The Benefits of Bone Broth

If you’ve been following us for any length of time, you’ve probably seen us mention bone broth more than a few times. But what is it, and what are the benefits of bone broth? Let’s break it down.

What is bone broth?

Bone broth is the latest craze, but it’s actually nothing new. Bone broth is a traditional food that has been around for hundreds of years. It’s made by simmering bones (from chicken, beef, pork, or even seafood) for 24-48 hours with raw apple cider vinegar. You can also add any leftover veggies you might have on hand. It’s super easy to make yourself, but there are also store-bought brands you can buy to make life even easier. We’ll talk about those a little later!

Bone broth cooks for quite a bit longer than a typical stock or store-bought broth, which are usually solely used for flavor and not for health benefits. The extra time spent simmering allows the bones to release much more collagen and gelatin, while apple cider vinegar helps to leach healing amino acids from the bones.

What are the health benefits of bone broth?

Bone broth may just be a magic elixir. It contains numerous amino acids, along with collagen and gelatin. Glutamine (one of the amino acids) is known for gut-healing and immune-supportive benefits. Not only can it help treat and prevent leaky gut, but it can also help to tame sugar cravings! Bone broth is also a great source of glycine, which can support restful sleep and help prevent sleep fragmentation. Collagen and gelatin both have great benefits for gut health, as well as skin, hair, nails and teeth. Gelatin also aids in immune health as well as the prevention of muscle loss and the promotion of joint health, skin health and the prevention of skin aging.

How do I use it? 

You can sip on a mug of bone broth just as you would coffee or tea. We love adding some Himalayan pink salt and a bit of grass-fed ghee to our cup. You can also use your bone broth as a base for soups or stews. We also love cooking our veggies or reheating leftovers in it for extra flavor and an extra punch of nutrition.

What about store-bought? 

If you’re not sure you want to make bone broth yourself, Snap stocks both Fond bone broth and Nona Lim bone broth. These broths are already seasoned for you, so they make it as easy as possible to get your bone broth fix. You can find both in the refrigerated section of our stores.

Aside from the options we sell at Snap, there are a few other companies that craft fresh bone broth. One example is Bonafide Provisions, who offers bone broth made from organic and pasture-raised ingredients and then slow cooks the broth for 48 hours. Since the broth isn’t shelf stable and is made from high-quality ingredients, it’s a great option that’s comparable to homemade. There are also lots of companies offering quality bone broth for delivery. Whichever option you choose, look for a brand that uses pasture-raised bones and is cooked for at least 24 hours.

While you can certainly find shelf-stable bone broth, not all store-bought options are equal in quality or nutrient-density. Keep in mind that any shelf-stable bone broth won’t contain gelatin, which is one of the major selling points of homemade bone broth. The bone broth you make at home could never survive on the shelf for weeks (or months!) at a time. However, shelf-stable bone broth made with bones from pastured animals are a good stand-in when you don’t have the fresh stuff handy.

Have you tried our bone broth or made your own? Let us know what you thought in the comments!

Eat well, cook never with our dietitian-curated meal plans.