Bone broth and collagen. What’s all the fuss about?
Are you rolling your eyes thinking “Oh joy. Bone broth and collagen… another foodie fad”? We hear you. It can seem like there’s another food craze every week. Fads come and go, but bone broth has been around since prehistoric times. Our ancestors must have known a thing or two, because bone broth is a great source of all kinds of nutrients, including collagen.
So are you ready to delve a little deeper on bone broth and collagen? Let’s go…
First off, what is collagen?
Collagen is a type of protein. It’s made up of amino acids and can be found pretty much everywhere in your body, including your skin, hair, nails, bones, muscles and tendons.
Is collagen good for your skin?
Yep. Collagen is essential for skin. It keeps it from sagging and helps it to hold onto moisture. It also plays a role in healing and building new tissue. Eating extra collagen has been shown to improve the hydration and elasticity of skin and to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Is collagen good for your bones?
Collagen is crucial for bone health. If you’re suffering from painful joints, you might benefit from more collagen in your diet. Some studies have found it can even ease the symptoms of arthritis.
Collagen is also a good preventative measure. It may help to keep bones strong, protect cartilage and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Does bone broth collagen benefit your gut health?
Bone broth is a good source of lots of amino acids and nutrients, including gelatine, glycine, proline, glutamine, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Gelatine and glycine can help to lower gut inflammation, and glutamine helps to keep your gut lining healthy. It may also help to ease irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal issues.
You can find out more about healing your gut here.
What are the other benefits of collagen?
Collagen does a huge amount in the body. As well as improving skin and helping bones, it plays a major role in the health of your hair, nails, muscles and much more.
Don’t we create collagen naturally?
Our bodies do create collagen, but levels start dropping as we get older and they plummet during the perimenopause. Other factors affect collagen too, such as smoking, sun damage and diet.
The signs of collagen loss tend to come on gradually, but they can be very noticeable. Your face might look less plump and feel drier than it used to. You might spot more wrinkles. Your hair might seem more brittle or not as glossy. Your nails might break easier. And your joints might start aching and not feel as strong.
If you’ve started saying “Oof” when you get off the sofa, it could be a sign that you’re low on collagen.
Does bone broth have collagen?
It does indeed. Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones to release their goodness, including amino acids and collagen. Vegetables are often added for extra flavour and nutrition. The bones and any chunks of vegetables are then removed to leave you with a liquid collagen broth.
You can drink bone broth on its own or use it in your cooking to add extra flavour and nutrients to soups, stews, risottos, pies and so on.
There are also different types of bone broth. For example, as well as our ever-popular Organic Beef Bone Broth, we also make a Mexican Spiced version.
If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine, you’ll want to try the Chilli & Lemongrass Organic Chicken Bone Broth, which takes noodles and curries to a whole new level.
How much collagen does bone broth contain?
The amount of collagen in bone broth depends on which bones have been used, how long they’ve been simmered for and several other factors. Our Organic Beef Bone Broth, for example, has up to 6.7g of collagen and 10.8g of protein in each jar. Not all broths are created equally though. Some brands contain a lot less collagen, so do check the packaging before you buy.
What’s the best bone broth for collagen?
Boosh’s Organic Beef Bone Broth has a whopping 70% more collagen than the UK market leader. We also don’t add any sugar or other unnecessary ingredients.
Our broths come packaged in glass jars, not plastic, so they are fully recyclable. They don’t need to go in the fridge so can just be popped into the kitchen cupboard until you need them. Can it get any easier?
Does chicken bone broth contain collagen?
Both beef and chicken bone broths are rich in collagen. (Our Organic Chicken Bone Broth has 50% more collagen than the UK market leader.)
Is it better to make bone broth?
You can make your own bone broth at home. It’s not overly complicated, but it does take a long time. (We simmer ours for 16 hours.) You’ll find a bone broth recipe here. We follow a very similar method to make our own broths.
How do you use bone broth?
Bone broth makes a warming, comforting drink. Lightly warmed up in the microwave, with a slash of lemon, it’s just the ticket if you’re feeling a bit under the weather or generally ‘meh’. You can also mix with your favourite fruits and other ingredients to make the perfect smoothie. Or create a cocktail by adding some tomato juice and your favourite tipple for the perfect Bloody Mary (or Virgin Marry, depending on the time of the day!) You can also use it as a nutrient-packed stock replacement (it’s a world away from a stock cube in both taste and nutrients.) So you can take your everyday soups, stews and sauces to completely new level!
How about Laksa Spicy Noodle Soup? Or maybe you’re more in the mood for Roasted Pumpkin Risotto?
What’s better, bone broth or collagen supplements?
It really depends on what you’re looking for. We like bone broths because they’re a whole food rather than a processed form of collagen. Bone broths are naturally healthy; the collagen is easy to digest; and you can drink them or use them in your cooking.
Bone broths also have far more benefits than just collagen. They’re rich in all manner of nutrients, including amino acids, calcium, magnesium and manganese.
And, of course, they’re delicious! Because healthy eating should be enjoyable, not just a chore you need to tick off your to do list.
Shop collagen-rich bone broths.
*Please note that the studies we’ve mentioned have been conducted using collagen supplements rather than bone broths.