By now, you know that broth isn’t just for sipping when you’re feeling under the weather. As we all tend to lead busier, more active lifestyles, we have searched far and wide for the best ways to support optimal health, and as it turns out, the benefits of chicken soup can transcend the sniffles. Specifically, bone broth, defined as the nutrient-rich liquid that results from slow-cooking animal bones for around 24 hours, is said to have properties that heal and support the body.

The wellness world has caught on to incorporating bone broth in more ways to do just that. It’s now as commonplace as a daily juice or even a cup of coffee (enter our Heat & Sip Cups!). This food trend shows no signs of going away, and we’re all for it. It’s no wonder those who put their bodies to the test on the regular swear by it. Some believe that bone broth has the power to help enhance athletic performance, reduce recovery time between workouts, build muscle, reduce pain in muscles and joints, and improve immunity.

In this piece, we’ll walk you through some key bone broth benefits, and how the elixir could be the secret ingredient your training routine is missing. First, let’s look at some of the healing properties of bone broth and how they can be useful for the athlete:

Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation is the body’s natural healing response to injury or infection. It often involves heat, redness, and pain. When exercising, minor tears and injuries can be caused in joints and tissue, which will eventually promote rebuilding for stronger muscles and increased performance; but it is possible to overdo it, causing longer recovery times.

Bone broth is high in anti-inflammatory amino acids, glycine and proline, which have been shown to help speed the recovery process and reduce inflammation; allowing muscles and joints to heal quicker, and enabling us to get back to the gym faster.

Joint Health

Joints are put to the test in training mode, and the last thing we need as an athlete is a sprain or strain. Not only that, joint health declines with age, making joints more susceptible to injury. The reason for this decline is the slowing of collagen production as we age.

Drinking bone broth is one of the ways to bring collagen back into our bodies. The slow-cooking process extracts collagen from the animal bones and joints into the broth, and makes it easy to absorb when consumed. The collagen in the broth can help supplement what has been lost, supporting healthy bones and stronger joints. Studies show that dietary collagen can even reduce joint pain in athletes.[1]

Another key factor in promoting joint health is gelatin, a nutrient also found in bone broth, that provides cushioning and glide for joints, and is also extracted from the joints and cartilage in the cooking process. Gelatin also tends to be lost in the joints with wear and tear; and incorporating it into the diet can help supplement natural depletion.

Sodium

Your body needs sodium, and when you sweat, you lose valuable water and sodium. Popular sports drinks are made with sodium to address this issue. Bone broth provides a high-quality source of sodium that can replace what was lost during an intense workout.

My Story:

As a former competitive fencer, I definitely saw the correlation between my diet and my performance first-hand. Having the right food really helped with recovery, alertness, and my performance.

Growing up in Singapore, my mother has always made drinking broths a part of our culture as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) was part of our culture. Slow-simmered double-boiled soups have always been popular in Singapore and other parts of Asia, like China, Korea, and Hong Kong. Broth is often consumed after pregnancy, or surgery to help build the immune system in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In fact, one of our bone broth recipes, the Ginseng Chicken Bone Broth, is modeled after a Korean soup called samgyetang and a Chinese soup with black chicken and ginseng that is often consumed for functional purposes.

As an athlete, I didn’t have time to make my own bone broths. I am really excited though that we now have our bone broths available in our Heat & Sip Cups, which makes it super convenient for you to enjoy the health benefits of bone broth.

We are inspired by traditional recipes and techniques to simmer chicken bones and beef bones to extract high-quality nutrients.

Our Cups have become popular with both the casual and professional athlete, alike. Defensive Tackle on the Oakland Raiders, Eddie Vanderdoes IV, swears by bone broth for recovery. While he was nursing an injured knee, he sipped Nona Lim Bone Broth on the daily to speed up the healing process. He posits that the Heat & Sip Cups were “crucial for my recovery.”

How To Get The Most Out of Your Bone Broth:

Consuming one serving or one Heat & Sip Cup of bone broth daily, a few hours before or after your workout, is a great way to support a healthy body and reap the bone broth benefits. It’s a super-nourishing way to warm up your body in the morning, and is a healthy alternative to your morning coffee. Broth is also an excellent, caffeine-free way to wind down in the evening after a long day.

Our new functional bone broths: Turmeric Chicken, Shiitake Beef, and Ginseng Chicken are packed with 5-10g of protein, so they are great choices for a pre or post workout snack to keep you satisfied and energized.

Our Kits and Samplers are designed to give you an opportunity to sample our different broth varieties, making it easier than ever to get in your daily dose of bone broth.