By Nutritionist Blogger Jeni Tackett, RD, LD

Can sipping on bone broth really improve your joint heath and make your skin and hair healthier?

The nutritional claims for bone broth (Shiny hair! Decreased joint pain! Beautiful skin!) are inflated, but there may be some benefits to a warm mug of stock.

Bone broth or soup stock is nothing new. Using animal bones to flavor broth and soups has been a practice for centuries.

However, some people are drinking bone broth every day for the nutrient content and health claims.

Some websites claim that the collagen in bone broth will improve your joint health, but these claims are not supported by any clinical evidence.

Bone broth is low in calories and offers some nutrient benefits such as protein, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.

Athletes such as Kobe Bryant drink bone broth to decrease healing time from injuries, which gives credibility to the claims that bone broth is good for your joints.

With no clinical studies on the benefits of collagen in bone broth, the claims are not backed by science.

Bone broth is just another fad.

It doesn’t hold up next to dark greens such as kale, berries like blueberries, or whole grains like quinoa.

Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables offer fiber along with powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Bone broth is soothing and can offer hydration, some electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium), and protein after an intense workout.

Another benefit of bone broth is that it gets you in your kitchen cooking with real food. Eating at home and cooking with vegetables is always a nutrition win.

So get cooking in your kitchen, and feel free to sip on some bone broth as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Recipe for bone broth: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beef-bone-broth-51260700

USDA Nutrient Database Profiles for Fish, Chicken, and Beef Broth

Meet Jeni Tackett, Let’s Move Quad Cities Nutrition Blogger. Jeni is a registered and licensed dietitian for Rock Valley Health. Jeni counsels her clients on weight loss and nutrition. You can read Jeni’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.