Food is in essence ingestible skincare, and bone broth has been growing in popularity in the natural health community as well as among celebrities. Bone broth is a stock made from animal ligaments, connective tissue, and bones – usually from cows, chicken, or turkey, plus veggies and herbs for flavor.

Bone broth is loaded with clean protein, amino acids, vitamins, collagen, and other nutrients – which has made it a staple culinary item in several cultures for centuries, and for good reason.

The fact is, even if you’re a practicing health-food guru, having a history of taking over-the-counter pain suppressors, anti-biotics, and other modern medications can wreak havoc in our digestive system. Sometimes we just need to make small, simple additions to nourish our gut back to health alongside an already wonderful diet.

Bone broth is not a miracle elixir – but it’s very anti-inflammatory

More specifically, bone broth is rich in glycosaminoglycans (or GAGs), glutamine, and gelatin (cooked collagen that’s easy to digest), which all work to heal the gut and improve digestion. By healing the gut, bone broth can ease systemic inflammation inside your body. 

High quality bones from strong, healthy animals will likely output a higher amount of minerals, like magnesium and zinc, which are also both key in reducing inflammation.

Inside the cavity of the bones is bone marrow, and bone marrow contains a hormone that supports healthy cell metabolism that can further decrease inflammation.

Consuming bone broth can become a part of your clear skin journey, because when you reduce inflammation, you effectively reduce your chances of breaking out. 

It supports collagen production for youthful skin

As we age, our collagen breaks down and the rate that our body can produce collagen declines. The reduction of collagen in our body causes wrinkles, dry skin, brittle hair and achy joints. Evidence suggests that adding collagen back into the body can replenish our collagen reserves.

Not only is bone broth a collagen-rich food, it’s also particularly high in glycine and proline, which are the essential building blocks used by our bodies for increased collagen production.

Bone broth even supplies the skin with hyaluronic acid, which is also naturally found in the body. Hyaluronic acid helps retain existing collagen, increase moisture, and provide skin elasticity and flexibility. Collagen and hyaluronic acid work as a team to give your skin that glow!

How to slip bone broth into your regular diet

The most economical way to sip bone broth is to simmer some grass-fed bones yourself. I personally prefer grass-fed beef bones because they are richer in bone marrow. When broth thickens to a gel in the refrigerator, it’s an indication that the collagen was successfully extracted from the bones during cooking.

I’ve purchased pre-made bone broth offered in stores but have not yet found a brand that meets my taste (and some seemed watered down).

If you’re looking for a more convenient and time-sensitive way to ingest bone broth, I highly recommend purchasing bone broth protein powder. That way, you’ll know how much collagen, various nutrients, and protein you’re consuming. It’s even a great post-workout drink since it has more grams of protein than many other as-advertised muscle-building drinks I’ve seen! I’ve mixed in bone broth protein powder with oak milk and a touch of raw honey and can’t taste any ‘beefiness’.

To see improvements in your skin, you’ll want to drink at least one cup of bone broth (or serving of bone broth powder) per day, but results vary from person to person. With consistency, you may see clearer and more radiant skin in as little as a few weeks.

Photo by Alison Marras on Unsplash