Should Seniors Be Eating Bone Broth? (2024)

FAQs

Should Seniors Be Eating Bone Broth? ›

Truthfully, if your senior is not on a vegan diet, bone broth can be a great option for your senior! It is high in protein and minerals and easy to digest, making it a great source of nutrition for those sensitivities to other foods.

For older adults, the benefits of bone broth are particularly significant: Joint Health: The collagen in bone broth can help maintain healthy joints. Gut Health: Amino acids like glutamine support gut health and digestion. Immune Support: The minerals and vitamins in bone broth can boost the immune system.

While bone broth is generally considered safe to consume, there are some potential risks to be aware of. Lead contamination. Some studies show elevated levels of lead in bone broths, which can be harmful to health if consumed in large amounts. Bacterial contamination.

Bone broth is a good choice to include in your diet along with all the other foods that fight inflammation. Organic chicken or beef bone broths (or make your own) have many beneficial nutrients that will help improve bones and joints, along with all the other benefits.

These include the risk of consuming too many heavy metals, which can seep into the broth from the animal bones during the cooking process. To avoid this, Wohlford says to avoid consuming large amounts of bone broth. Instead, stick to the recommended serving of 1 cup, or 8 ounces, of bone broth a day.

Then swapping out your cup of coffee for bone broth first thing in the morning is ideal. The nutrients in bone broth can supply you with fuel to help kick your day off. If you're interested in a good night's sleep, the collagen and gelatin in bone broth can promote restful sleep, so try a cup just before bedtime.

The healthiest bone broth on the market is the Organic bone broth made by Bluebird Provisions because it is the highest protein with 12 grams with 300 mg potassium and no added filler ingredients. It is also low in sodium and tastes absolutely delicious.

The sodium in bone broth may not be an issue for the average healthy person, Zumpano says, but it could be risky for people who have high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease. Always talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

According to some studies, bone broth may be high in glutamate. Glutamate may cause adverse effects such as anxiety, restlessness, low energy, mental exhaustion, sleeplessness, and concentration problems, although there is no scientific evidence to prove this.

The bones used to make commercial broth may contain high levels of heavy metals, which could make their way into the broth. However, homemade or store-bought bone broth levels are very low and unlikely to cause health problems.

Is bone broth really worth it? ›

There are claims that bone broth can help with weight loss, gut health, and joint health — but there's little evidence to support this. While eating collagen may increase the collagen levels in your body, research has found that most bone broths don't contain enough collagen to have any benefits.

One cup of Swanson's Chicken Bone Broth provides 35 calories, 8 grams protein, <1 gram carbohydrates, <1 gram total sugars, and 350 milligrams sodium. It is free of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. It also provides 2% of the daily recommended amount of iron and 8% of the daily recommended amount of potassium.

"If you're trying to get the benefits of bone broth, it makes sense to eat a serving of it daily over the course of six to eight weeks to assess the benefits," Dr. Means says.

In-store. The best store-bought bone broth is likely on a grocery shelf near you! That's because Kitchen Accomplice partners with grocery stores and specialty stores across the country to bring you delicious bone broth options.

“While beef bone broth and chicken bone broth are healthful, beef bone broth has more collagen per serving. It is also better for gut health, for immunity, for sleep, and for mood. And it's better for skin and nails,” Schiff says.

A single scoop of the protein powder provides you with 20 grams of protein, which is on par with most protein supplements on the market. According to manufacturers, a heaping scoop provides you with the same nutrients and protein as 2.5 cups (592 ml) of liquid bone broth.

It contains gelatin (an amazing nutrient that heals and soothes the gut lining) as well as amino acids like glutamine, glycine, and proline. If you're working to improve your gut health, we'd recommend drinking at least 3 cups of broth a day, ideally with the first being on an empty stomach in the morning.

The bones used to make commercial broth may contain high levels of heavy metals, which could make their way into the broth. However, homemade or store-bought bone broth levels are very low and unlikely to cause health problems.

According to Baraghani, a good bone broth doesn't need much more than bones and a few choice aromatics, like onions, garlic, and black pepper. "Don't even get me started on carrots," he says, which add sweetness.