The 21-day bone broth diet has gained popularity as a weight loss strategy that combines intermittent fasting with the principles of the Paleo diet. This article delves into the details of the diet, examining its potential benefits and risks while providing a comprehensive overview of how to implement it.
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a nutrient-dense liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues in water. This process extracts collagen, amino acids, and minerals, resulting in a flavorful and healthful broth. Anthropologists suggest that the consumption of bone-infused liquids dates back to prehistoric times, with variations found across cultures worldwide. For example, the popular Japanese ramen dish tonkotsu is a pork bone broth. Bone broth combines the richness of a stock with the drinkability of a broth.
Technically, bone broth can be made from any animal bones, but the most common types include chicken, beef, and pork. Chicken bone broth typically has a higher amino acid content than beef bone broth, but it is less nutrient-dense than turkey bone broth. Beef bone broth, while not as rich in amino acids as chicken bone broth, contains slightly more fat, making it a good base for stews and soups. Pork bone broth is a staple in many East Asian dishes, often made with pigs' feet for a more gelatinous texture.
The difference between broth and stock lies in their primary ingredients: stocks are made using bones, while broths are made using meat and skin. Bone broth combines both, often including vegetables and seasonings for added flavor.
The 21-Day Bone Broth Diet: A Detailed Overview
The 21-day bone broth diet is a type of intermittent fasting (IF) program called 5:2. This diet alternates between five days of a low-carb, Paleo-style eating plan and two days of modified fasting with bone broth consumption. Popularized by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, the diet is touted as a way to detoxify the body, promote weight loss, and improve gut health.
Read also: Bone Broth Benefits with Miracle Noodle
How the Diet Works
The 21-day bone broth diet plan is a meal plan that alternates between a Paleo diet five days a week followed by two days of fasting and drinking a lot of bone broth every day.
- Fasting Days: On two non-consecutive days per week, individuals consume only bone broth, typically five to six 1-cup (237-ml or 8-ounce) portions throughout the day. Alternatively, they may consume five portions of bone broth and end the day with a snack containing protein, nonstarchy vegetables, and healthy fats. Calorie intake on these days ranges from 300 to 500 calories.
- Non-Fasting Days: For the remaining five days, the diet emphasizes a Paleo-style eating plan, focusing on whole, unprocessed foods. The diet encourages high-quality animal proteins (like chicken, beef, and fish), non-starchy vegetables (like broccoli, asparagus, spinach, and mushrooms), and healthy fats (like avocado, nuts, flaxseed, and olives). Smaller amounts of starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, green peas, winter squash, and carrots are also permitted, Milk alternatives, fruit, and natural sugar substitutes such as agave, date sugar, and honey are also allowed in moderation.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
- Allowed Foods: The diet emphasizes bone broth, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nonstarchy vegetables, healthy fats, and certain fruits in moderation. Whole, low-carb, unprocessed or minimally processed foods including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nonstarchy vegetables, healthy fats, and bone broth are the focus of the diet. The diet encourages you to make your own bone broth - preferably using bones from organic, pasture-raised animals. It recommends using knuckle, joint, feet, and neck bones since they’re rich in cartilage.
- Foods to Avoid: During the 21-day diet, it is recommended to avoid grains, dairy, legumes, added sugars, alcohol, refined fats, and processed foods. The 21-day diet recommends you avoid certain foods claimed to reduce inflammation, support gut health, and increase fat burning.
Sample Menu
Here's an example of what you may eat on a typical mini-fast or non-fasting day.
Mini-Fast Day Menu:
- Breakfast: 1 cup (237 ml or 8 ounces) of bone broth
- Morning snack: 1 cup of bone broth
- Lunch: 1 cup of bone broth
- Afternoon snack: 1 cup of bone broth
- Dinner: 1 cup of bone broth
- Evening snack: 1 cup of bone broth or an allowed snack, such as scrambled eggs with ghee and sautéed greens
Non-Fasting Day Menu:
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs with ghee and nonstarchy vegetables, and one portion of berries
- Lunch: roasted chicken breast sliced over garden salad with vinaigrette salad dressing
- Afternoon snack: 1 cup (237 ml or 8 ounces) of bone broth
- Dinner: grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, and cauliflower rice with ghee
- Evening snack: 1 cup of bone broth
80/20 Maintenance Plan
After completing the 21-day program, individuals can transition to an 80/20 maintenance plan. This involves adhering to the approved foods 80% of the time, while allowing for occasional indulgences in non-approved foods, such as dairy products and alcohol, for the remaining 20%.
Read also: The Power of Vegetable Broth
Potential Benefits of the Bone Broth Diet
The bone broth diet combines several dietary approaches, each with its purported benefits:
- Weight Loss: The diet's calorie restriction, particularly on fasting days, can lead to weight loss. Bone broth is low in calories and carbohydrates, and the gelatin protein can help promote satiety. Some experts say that bone broth can be a part of a healthy weight loss regime. It is loaded with protein-about 10 grams per serving-that can help you feel full for longer. This extra protein can also assist in building lean muscle mass, which in turn enables your body to burn more calories throughout the day.
- Improved Blood Sugar Control: The low-carb nature of the diet may contribute to improved blood sugar control, particularly after meals. A recent review of reduced-calorie diets for people with type 2 diabetes concluded that low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets for improving blood sugar control - especially blood sugar following meals.
- Skin Health: Bone broth is rich in collagen, which is believed to promote skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. According to the research, collagen supplementation has a variety of health benefits. Skin health: When your skin collagen breaks down, it shows up as wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging. Taking collagen may provide the raw materials to offset this decline.
- Gut Health: The amino acids in bone broth, such as glutamine and glycine, may help repair and strengthen the gut lining. Collagen protein helps maintain the gut barrier, which breaks down (leaky gut) in those with chronic gut issues.
- Reduced Inflammation: The diet emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods and may help reduce overall inflammation in the body. The amino acids in bone broth may work to counteract inflammation-causing compounds in your body.
- Joint Support: Collagen and other compounds in bone broth, such as glucosamine and chondroitin, may help reduce joint pain and support cartilage health. Joint support: NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) are the standard treatment for chronic joint pain, but these medicines have bad side effects. Enter collagen.
Potential Risks and Considerations
While the bone broth diet may offer certain benefits, it's important to be aware of the potential risks and considerations:
- Nutrient Deficiencies: The diet's restrictive nature can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies, particularly if not carefully planned. The diet is also low in carbohydrates which are crucial for energy and overall health, says Russell. That also means it’s likely low in fiber which can wreak havoc on your gut causing constipation, bloating, gas, and hemorrhoids, she explains. Consuming too much of a nutrient can also pose risks, says Bray. For example, bone broth can be high in sodium and potassium which may be dangerous for those with kidney disease, liver disease, or high blood pressure, she explains.
- Side Effects: Intermittent fasting and low-carb diets may cause side effects such as fatigue, nausea, and headaches, especially during the initial adjustment period.
- Broth Intolerance: Some individuals may experience digestive upset or headaches after consuming bone broth. The diet is restrictive, so there are inherently some risks, says Russell. “During those two days of bone broth fasts, you’re only consuming about 600 calories which is significantly below the recommendation for any living human,” she explains.
- Lead Contamination: Some studies have shown elevated levels of lead in bone broth, which can be harmful if consumed in large amounts. 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.
- Allergic reactions: Bone broth may contain allergens such as dairy or shellfish, so it is important to check the ingredients before consuming.
Who Should Avoid the Bone Broth Diet?
The bone broth diet may not be suitable for everyone. It is generally not recommended for:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Individuals with a history of eating disorders
- People with certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease
- Athletes or individuals with high-intensity workout schedules
Scientific Evidence and Research
Currently, there is limited scientific research specifically on the Bone Broth Diet. However, some studies have examined the individual components of the diet, such as low-carb eating, the Paleo diet, and intermittent fasting.
- Low-Carb Diets: Some reviews suggest that low-carb diets may produce slightly more weight loss than standard reduced-calorie diets, while others report little or no difference.
- Paleo Diet: Studies on the Paleo diet have yielded mixed results, with some showing modest weight loss and improvements in waist circumference, while others report no significant differences compared to standard diets.
- Intermittent Fasting: Some studies suggest that intermittent fasting may lead to greater weight loss compared to continuous calorie restriction, while others show similar results with both methods.
It's important to note that the results of these studies may not be directly applicable to the Bone Broth Diet, as it combines multiple dietary approaches.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
How to Make Bone Broth
Making bone broth at home is a simple process:
- Gather Ingredients: Collect 2-4 pounds of animal bones (beef, chicken, pork, etc.), along with optional connective tissue.
- Roast Bones (Optional): Roasting the bones beforehand can enhance the flavor of the broth.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the bones in a large pot and cover with 1 gallon of water.
- Add Flavorings: Add vegetables and herbs like onion, celery, carrot, parsley, thyme, and garlic for added flavor.
- Bring to a Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer: Cook for 12-24 hours, or even longer for a richer flavor.
- Season: Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Strain: Strain the broth to remove solids.
Bone broth can also be prepared in a pressure cooker or slow cooker for convenience.