Why Even Vegans Should Consider Drinking Bone Broth + 3 Health Benefits
Bone broth may have been around for a while now, but Sam Eckstein and Jordan Feldman, founders of Springbone in New York City, say it's no fleeting trend. They stopped by our offices to share why bone broth is so good for you, the crazy ways they consume it, and why they think even vegans and vegetarians shouldn't hesitate to drink this liquid gold elixir.
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Why vegans & vegetarians may want to consider drinking bone broth
Sam says he has a ton of respect for people who are vegan and vegetarian, especially due to consideration for animal rights. There are two things he thinks vegetarians and vegans should think about when considering bone broth. "Ninety-nine percent of America's meat is raised and killed in a way that's morally reprehensible, so the first thing is thinking about where you get your meat from — ideally, local farms where you know the way they're raised, and the conditions are humane," he says. "Secondly, most of the time if these bones aren't going to be used by someone like us in bone broth, they'll be discarded. Before bone broth was widely consumed, a lot of these parts just went to landfill and was wasted, so I like to think we're not contributing to significantly higher amounts of animals being killed."
Here's some of the benefits of bone broth they shared.
Bone broth is healing
Springbone started after Jordan hurt his knee. Months of physical therapy weren't really helping, but after he incorporated bone broth, he began to notice significant improvements in a matter of weeks. "Bone broth is rich in collagen, which is one of the building blocks for your bones, ligaments, hair, and skin. It goes to your body where it's needed most — so if you have an injury, it'll help rebuild that," says Jordan.
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It's good for your gut
Sam explains, "Bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid, so it draws water to your gut and helps with digestion. There are very few foods that have that property. The collagen also helps if you have a leaky gut, as it helps seal your gut's permeable lining."
It has nutrients you don't get from many other sources
"I think the way people are eating is changing, and that's here to stay," Jordan says. "Bone broth is clean, really healthy, and has nutritional components you can't find in a lot of other foods. For the next 20, 30-plus years, it'll be here.”
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Tips for making bone broth at home
Just be sure to use the collagen-rich parts of the bones to get your broth to gel, Sam notes. This means chicken feet for chicken bone broth, and, for beef broth, the knuckles and the areas around the hooves.
At Springbone, they use broth as the base for meals, smoothies, and even ice pops! Sam likes what they call Liquid Gold, a mix of chicken broth and golden milk (a blend of turmeric and coconut milk). Jordan prefers Butter Broth, a concoction inspired by Bulletproof Coffee in which beef broth is blended with (you guessed it!) pastured butter.
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Liz Moody is an author, blogger and recipe developer living in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated with a creative writing and psychology degree from The University of California, Berkeley. Moody has written two cookbooks: Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships and Glow Pops: Super-Easy Superfood Recipes to Help You Look and Feel Your Best. She also hosts the Healthier Together Podcast, where she chats with notable chefs, nutritionists, and best-selling authors about their paths to success. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, Food & Wine & Women’s Health.