What is bone broth? It is a soup that is made by simmering bones (sometimes with meat) for many hours, with organic apple cider vinegar and a few herbs like basil or mint. This slowly breaks down all the nutrients from the bones and cartilage making the broth extremely nutritious.
This is a very undervalued and underused health-building tool in India. Perhaps because we do not have easy access to farm-raised, pasture-fed, and grass-finished meat and bones. Perhaps because we do not always know the full supply chain of the meat product.
But nonetheless, it would be worth investing some time and effort into sourcing the right kind of meat and bones to make Bone Broths!
Benefits and Uses:
Where can I start with the benefits….There are so many! Like all the foods that have made the cut, Bone broths are very versatile in their uses and benefits.
- It’s a soother for the tummy! Got upset tummy for pups adults or senior dogs, this will do the trick! A lot of times, very young pups end up with upset tummies very easily, and it’s difficult to feed them anything! A nice chicken bone broth will not only give them. the much-needed fluids, nutrients, and minerals, but also will soothe the stomach and make them feel better. Same for older dogs too, when their appetite goes down, broths can really be a lifesaver!
- It’s an appetite stimulator – great for fussy eaters, great for snacks, and great as an add-on to meals. When your dog is walking away from meals or is hungry in the middle of the day, broths are a great option to keep handy. It adds great flavor to the meal. Served chilled in the summer heat, it’s a cooling nutrient-dense beverage. Served warm in the winters, it’s comforting!
- The plethora of nutrients in the broths support joint health, stimulate cartilage growth and help in joint lubrication. Bone broths when made with the cartilage and connective tissue, have a lot of minerals in them such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and collagen that help build and repair the joints, cartilage, and the surrounding tissue like ligaments and tendons.
- It helps in all sorts of inflamed gut conditions to reduce inflammation and yet deliver great quality nutrition to the body. Inflammatory conditions of the gut such as leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disorder/disease, Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, and Mild digestive upset or constipation are all taken care of by this mild, yet powerful superfood – Bone broth.
- It’s a great weight-loss snack. Filling, satisfying, and yet not high on calories. Bone broth is typically low on Carbohydrates, and we know that Carbs are a major culprit in the obesity epidemic in dogs. (Read more – Macros and their effects on health) So if you have already embarked on a weight loss regime for your dog that hopefully involves a carefully designed meal plan, it would be a fairly low carbohydrate diet. Your dog will love bone broths as a part of this plan! It’s a yummy, satisfying, nutritious snack replacement!
- It helps sound sleep – super important for the body to heal and repair! Research has shown that consuming gelatin before bed helps induce sleep because of the amino acid glycine. Glycine plays an important role in the neurotransmitters within the brain. It also helps fight fatigue. which is super important in very young pups that overdo everything! in sick dogs that need to recuperate, and in older dogs that need to repair and mend their bodies more!
- Strengthens all connective Tissue – That covers – skin, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and muscles! Connective tissue literally makes up the whole body, other than your bones and organs. When you make bone broths a part of your dog’s daily regime, the vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients in it, help the whole body!
- May help soothe Joint pain. An absolute must for dogs with arthritis and hip dysplasia. Back to the amino acids glycine and proline, that help repair and build muscles and tissues. And help reduce inflammation. Bone broths are also rich in glucosamine and chondroitin, which are the main ingredients in the joint supplements you give your arthritic dog. Switching to bone broths will give them a natural, more bio-available form of this. These supplements are known to relieve pain in stiff joints.
- The nutritional profile (based on the quality of the bones used) reduces inflammation in the body, thus helping with pain, thus helping with sleep.
- It can be used to detox the Liver and Kidneys. (Humans who have been known to go on bone broth fasting for 24 to 48 hours every month, achieve deep cleansing of these organs) If your dogs have compromised kidneys or liver, doing a whole 24 hours of bone broths only, would be very beneficial for these organs.
- The micronutrient profile boosts immunity – Mutton soup and paya soup are age-old recipes that have been used to heal the sick. It helps raise immunity and gives them energy. Chinese medicine documents the use of bone broth recipes for healing going back 2500 years! The Egyptian doctors have documented the same going back 1500 years. and Soup made from boiled bones has been around ever since man cooked with fire!
- Boosts skin health also – can be used for dogs that don’t have soft supple shiny skin – the collagen in the broth helps rebuild the proteins in the skin, making it healthy, soft, and young. Some Egyptian documents talk about using it for glowing skin.
- The broth is also rich in minerals – namely magnesium, and zinc which are easy to absorb from the soup – that play an important role in restful sleep and repair of the body. I know I’m repeating this point, but really there can’t be enough emphasis on restful sleep for a healthy body and mind!
HOW MUCH:
You can prepare broths in batches and store them in the freezer in small containers for one-time use. Do not forget to make use of our wonderful Indian spices that add more anti-inflammatory qualities to your broth! We use our Anti-inflammatory Spice mix – Healthy-licious.
Store in airtight containers after its room temperature. If you are in Bangalore and cant make them at home, we stock a variety of broths at all times. Click here to order.
Puppies – Can have small quantities mixed in meals / or as small liquid snacks
Adult dogs – as an afternoon snack/or 2-4 tbsp added into their meals as a supplement.
Sick dogs – As a meal replacement / or 2 – 3 times a day as small snacks
Senior dogs – Added to their meals / or 2 -3 times a day as small snacks
Dogs on liquid diets – Use this as the main base for adding other semi-liquid foods.