) have shown increased bone density within five weeks (osteoporosis) and increased muscle mass.  

What Kind of Broth?

Homemade, nutrient dense bone broth can be inexpensive to make but time-consuming.  But there is no comparison to the store-bought versions which often contain MSG, starch and other chemicals and which lack gelatin (a critical component that without then we're not talking about real broth) and some of the other health-boosting properties of homemade broth.  

In selecting the bones for broth, look for high quality bones from grass fed cattle, pastured poultry, or wild caught fish. Since you’ll be extracting the minerals and drinking them in concentrated form, you want to make sure that the animal was as healthy as possible.  If you don't can't always set aside 14 or more hours to create your own broth you'll find a product such as Best of the Bone is concentrated in the best of the nutrients and minerals and extremely high in gelatin and the collagen proteins.