“What’s that stuff you’re drinking?” She asked, “Oh, it’s bone broth,” I said quickly, as if it was second nature to everybody.

Although this primal drink has become second nature to me, I still totally get the “weirdness” of it, and why lots of people are plain grossed out by it. Why drink bone-vegetable-herb tea? Isn’t peppermint or ginger tea enough? Isn’t bone refuse bad for me?

Nope. Quite the opposite.

This stuff has magical healing powers and everybody needs to be drinking it. 

Bone broth is simply stock – bones, vegetables and herbs boiled down for 4 hours or more until you’re left with a rich broth that contains high amounts of collagen, key for bone and joint health, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. 

Sure, you’ve had bone broth many times in the form of soup, but I’m pretty confident you’ve never taken it as a beverage, straight up. It should be treated as a medicinal supplement and taken 1-2 times daily. It’s so easy to make and one NYC location around the corner from me even sells it to go in coffee cups. Amazing.

So, why?

1. Bone broth greatly aids absorption of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. You could be eating all the nutritious food in the world, but if you’re not absorbing it due to various blockers like excess caffeine, alcohol, sugar, or a condition like celiac disease where the gut becomes permeable, you’re essentially starving to death.

   In these cases, you can’t assimilate nutrients from your food. Total bummer and waste of money. Organic is expensive.

   Bone broth heals gut permeability and ushers nutrients out to aid organ function and support every single bodily function, especially brain function. Goodbye brain fog.

2. Aids digestion. Bone broth gently stimulates and warms the intestines, allowing them to do their thing. Hello, flat stomach.

3. Boosts metabolism. Nutrient-rich bone broth greatly supports the thyroid gland in carrying out metabolic functions, crucial for weight and muscle maintenance.

4. Promotes a feeling of calm. A happy gut and a warm, soothing beverage in hand naturally relax your nervous system and trigger serotonin release.

5. Glowing skin. Your skin is a direct reflection of your gut health. If you’re breaking out, dry, red or splotchy, you can bet something is going on in your gut. Support your hardworking digestive system with bone broth and watch the quality of your skin transform.

6. Hair and nail strength. If your hair has been falling out, brittle and/or dry, it’s likely an absorption issue. Same for nails – if they’re breaking, soft or brittle, you’re demineralized and lacking key nutrients because of malabsorption. Add bone broth and watch your hair and nails come back to life.

7. I know it sounds crazy, but sipping bone broth will seriously boost your mood. 95% of serotonin – the happy hormone – is housed in your gut. When your gut’s happy and absorbing everything, you’ll be happy.

8. When you’re not absorbing key nutrients, vitamins and minerals, it’s almost impossible to be productive because your energy is so low. Chronic fatigue is a sure sign of a nutrient deficiency.

   You’re not lazy, you’re just exhausted because you’re practically starving to death from malabsorption. You just need to fix your gut.

   Take one step this week by adding in bone broth. It’s simple. You don’t have to take anything out, just add in this one superfood.

9. Balances hormones. Gut and thyroid health is intimately connected to hormonal health. If you’re dealing with bloating, missed menstrual cycles, breakouts around the chin and jaw, it’s likely that you have a hormonal imbalance. Bone broth will be very helpful.

10. Makes you a better dancer. When you’re not absorbing all the goods from your food, your balance is thrown off because your neurons don’t have the lubrication they need to communicate and tell your body how to move. Seriously. Balance issues are a direct reflection of gut and circulatory health.

So, what are you waiting for? Put a pot of bone broth on the stove now, and if you’re in NYC’s East Village, pop by Brodo and say hi to the smiling man in the window and order a large broth with fresh-grated turmeric from the Union Square Farmer’s Market.

Take one step today to heal your brain and body so you can step into your full potential. It’s worth it now, because you are so valuable. Take the first step.

Photo: Jake Freeman