How to drink bone broth is a question that has been on the lips of many bone broth devotees for a long time. Since there is no official directive on how to consume broth, most devotees have crafted their own ways of consuming it. However, there are ways to consume bone broth that will give you access to the maximum benefits that drinking bone broth can offer.
The difference between someone who claims bone broth is nothing but a fad and another who can’t stop taking a sip every morning could be simply the time they both take the broth. While the process in making bone broth should be considered, it is important to take it at the right time and in the right proportions if you want to get the maximum benefits.
What is Bone Broth?
There are various definitions of bone broth with the basic definition referring to it as a broth made by simmering bones for a long period of time – usually around 24 hours. However, there is more to what a bone broth is. Bone broth is made by mixing roasted bones with spices, vegetables, and herbs in water and simmering the mixture for a long period of time. The cooking time will depend on the bones used. Fish bones will be ready in 8 hours, while chicken and beef bones need to be cooked for 24 hours or more.
Although some people do skip the vegetables, herbs, and spices, it is advised yo make your bone broth with a good number of them. These extra ingredients do more than take up space in the pot. They add to the flavor and nutritional value of the broth which means more health benefits for you and a really delicious tasting broth.
When to Drink Bone Broth
There is no straightforward answer as to when to drink both broth because people drink the broth for different reasons. Some take it as part of a diet while others take it as a replacement for coffee.
Whatever your reason for taking the broth, you should get a least a cup of bone broth daily. However, if you want to get the maximum benefits in the broth you drink it at least once in the morning and evening.
Starting your day with a cup of warm broth should be enough to get you started as the broth improves your mood and strengths your muscles (something you need to start and keep your day going smoothly).
In the evening, a cup of broth is enough to boost your sleep quality which is one of the reasons bone broth is recommended for those who want to look younger and feel refreshed.
Unfortunately, not everyone can follow the guideline above. If you are drinking bone broth for weight loss, you will take bone broth differently.
Drinking Bone Broth For Weight Loss
If you are drinking bone broth for weight loss, you will have to follow the instructions in the diet plan. However, many people who drink broth for weight loss do not follow a diet plan which is not advisable as you wouldn’t be able to achieve any significant results that way.
Dr. Kellyann bone broth diet plan is basically the most popular bone broth diet plan you can find on the internet.
The plan consists of 21-day dieting that requires you to eat low-carb foods for 5 days in a week and consume only bone broth or bone broth with a snack for the remaining 2 days. This process is to be repeated for 3 weeks. If done correctly, you would be able to lose about 15 pounds within the period.
If you are following this diet plan you can’t drink bone broth after 7 pm or you wouldn’t be able to get any positive results when the plan is completed. Even if you want to consume bone broth to improve your sleep quality, you should desist from taking broth after 7 pm that is if you are following this plan already.
Recommended Amount to Consume
Bone broth is usually sold in ounces, but if you are making it at home you would have to measure it and ensure that you do not drink too much of it. You should consume between 6 – 12 ounces of broth daily but you can go higher if you wish. If you can’t measure correctly, just try to keep your consumption between 2 – 4 cups daily.
Drinking too much bone broth wouldn’t make you get the health benefits faster instead it would lead to several health problems. One of such is excess glutamates. Glutamates come from glutamine – an amino acid found in bone broth. The nutrient promotes mental health if consumed in the right amounts, however, excess glutamates can lead to seizures, brain fog, headaches, mood swings, hyperactivity, autism spectrum, and severe gut issues.
Ways To Drink Bone Broth
Sip it
This is usually how most bone broth devotes take the broth. Before drinking makes sure you reheat it till it warms but that doesn’t mean you leave it on the heat for too long. You can boost the flavor by adding seasoning and spices before reheating. When done, take it from the heat and pour it into a mug. You wouldn’t need to add sugar or milk to your broth before drinking it.
Mix It
Instead of just drinking the broth, you can mix with other foods. You can use bone broth in your marinade, stews, mashed potato, and homemade tomato sauce. If you are going for bone broth protein powders, you can use it as a seasoning in your food. You can also add it to your milkshakes or consume it as a smoothie by adding it to your yogurt.
Drinking Commercial Bone Broth
There is a lot that goes with drinking commercial bone broth which is why it is advised that you consume only homemade bone broth. Most bone broth recipes would advise you to make the bone broth yourself as commercial bone broth brands tend to add more than organic ingredients to their products to boost its taste and shelf life.
When buying broth, there are few places to consider that sell high-quality 100% organic broth. These places include Brodo, Epic provisions, and Kettle and Fire.
How To Store Bone Broth
Storing bone broth is quite simple. If you want to store homemade bone broth, simply pour it into jars or containers after you have strained it through a sieve. Allow it to cool for a little, and then place it in the refrigerator. You can leave it in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, ensure you skim the layer of fat that forms at the top of the broth before reheating or mixing it with other foods.
Benefits of Drinking Bone Broth
Bone broth contains a lot of nutrients which are responsible for the numerous health benefits it offers. With an abundance of nutrients like collagen and minerals like magnesium and calcium, there is a significant number of health benefits you can get just by adding bone broth to your diet.
Below, we are going to list a few benefits you get from drinking bone broth.
Detoxification
Bone broth contains a good number of nutrients that could help the body with detoxification. Several nutrients like glutathione, proline, and glutamine perform various important roles in the body that helps the body get rid of old cells and clear up waste products that would have otherwise caused harm to the body.
Bone Health
Bone broth has been shown to contain all of the raw materials needed for building healthy bones. These raw materials include calcium, amino acids, phosphorus and several other nutrients you can get by consuming the broth. Bone broth could also prevent osteoarthritis as it contains several nutrients that prevent the wearing down of the connective tissues in bones.
Other nutrients like Glycosaminoglycans prevent joint pain as they make up the fundamental parts of the synovial fluid which allows bones to slides smoothly and painlessly over another. Collagen is another compound that keeps the joints healthy and reduces joint pain.
Skin Health
There have been several claims that bone broth has the ability to clear wrinkles and make you look younger. Well, that might not be farfetched as the broth contains several nutrients like Glycosaminoglycans and Collagen which are very important for skin health. Collagen is generally used to promote tissue regeneration, however, the compound could also improve skin elasticity and skin moisture content. Another important compound that promotes skin health is hyaluronic acid. It has been shown to promote skin proliferation and improve skin hydration.
All these help clear the skin and leave you looking younger and feeling refreshed all day long.
Conclusion
Drinking bone broth isn’t just great for people but also for pets especially dogs, however, you will have to follow a different guideline when giving your dogs bone broth. Bone broth has so many health benefits which are why many people take it instead of coffee, however, you should always watch your consumption to ensure you only get the maximum health benefits from drinking bone broth.
