I’ve recently seen people in social media health groups asking about bone broth health benefits for the keto diet so I will explain them in this article.
Bone broth, considered to be a superfood by many, is the liquid that you get after roasting and simmering animal bones for many hours – often as long as 24 and sometimes days.
Usually, these bones are derived from beef cattle or chickens. Some people also use lamb or fish bones. If you are going to make it yourself it’s best to use bones from organically raised, grass-fed beef or organic chicken if you can.
Here’s a good recipe for How To Make Bone Broth For Keto with several tips for the best bone broth.
You can also buy ready made good quality bone broth like this beef bone broth from Kettle & Fire. This make is free from lead and other toxic heavy metals.
Drinking the bone broth regularly is beneficial to your digestive system and joints. And if you’re on the ketogenic diet, the bone broth can benefit you even more. Read on to find out more about the bone broth health benefits for keto.
Bone Broth Health Benefits for Keto
1. Rich in Collagen and Amino Acids
The broth is derived from animal bones and vegetables and will be rich in collagen, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.
The minerals will be extracted from the vegetables used to make the broth as it has been proven that bones themselves do not release many minerals during the cooking process.
According to Alissa Rumsey, a Nutrition Therapist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor,
“When you sip some bone broth, you can expect to get some protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But that’s not all. Most broths also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium.”
The specific types of minerals and vitamins, as well as the amount, will vary according to the type of bone and vegetables that are used for the broth.
Collagen provides your body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Collagen is found in found in your bones, muscles, tendons and skin. When you consume bone broth, you’ll get the collagen in the natural form.
And in case you didn’t know, there are many benefits that come with adding collagen to your keto diet. It gives you more energy, improves the health of your liver, promotes a healthy gut, prevents keto flu and is considered to be anti-aging because of it’s effect on the skin.
As long as you use the right kind of bones for your bone broth, you will be able to get these bone broth health benefits when you follow the keto diet or any other diet for that matter.
2. Low in Carbs and Calories
A serving of the bone broth contains only around 0 to 2 grams of carbs, which means you can safely include it in your keto diet. In fact, you’ll find plenty of low carb recipes for bone broth on the internet.
Bone broth is also low in calories. Keri Gans, author of The Small Change Diet says,
“Consider bone broth a lower-calorie soup option.”
But it is important to remember that every bone broth is different. As mentioned, the broth can be made from the bones of different animals. Nevertheless, you can expect the broth to contain only about 35 to 85 calories for every serving.
3. Bone Broth Health Benefits for Weight Loss
Because of all the wonderful nutrients, especially protein in bone broth, drinking it regularly will help keep you hydrated and feeling fuller for longer. Any temptation for unhealthy high sugar foods is reduced so you avoid the extra calories which helps with weight loss.
Related reading: How A Low Carb Diet Keeps Your Appetite Under Control
One study showed that a cup of chicken bone broth contained more protein than chicken stock.
It’s great for drinking if you combine intermittent fasting with keto as so many do. This practice is said to have originated from Dr Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet.
This diet involves fasting for 2 days of the week. During those fasting days you drink 3-6 cups bone broth which amounts to a total of about 300-500 calories. For the rest of the week you eat a modified Paleo diet, which is not too dissimilar to a keto diet, with snacks of bone broth.
Related reading: Paleo vs. Keto: Which is Best for Weight Loss?
4. Protects Joints
One of the most popular bone broth health benefits is that it keeps the joints protected. As mentioned, the bone broth is high in collagen, which is good for the joints.
As we age, the cartilage in our joints will shrink or wear down. This will apply more pressure to your joints and they may eventually get damaged.
Studies show that supplementing your body with gelatin can increase the amount of collagen in your bone tissues, which protects the joints from further stress.
There are different types of collagen and the type of collagen that you’ll get from the bone broth will depend on the type of bone that was used.
Most of the collagen that’s derived from the bones of turkey and chicken is Type II Collagen and this is the type that is good for joint health. On the other hand, broths derived from beef has Type I Collagen, which is good for the skin.
Related reading: How A Keto Diet Can Ease Joint Pain
5. Reduce Inflammation and Improve Gut Heath
Some of the amino acids from bone broth are good for digestion. One of the bone broth health benefits is improving gut health.
According to a study published in the Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care journal, the amino acid derived from collagen can help treat gut conditions, such as a leaky gut (increased gut permeability).
This condition involves the irritation of the mucosal lining of the intestines, which interferes with your ability to properly digest food.
It has also been found that people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease can benefit from the amino acids in the bone broth. In a 2017 study that was published in the Nutrients Journal, it was found that people who have inflammatory bowel disease tend to have a lower level of amino acids.
Consuming bone broth daily is a great way to get the anti-inflammatory acids that can potentially cure bowel diseases.
If you’re following low carb diets like keto, maintaining a healthy gut is very important. That’s because some studies suggest that low carb diets could wreak havoc on your gut bacteria.
6. Helps You Sleep
Among the most common symptoms of the ketogenic diet is keto insomnia, a sleeping disorder that will make it difficult for you to fall asleep. That’s because reducing your consumption of carbs can have direct effects on your ability to sleep.
You can fight insomnia by adding bone broth to your diet. The amino acid glycine that’s high in bone broth has been found to promote better sleep in some people.
Glycine helps to increase serotonin levels in the body which can then be converted to melatonin, the sleep hormone.
A 2015 study reported that the amino acid glycine that’s derived from the animal bones can help one to easily fall asleep.
Taking glycine before bedtime may help people to sleep better. Regular consumption of glycine can help prevent fatigue during the day. So, adding bone broth into your meals may cure you of your insomnia.
Conclusion
Aside from the bone broth health benefits listed above, the broth comes with several other benefits for keto such as treating keto flu and detoxifying you. Therefore, adding the broth to your keto diet is certainly a good idea.
Even if you’re not following keto, consuming the broth can greatly benefit your health. It’s loaded with collagen and nutrients that can help your body to perform at its best.
