A Bone To Pick - How can one bone provide so much.

From one beef leg bone comes a food with the highest concentrations of collagen protein, a gold mine of minerals, healthy fats, gut-healing gelatin, anti-inflammatory properties and amino acids.   

How can a bone provide all of that?   Natural predators go straight for the bone and carry it with them because they know it is a nutritional treasure.  

A bone broth is how we humans extract the goodness from the bones.  And certain bone cuts are higher in certain elements - such as the leg bone being higher in bone marrow which has been shown to have provide immunity boosts and to increase production of white and red blood cells.  

Broth from bones and joints contain numerous nutrients that strengthen your own skeletal system.  How?  First up bones have protein.  In fact they are close to 50% protein by volume.  Collagen, the protein matrix in bones, tendons, ligaments and other tissues is broken down during the cooking process into another protein called gelatin.   Gelatin is what you see when the broth congeals in the refrigerator.  

Gelatin contains several critical amino acids including proline and glycine - which are tremendous fuel for plasma, skin elasticity, and as Dr. Linus Pauling proposed, when teamed up with vitamin C and lysine (also high in broth) can help reverse the artery-blocking effects of lipoproteins.  In other words, another arrow in your quiver to fight off heart disease, heart attacks and more. 

The proteins in the broth and gelatin provide your body with the raw materials to rebuild your own connective tissue, notably tendons and ligaments.  Athletes are prone to have tendon, and ligament damage - which is why many high profile sports nutritionists and sports scientists advocate broth or simply gelatin supplements.

As well as providing the raw materials for healthy bones and joints, the proteins in bone broth deliver an especially interesting benefit for rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease marked by painful damage to tendons and ligaments as well as joints.  The proteins in broth may actually help stop autoimmune responses in the tracks.  One study found collagen dramatically improved symptoms in the majority of the patients including full remission.

Bone broth also provides glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).  Found in bones and connective tissue these GAGs have shown in numerous studies to reduce joint pain.  One of these GAGs, hyaluronic acid, is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis.  Chondroitin, also one of the GAGs and broth is high in this as well, has also performed well in reducing the pain and damage of arthritis.  One renowned sports doctors from the storied LA Lakers NBA franchise has said that glycosaminoglycans deserve their own food pyramid.  And that you can only find them in bones.  

Glucosamine is yet another component of the GAGs and is used for joint health supplementation.  

Whether you have problems pain in your knees from jogging or basketall or in your shoulders from tennis or weight lifting a big mug of broth should be a part of the recovery routine.

Glycine, one of the amino acids in great abundance in bone broth, is useful in stimulating the production of stomach acid.  Put the antacids aside and have a cup of broth before your next big meal or a night drinking red wine.  You'll notice acid reflux issues are tamed.  In fact, broth is recommended for irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, FODMAPS intolerance and leaky gut.  Glycine, that wonderful little amino acid is also a necessary part of fat digestion and helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels.  

Glutamine is another amino acid found in abundance and is a natural remedy for leaky gut.  Leaky gut is a condition that can set off autoimmune reactions, damages the upper intestine and prevents your gut from absorbing the micronutrients your body needs.  

Both glycine and proline are key elements in detoxification.  Without them your liver will not function well and in fact will have considerable problems.  In one study rats fed glycine showed significant improvements in recovery from alcohol-induced fatty liver disease compared to rats that weren't.  

Another benefit of broth is from the marrow.  It is extremely nutritious and contains cells necessary for immune function and bone growth.  

Minerals - broth is high in calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous.  It also has selenium, which in studies has shown to be useful in the prevention of numerous cancers and notably numerous researchers are touting selenium as a breast cancer preventative.  More research is being conducted on this issue in several university studies.

All of this and more from one bone.  Simply amazing.

Best of the Bone is a living broth concentrate that is extremely high in gelatin and amino acids and has the flexibility to be added to sauces such as spaghetti sauces, soups and broths.  One tablespoon is one serve.  For more information visit www.theherbaldoctors.com/products/bestofthebone