Bone broth has become a trendy addition to both human and pet diets. Like many "miracle foods" the benefits are often sensationalized in popular and social media but some very real-sounding claims exist, including relief from arthritis and Irritable Bowel Disease (aka IBD, or "IBS").
Bone broth provides amino acids required to synthesise new collagen, which is essential for skeletal health and wound healing; it can be a rich source of gelatin, and also provide chondroitin, glucosamine and hyaluronic acid, all of which may help lubricate and protect joints and alleviate arthritis symptoms. It may help downregulate immune responses (and reduce flares) in diseases such as IBD.
Unfortunately, many of the reported benefits are anecdotal. Studies point to the huge variation in preparation (bones used, cooking method and time, etc.) and in reality; bone broth probably isn’t a miracle cure-all. Even through the science is lacking, bone broth appears to provide a lot of benefits; especially for older, ill or injured dogs. It is also a way to provide nourishment (energy, protein, minerals) that is easy to consume and digest during times of temporary inappetence.
Preparation is important! Generally, the longer the cooking time, the more gelatinous and concentrated the broth will be. Slow Cookers or Instant Pot style pressure cookers make it easy to prepare bone broth at home. For dogs, nothing should be added – no salt or seasonings at all. Fat should be skimmed. Unfortunately, most store bought bone broths, even those indicated for dogs, contain a lot of extra ingredients such as vegetable broth and/or vegetables, which has a diluting effect (you pay more for less). Products for human consumption often contain a lot of added sodium and other potentially harmful ingredients.
For a deeper dive into this post and related topics, clients and members can access extended content through the Clients Only pages (password required).
© Fiona Robertson Cert. ACN