When our grandparents assured us that chicken noodle soup would quell all that ails us, they referred to a bowl with a base of mineral-rich bone broth, as it is known to nourish the gut and assist in a more rapid recovery.
No flat broth will do when the goal is accessing highly bioavailable nutrition, essential electrolytes, and vital vitamins—siphoning the collagen and marrow-based matter makes something both medicinal and culinary.
Plus, drinking bone broth is especially helpful on a ketogenic diet to help you replenish the increased hydration and electrolytes lost when the body is running primarily on fat for fuel.
Besides, this savory elixir is abundant in micronutrients and amino acids and is also said to help prevent or correct several inflammatory conditions!
And making bone marrow broth is super simple with the aid of some grass-fed beef or other bones that you can grab from your local Whole Foods butcher's section or favorite grocer.
You'll simmer your bones, along with the aid of apple cider vinegar, to maximize the mineral extraction and infusion into the broth. You can also spice up your stock with onions, herbs, and other aromatics to create unique bases for your favorite sauces and stews.
Depending on your method of preparation and the tools you use, the process of making bone broth can take from less than an hour to all day. But rest assured, whichever approach you choose to take, making this soothing and satiating liquid is highly advisable to anyone following a low-carb, high-fat diet.
If your goal is boosting immunity, staying well hydrated, or making sure to obtain adequate micronutrients throughout the day, bone broth checks all the boxes.
You can grab some store-bought keto-friendly brands like Kettle & Fire to have a suitable option available on-demand, but whipping up large batches and freezing or canning them for long-term storage is a fantastic complement to your meal prep efforts.
Bone Broth Keto Benefits
Here are some notable health benefits of consuming bone marrow broth on a ketogenic diet:
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A nutrient-dense ingredient: Many mind their macronutrients closely on keto, especially total and net carbs, but giving adequate attention to fueling your body with micronutrient-rich food is essential.
While the nutrient concentration may vary from brand to brand with broth, you can generally count on it for its rich protein, fat, and sodium content regardless of whether store-bought or homemade.
And the collagen and fat present in bone marrow broth, along with the salt, are excellent supplements for those following a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet.
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Helps with Hydration: Replenishing fluids is essential when following a keto diet since the body tends to release more water weight when we eliminate overt carbs and sugar from our diets.
Fortunately, bone broth is primarily water, which aids in boosting hydration—vital if exercising and sweating or if you're experiencing sweats as you work through a quick bout with the keto flu.
Plus, bone broth soup using low-carb veggies is more likely to contain essential minerals and electrolytes—which further offers hydrating properties. The fortifying minerals found in bone broth may include calcium, potassium, magnesium, and more; it's an ideal addition to incorporate into your keto diet.
- Supports Healthy Bones: Protein's reparative and muscle-building properties make it a coveted macronutrient. From individuals bodybuilding and those interested in gaining lean muscle to others seeking optimal strength to age gracefully, the protein and collagen found in bone broth will aid in those efforts.
Plus, bone broth is rich in many other beneficial nutrients, including vitamins, amino acids, and essential fatty acids to help support overall health.
- Supports healthy and supple skin: Collagen is a magnificent ingredient that becomes increasingly beneficial as we age. Since bone broth contains a significant amount of collagen and gelatin, drinking broth may aid in your body's ability to make collagen and help maintain strong, supple, and youthful hair and skin for longer.
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May Improve Leaky Gut: So much of our health relates to the state of our gut and digestive system. And the gelatine present in bone broth aids in the healthy transit of food through the intestines once in the digestive tract and bound to water molecules.
Plus, preliminary scientific research points to gelatine and other amino acids found in bone broth having therapeutic potential in treating the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.
Our small intestines serve as a primary site for nutrient absorption in the body and act as the first defense line for our immune system. And the amino acids found in bone broth may help shore up the gut, preventing barrier breaches that can wreak havoc on your digestive and overall well being.
Plus, some preliminary study has revealed promise in the amino acids, glutamine, and glycine, boosting gut barrier function and improving immunity.
- May Lessen Cold Symptoms: We harken again to the memory most have of our mom or grandparents soothing us with bowls of warm soup when the sniffles presented—noting a pathogen attempting to attack our immune system.
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Supports Improved Joint Health: Joint cartilage relies on collagen to remain supple and agile, and it can become more important to boost collagen to support the joints as we age.
Some studies have shown promise regarding the impact of collagen supplementation to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis and other disorders related to joint damage.
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Boosts the production of anti-aging molecules: Drinking as little as 300 ml has shown an increase in plasma levels—especially the amino acid glycine—in the body required to make collagen.
Some clinical trials have shown collagen's ability to improve hydration, skin elasticity, and the appearance of wrinkles—even showing potential to enhance mineral bone density in post-menopausal women.
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May aid in healthy weight loss: Collagen has many uses in supporting and maintaining healthy joints as we age. And collagen has proven a great aid when supplementation with resistance training improves lean muscle mass and elevated body fat loss.
Plus, the collagen found in bone broth is known to support improved body composition as we age—aiding in the maintenance of more significant amounts of lean muscle mass.
Ways to Add Bone Broth to Your Keto Diet
You can sip some bone broth straight or use it as a savory and mineral-rich base for your soups and sauces. Plus, using bone broth in recipes is an excellent way to insert more nutrition into any dish.
Plus, you can add herbs, vegetables, and spices to create a unique broth base to compliment any flavor palate. Some popular additions include garlic, onion, celery, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme.
Also, you may initially think of adding bone broth to savory foods or beverages—and that's a fantastic option. However, you can also stir some unsalted bone broth into coffee or tea to boost minerals and collagen with your favorite morning brew.
Plus, here are some additional ways to use bone broth in your favorite keto-friendly recipes:
- Finish off a stir-fry by simmering it down with a bit of bone broth.
- Impart some extra flavor and meat-like feel to mushrooms with the use of some savory beef broth.
- Use some broth to poach an egg. You'll add more flavor to this breakfast favorite and work through your pantry stock.
- Cook your cauliflower rice in some herbaceous broth to deepen the complexity of flavor in your side dish.
- Blend a bit of broth with some creamy coconut milk to make a dynamic and delicious curry.
- Make a myriad of sauces or gravies using the broth of your choice—even veggie broth adds a rich and delightful flavor profile.
- The broth is an excellent stand-in for milk when making a white wine sauce—perfect for those with lactose intolerance.
- Use a little broth to steam veggies.
Bone Broth Recipe
Consider following the template below to make a reliable and satisfying homemade bone broth recipe:
- 1 gallon of water
- 1 ounce of vinegar
- 3–4 pounds of bones and tissues
You can use devices like an Instant Pot or a slow cooker to make your broth. Follow the instructions based on your chosen method to determine the necessary cooking time and temperature.
Plus, here are some recipe ideas using the wondrous elixir bone broth:
- Combine fish broth spinach, mushrooms, garlic, ginger and sprouts to create a tasty Asian-inspired soup that’s sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Garnish with a little fresh cilantro and chopped scallions for a flavor boost!
- Use cauliflower, bone broth, and nutritional yeast along with other herbs and spices to create a fantastic and flavorful dish perfect for lunch or dinner.
- If you love a sweet latte you may like a savory version, as well. You can usher in the cozy feelings of the cooler months with a fall bone broth latte—YUM!
- Try a savory noodle bowl with your favorite broth, shirataki noodles, poached egg, and spinach.
- You can use bone broth to make a roux to bind your hearty ingredients in a creamy casserole, such as a chicken pot pie.
- Plus, using a flavorful broth is the perfect ingredient to use to enhance the taste of some sticky stuffing for the holidays.
- Make a simple gingery poached egg soup for a pack of protein and gut-soothing ginger.
- You may have 80/20 beef on-hand while on keto and you can use cubed beef with bone broth and veggies to make a filling soup or chilli to nourish the entire family.
Summary
Bone broth is an excellent food to include in your keto meal plan for many reasons. From added hydration to being rich in collagen or offering an abundance of mineral, electrolytes, and amino acids, this beverage is packed with potent nutrition.
Plus, making broth at home is a fantastic way to use the bones you have laying around after making your main course. And including an added form of hydration that contains nutrients is a magnificent way to replenish the fluid the body releases more readily when running on fat and ketones rather than glucose for fuel.
Consider adding low-carb veggies and herbs to your broth to create a variety of flavor profiles to enjoy alone or as the base for a delicious soup, sauce, or stew.
Also, enjoying a nutritious drink that may aid in boosting collagen is a wonderful way to make the most of your meal plan.
Resources
- A. Aljumaily, M. (2011). The effect of concentrated bone broth as a dietary supplementation on bone healing in Rabbits. Annals of the College of Medicine, Mosul, 37(1), 42–47. https://doi.org/10.33899/mmed.2011.34633
- Gimbar, M. (2017). A SIP above the rest…is bone broth all it's boiled up to be? Journal of Renal Nutrition, 27(6). https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jrn.2017.08.003
- Marrs, J. A. (2020). Collagen supplements: Benefits, uses, and side effects. Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.33552/ojcam.2020.05.000607
- McCarty, M. F., & DiNicolantonio, J. J. (2014). The cardiometabolic benefits of glycine: Is glycine an ‘antidote’ to dietary fructose? Open Heart, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/openhrt-2014-000103
- Hester, S., Wood, S., Gray, R., Kern, D., & Draelos, Z. (2021). Collagen supplement improves skin attributes in healthy adults. Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(Supplement_2), 321–321. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab037_031
- Beaudry, M., & Laroche-Nantel, R. (2019). Bone Broth: A sustainable and culturally friendly food item in hospital food services. https://doi.org/10.26226/morressier.5cdc25c8bf4ffc62054210b7
- Marrs, J. A. (2020). Collagen supplements: Benefits, uses, and side effects. Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.33552/ojcam.2020.05.000607
- A. Aljumaily, M. (2011). The effect of concentrated bone broth as a dietary supplementation on bone healing in Rabbits. Annals of the College of Medicine, Mosul, 37(1), 42–47. https://doi.org/10.33899/mmed.2011.34633
