Chicken Bone Broth Protein

What exactly is Bone Broth?

Bone broth is a nourishing and healing food made from a combination of bones like the femur and scapula with parts rich in gelatin, such as feet and knuckles. While typically not a great source of quantitative amounts of protein, bone broth is a quality source of complete protein and amino acids used explicitly for potentially restoring good health.

Bone broth is one of the most traditional foods in every culture used as a tool for nourishing and healing what ails you, and some traditionalists believe that it could be one of the most nourishing foods on earth. 

Bones, marrow, and connective tissue contain all the necessary materials needed to keep the structural foundation of our body strong and healthy and a litany of amino acids.

1. Bone broth is one of the best natural sources of collagen, a protein found in animal bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and marrow. 
2. Collagen is a complex protein comprised of 19 essential and nonessential amino acids composed of three chains wound into a tight helix, with each chain being 1400 amino acids long. 
3. Gelatin is the result when protein collagen is cooked and broken down. 

It has a unique amino acid profile high in hydroxyproline, proline (makes up 15% of collagen), and glycine (is one-third of collagen protein), which are specific building blocks for collagen that may provide foundational support for healthy joints, skin, hair, and nails. 

Glutamate, derived from its precursor glutamine, is found in quantitative amounts of bone broth and is possibly part of the reason for bone broth’s claim to restore gut health.

According to an article in the Journal of Gastroenterology, “Dietary glutamate (Glu) stimulates to evoke the umami taste, one of the five basic tastes, enhancing food palatability. But it is also the main gut energy source for the absorption and metabolism of each nutrient; thus, only a trace amount of Glu reaches the general circulation.”

Bones, marrow, and connective tissue yield a broad spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals when adequately and appropriately prepared. Bones contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. The connective tissue material found in knuckles and feet is rich in the building blocks for joint health, like glucosamine and chondroitin.

Unlike taking those compounds in supplement form, this is a direct useable source. Bone marrow (the spongy and dense tissue that fills the inside of bones) is a quantitative source of vitamins A, B2, and B12, essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc.

But beyond these tremendous components, bone marrow also contains unique cofactors that may support deep nourishment beyond the basics. 

There are two types of bone marrow:

1. Red bone marrow which helps produce blood cells containing hematopoietic stem cells,
2. Yellow marrow helps store fat and mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow produces red and white blood cells and platelets. Lymphocytes are also made in the marrow, which supports specific immune system responses. All of these intrinsic compounds are found in bone broth.

Tradition over Research:

Bone broth has a very long and healthy tradition in various cultures, with family recipes passed down from generation to generation. While each family has little secret ingredients they put into the recipe, the base for all bone broths is very similar. The animal bones used in each recipe (chicken, beef, fish, pork) will depend on culture and tradition.

Chances were, when our parents or grandparents made these nourishing broths; they didn’t understand why it was essential to use the parts and ingredients. All they knew was the recipe passed down was powerful and effective, so they continued the tradition.

Unfortunately, most articles about bone broth don’t represent the research very well. It is not uncommon to read articles that reference studies that discuss some of the compounds found in bone broth (glycine, proline). Still, those studies were done on those compounds as isolated entities in much higher amounts than you would find in the broth that yielded those specific results.

But don’t despair because while there is not much research specifically about bone broth, plenty of good quality research backs up the raw materials (collagen and gelatin) that you get therapeutic amounts of from this tonic broth.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical study on the effectiveness of collagen peptides on knee Osteoarthritis specific to improvement in treatment, “There was a significant reduction from baseline to Visit 7 in the primary endpoints of WOMAC and VAS scores and the secondary endpoint of QOL score in subjects with PCP and BCP groups, while in subjects with the placebo group, the endpoint indices remained unaltered. Furthermore, all the score levels of WOMAC, VAS, and QOL decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in the study group compared to the placebo group in Visit 7.”

Therefore, it was concluded, “The study demonstrated that collagen peptides are potential therapeutic agents as nutritional supplements for the management of osteoarthritis and maintenance of joint health.”

In another study of 200 male and female (minimum 50 years old) patients evaluating the effect of collagen hydrolysate on articular pain, “At six months, the proportion of clinical responders to the treatment, according to VAS scores, was significantly higher in the collagen hydrolysate (CH) group 51.6%, compared to the placebo group 36.5% (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between groups at three months (44.1% vs. 39.6%, p=0.53). No significant difference in terms of security and tolerability was observed between the two groups.” It was concluded, “This study suggests that collagen hydrolysate 1200 mg/day could increase the number of clinical responders (i.e., improvement of at least 20% on the VAS) compared to placebo.”

A third 24-week study evaluating the effects of collagen hydrolysate in athletes with activity-related joint pain using the following six parameters (one assessed by a physician and five considered by the patients)

1. joint pain at rest, evaluated by the physician
2. joint pain when walking
3. joint pain when standing
4. joint pain at rest
5. joint pain when carrying objects
6. joint pain when lifting

It is stated, “When data from all subjects (n = 97) were evaluated, six parameters showed statistically significant changes with the dietary supplement collagen hydrolysate (CH) compared with placebo.”

“The results of this study have implications for using collagen hydrolysate to support joint health and possibly reduce the risk of joint deterioration in a high-risk group. Despite the study’s size and limitations, the results suggest that athletes consuming collagen hydrolysate can reduce parameters (such as pain) that hurt athletic performance.” 

Summary of Important information

1. Bone broth is a nourishing and healing food made from a combination of larger bones like the femur and scapula with parts rich in gelatin, like feet and knuckles.
2. While not a great source of quantitative amounts of protein, it is a quality source of complete protein specifically used for potentially restoring good health.
3.  Bone broth is one of the most traditional foods in every culture used as a tool for nourishing and healing what ails you, and some traditionalists say that it could be one of the most nourishing foods on earth.
4. Bones, marrow, and connective tissue contain not only all the necessary materials needed to keep the structural foundation of our body strong and healthy but also a litany of amino acids.
5. Bone, marrow, and connective tissue are the foundation for what makes this magical broth so healing.
6. Bone broth is one of the best natural sources of collagen, a protein found in animal bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and marrow.
7. Collagen is a complex protein comprised of 19 essential and nonessential amino acids composed of three chains wound into a tight helix, with each chain being 1400 amino acids long.
8. Gelatin is the result when protein collagen is cooked and broken down. It has a unique amino acid profile high in hydroxyproline, proline (makes up 15% of collagen), and glycine (is one-third of collagen protein), which are specific building blocks for collagen that may provide foundational support for healthy joints, skin, hair, and nails.
9.  Glutamate, derived from its precursor glutamine, is found in quantitative amounts of bone broth and is possibly part of the reason for bone broth’s claim to restore gut health. According to an article in the Journal of Gastroenterology, “Dietary glutamate (Glu) stimulates to evoke the umami taste, one of the five basic tastes, enhancing food palatability. But it is also the main gut energy source for the absorption and metabolism of each nutrient; thus, only a trace amount of Glu reaches the general circulation.”
10. Bones, marrow, and connective tissue yield a broad spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals. Bones contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. The connective tissue material found in knuckles and feet is rich in the building blocks for joint health. Unlike taking glucosamine and chondroitin, this is the direct useable source.
11. Bone marrow (the spongy and dense tissue that fills the inside of bones) is a quantitative source of vitamins A, B2, and B12, essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc. But beyond these tremendous components, bone marrow also contains unique cofactors that may support deep nourishment beyond the basics. There are two types of bone marrow. Red bone marrow helps produce blood cells containing hematopoietic stem cells, and yellow marrow helps store fat and mesenchymal stem cells. Bone marrow produces red and white blood cells and platelets. Lymphocytes are also made in the marrow, which supports specific immune system responses. All of these intrinsic compounds are found in bone broth.

Suggested Use: Add 1 tbsp (7g) to 6 oz hot water or 4 tbsp (28g) to your favorite protein shake, soup, sauce, or savory dish.

Miscellaneous Facts about our Chicken Bone Broth Protein

Other Names: chicken broth, chicken stock, chicken bouillon, chicken soup

Ingredients: Natural Chicken Broth

Parts used: Concentrated Broth derived from cooking bones with adhering meat.

Origin: Raised and processed in the USA and packaged with care in Florida, USA.