Bone broth



Bone broth (or stock ) is a potable liquid (water with optional added flavors) in which animal bones have been simmered. Rich broths are an integral part of culinary traditions across the globe and are served as expensive beverages for brainless hipsters in New York City and in soups and stews for everyone else.

Though not very nutritious by itself, bone broth is the subject of a diet cult with a sizeable and soup-er wacky (sorry) following, particularly with the "paleo" crowd. Accomplished doctors in hucksterology like Dr. Oz, "Dr." Mercola, and "Dr." Axe are all big fans. Other believers include the late Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers, as well as noted nutrition expert Alex Jones, seen to the right "enjoying" a chocolate bone broth shake.

The claims
Bone broth is really nothing more than liquid Jell-O. Collagen (now hydrolyzed as gelatin in bone broth) is a decent protein source, but it has little flavor. Any flavor present in a particular broth recipe is almost entirely due to added ingredients (primarily salt and spices). When collagen is ingested, most of it is just broken down in the stomach into amino acids, as are many other proteins.

Most of the more cuckoo claims for bone broth focus on its only real ingredient, collagen, the main protein in connective tissues like bones. For example, the authors of Nourishing Traditions, an extremely popular series of cookbooks and lifestyle guides, are the source of many commonly-asserted health claims for bone broth, compiled in their follow-up book, Nourishing Broth. Despite their claims, there is no evidence bone broth is beneficial for joint health, wound healing, bone fractures, or immune health. The authors' PhDs are in nutrition science and neither are researchers or clinicians. Both are affiliated with the Weston A. Price Foundation and have a long history of spewing alt-med nonsense. Research into the effects of collagen on joint, bone and skin health are mixed and inconclusive. In other words, drinking bone broth will probably not improve the appearance of skin, nails or hair.

With the supposed health benefits aside, broth is one of many dubious folk remedies for the common cold, mostly tongue-in-cheek, but persistent despite a lack of evidence. It just feels nice if not nostalgic to drink soup when you're down. Inhaling the vapor from hot liquids like soup does relieve upper respiratory symptoms. And why pass up an excuse for chicken soup? Just watch the salt (see above).

There are some even more crazy ideas on broth. Many proponents also spout other alt-med and nutrition woo, such as bone broth's supposed effects on "leaky gut" syndrome,  a bogus condition. In traditional Chinese medicine, bone broth is used to increase the qi of body organs, including the kidney, whatever that means, as details on how this works is never really explained.

Collagen still has numerous non-woo medical applications in wound care and cosmetic surgery.