Bone Broth
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a savory, nutrient-rich, liquid made by simmering animal bones in water on low heat, for many hours. It is beneficial due to the amino acids it contains and its anti-inflammatory properties.
Bone broth is a confusing term because it is not actually broth at all. It is considered a stock and it is a savory liquid with a range of nutrients.
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones in water on low heat, for many hours (timing varies depending on the types of bones). There is some research to suggest that homemade bone broth is more nutritious than commercial preparations.[2]
Bone broth is often made with beef, lamb, chicken, turkey or fish. Bones, marrow, skin, feet, tendons and ligaments can all be added to the stock pot to make bone broth. Vegetables can be added for a more flavorful and more nutritious stock.
An acid like apple cider vinegar (just a couple of tablespoons) is added to help draw the minerals from the bones.
When bone broth is refrigerated, it solidifies to a thick, jelly-type consistency, due to the collagen and gelatin inside.
There are some claims that suggest bone broths can contain dangerously high levels of heavy metals like lead and cadmium. This has been largely debunked.[3]
Bone broth may be beneficial for its anti-inflammatory properties. Considering that inflammation in the gut and the nervous system among those with autism is established in the research, bone broth may be beneficial.[5.8]
The amino acids in bone broth may support healing of the gut lining (for more, see leaky gut syndrome) but more research is needed on this.
The amino acids, including those in bone broth, are essential for many bodily functions including immune support, wound healing, mobility and muscle building, detoxification, and integrity of the gut lining.
Amino acids can also be found in high-quality protein-rich foods or by supplementation with a high-quality protein powder.
Bone broth may not be suitable for those who are sensitive to phenols and/or oxalates
Nutrient Breakdown
Bone broth contains:
Some non-essential amino acids like arginine, alanine, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and glutamine.[1,4]
Some protein like collagen and gelatin [2]
Some minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus[3]
Electrolytes like sodium and potassium
Where to Buy Bone Broth
Liquid bone broth can be purchased in most grocery stores or you can easily make it at home. Some brands we recommend include:
Bone broth can also be purchased as a powder. It is essentially just dehydrated bone broth. However the dehydration method and added ingredients matter. Bone broth powder is more processed. We recommend:
If you want to make bone broth from scratch, we recommend getting bones from local grass-fed, pasture raised animals and using clean, filtered water. You can find simple recipes here:
Easy Bone Broth (ANL Recipe)
Food Reactions
The body can respond to foods in many different ways including food allergies, food sensitivities, or food intolerances. If you suspect a food reaction, you can either choose to avoid the food or seek food reaction testing. Click here more information on the difference in types of food reactions and testing options.
DISCLAIMER: Always consult with your pediatrician and/or your Registered Dietitian to help you test for a food reaction or to aid you in making individualized dietary changes.
Bone Broth & Autism in the Research
The research available on bone broth, and especially as it relates to autism, is minimal.
Bone Broth & Inflammation
It was found that amino acids are the main nutritional contribution of bone broth. This study shows that bone broth has anti-inflammatory properties, and its consumption can decrease the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in a mouse model.[5]
Findings from this study provide evidence that commercially available enriched chicken bone broth lessens the perception of pain and expression of the pro-inflammatory protein kinase A and thus may be beneficial as a nutraceutical supplement to manage inflammatory pain associated with temporomandibular disorder in rats.[8]
Bone Broth & Healing
Daily oral administration of concentrated bone broth as dietary supplementation in rabbits enhances bone healing by increasing callus density and improving evaluation of healing.[6]
Bone Broth & Collagen
Amino acid concentrations in bone broth made to a standardized recipe were significantly lower for hydroxyproline, glycine, and proline and hydroxylysine, leucine, and lysine than those provided by a potentially therapeutic dose (20 g) of reference collagen supplements. There was a large variability in the amino acid content of bone broth made to non-standardized recipes. For standardized preparations, commercial bone broths were lower in all amino acids than the self-prepared varieties. It is unlikely that BB can provide a consistently reliable source of key amino acids.[2]
Bone Broth & the Brain
Early life stress caused the development of a sensitized trigeminal system that is implicated in migraine pathology and dietary supplementation with bone broth suppressed trigeminal sensitization, and thus may provide neuroprotective activity for reducing migraine risk.[7]
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[1] Gauza-Włodarczyk M, Kubisz L, Włodarczyk D. Amino acid composition in determination of collagen origin and assessment of physical factors effects. Int J Biol Macromol. 2017;104(Pt A):987-91.
[2] Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Burke LM. Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;29(3):265-72.
[3] Hsu DJ, Lee CW, Tsai WC, Chien YC. Essential and toxic metals in animal bone broths. Food Nutr Res. 2017;61(1):1347478.
[4] Shaw MH, Flynn NE. Amino acid content of beef, chicken and turkey bone broth. Westmont.edu. https://www.westmont.edu/sites/default/files/users/user1231/V19No4/Nick%20Flynn_final.pdf. Accessed November 13, 2021.
[5] Mar-Solís LM, Soto-Domínguez A, Rodríguez-Tovar LE, et al. Analysis of the anti-inflammatory capacity of bone broth in a Murine model of ulcerative colitis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021;57(11):1138.
[6] A. Aljumaily M. The effect of concentrated bone broth as a dietary supplementation on bone healing in rabbits. Ann Coll Med Mosul. 2011;37(1):42-47.
[7] Peterson OJ, Cornelison LE, Durham PL. Neuroprotective Effect of Enriched Chicken Bone Broth as a Dietary Supplement in a Model of Migraine Mediated by Early Life Stress. J Med Food. 2020;23(12):1259-65.
[8] Hawkins JL, Durham PL. Enriched Chicken Bone Broth as a Dietary Supplement Reduces Nociception and Sensitization Associated with Prolonged Jaw Opening. J Oral Facial Pain Headache. https://doi.org/10.11607/ofph.1971
Authors
Elisa Rocks, RDN, CLT
Brittyn Coleman, MS, RDN/LD, CLT
