Bone broth is one of the nutritional trends that has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. Whether it is a fad or a lasting dietary staple remains to be seen. The rise of interest in holistic health practices has fueled the popularity of bone broth, as people seek out natural and nutrient-dense foods. It is believed to be rich in nutrients, such as collagen, gelatin, and minerals that could support joint, skin, and gut health.
Despite social media spotlight, bone broth has a long history of consumption in various cultures. Thanks to the simplicity of its preparation process; it is all about simmering animal bones for hours in water, along with other ingredients varying according to preference and availability. Bone broth was part of the Palaeolithic diet since humans started cooking with fire. Later on, it has been a staple in numerous cuisines around the world, such as the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, and Latin American.
Such a long gastronomic history might indicate that bone broth is more than just a fleeting trend. However, like many health foods, its popularity may ebb and flow over time as new trends emerge in consumer preferences, and scientific understanding evolves.
Scientific studies that prove the validity of claims of how bone broth can positively impact human health and well-being are relatively limited. Surprisingly, most allegations stem from the fact that bone broth is rich in several nutrients that are considered vital to the advancement of several human health conditions. Since every batch of bone broth is unique, it is highly impossible to draw conclusions based on the nutrient content which varies from one serving to the other.
Due to the popularity of beef stock across global cuisines, it is usually used as a reference point. Since collagen is the main component of connective tissue and the most abundant protein, a link is usually made between the bone broth rich with braided chain-like structure characterizing collagen, and promoting skin elasticity, joint relief, etc.
Some studies suggest that amino acids which are among the main nutrients in bone broth can help reduce inflammation, associated with immune conditions, including arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. The amino acids in bone broth may work to counteract inflammation-causing compounds in the human body. Other than that, we do not have scientific evidence for the other seemingly overhyped medicinal attributes.
References
cbsnews.com
en.wikipedia.org
guide.michelin.com
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
webmd.com
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