Dr. DIY: Will Bone Broth Cure a Cold?
Is bone broth the long awaited cure for the common cold? Some people swear by it, while others question the wisdom of relying too heavily on bone broth when you have the sniffles… So, what are the facts? The truth is there are no miracle cures for a cold, but bone broth may very well have healing properties that can help alleviate the symptoms of a cold. Read on to find out more about bone broth and its healing benefits:
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a stock that requires at least 6 hours to prep. In fact, some types of bone broth can slow cook for 24 hours or longer. There are no set rules for creating the broth, but it is often made with bones from cows, chicken, bison, turkey, and even fish.
You can limit it to just the broth, or add fresh vegetables or meat. Once you cook the bones, place the broth in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the fat to rise to the top, then scrape that fat layer off to make a healthy, low-calorie stock soup.
What Makes Bone Broth Healthy?
There is no evidence that bone broth will cure your cold, but there is a good reason Mom or Dad made you all that soup when you were sick. It has plenty of nutritional benefits. Stock broth made this way offers a rich source of magnesium, for example. It contains other key nutrients, as well, such as:
- Iron
- Selenium
- Copper
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
Bone broth features some essential amino acids, too, namely:
- Argentine
- Lysine
- Glutamine
- Proline
These are all critical to digestion, cognitive function, and detoxification—a key factor in alleviating cold symptoms.
What are the Health Benefits of Bone Broth?
Bone broth has some healthy nutritional elements, but how does that translate into it being “good” for your body? For one thing, the combination of vitamins, minerals and amino acids work together to strengthen the immune system, giving you the tools you need to fight off an invading cold virus. The broth can also help thin mucus to clear out your sinus and breathing passages, too.
Some claim that drinking bone broth helps the digestion, and there may be some truth there. When you are filling up on bone broth, you are not eating foods that irritate your stomach or that are difficult to digest. Some practitioners recommend bone broth for digestion because it contains gelatin that may heal the intestinal lining and reduce the chance of having unpleasant digestive issues.
There isn’t much scientific proof to back up the benefits of bone broth in your diet; but it is, after all, the food of our ancestors. While it may not cure your cold, it may indeed help you feel better faster.