The Bone Broth Diet, popularized by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, is a 21-day plan that combines the principles of the Paleo Diet and intermittent fasting with the consumption of bone broth. It claims to offer a range of health benefits, including improved skin, bone, and gut health, as well as weight management. This article delves into the details of the diet, its potential benefits, and possible drawbacks, providing a comprehensive overview to help you determine if it's the right choice for you.
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a nutrient-rich liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues. This process extracts essential nutrients like protein, fat, collagen, gelatin, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. These components are believed to contribute to various health benefits. Bone broth can be made from beef, lamb, chicken, or fish bones, with a preference for bones from organic or grass-fed animals.
The 21-Day Bone Broth Diet Plan
The 21-day Bone Broth Diet consists of three main phases:
- Mini-Fast Days: These involve consuming only bone broth or bone broth with a light snack.
- Non-Fasting Days: These allow for the consumption of whole, nutrient-dense foods.
- Maintenance Phase: This focuses on sustaining the diet's principles long-term.
Mini-Fast Days
The diet requires two nonconsecutive mini-fast days per week. On these days, you have two options:
- Consume six 8-ounce (237 ml) cups of bone broth.
- Consume five portions of bone broth and finish the day with a snack containing high-protein foods, non-starchy vegetables, or foods with healthy fats, such as fatty fish like salmon.
The goal is to consume only 300-500 calories on mini-fast days.
Read also: Bone Broth Benefits with Miracle Noodle
Non-Fasting Days
On the five non-fasting days, the diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, and high-fat and high-protein foods. Carbohydrate intake, including fruits and starchy vegetables, is limited to one portion per day to promote fat-burning.
Allowed foods include:
- High-Protein Foods: Beef, chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs, preferably sourced from pastured, free-range, or wild-caught varieties.
- Vegetables: Non-starchy options like asparagus, broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, and summer squash.
- Fruits: Apples, berries, melons, citrus fruits, and kiwi, with a daily limit of one portion.
- Foods with Healthy Fats: Avocados, coconut oil, nuts, olive oil, and ghee (clarified butter).
- Condiments: Celtic or pink Himalayan salt, various spices like cumin and paprika, vinegar, and salsa.
- Flours: Almond flour and coconut flour.
- Beverages: Coffee, tea, and water.
Maintenance Phase
After the initial 21 days, you can transition to an 80/20 maintenance plan. This involves adhering to the allowed foods 80% of the time and allowing for other foods like dairy and alcohol for the remaining 20%. The decision to continue mini-fasts during the maintenance phase is optional.
Potential Benefits of the Bone Broth Diet
The Bone Broth Diet is associated with several potential health benefits:
Joint and Skin Health
Bone broth is rich in collagen, a protein crucial for maintaining healthy joints and youthful skin. As we age, collagen production decreases, leading to joint pain and visible signs of aging. Consuming bone broth provides the body with collagen, which is broken down into amino acids used to repair and rebuild collagen in joints and skin. The collagen in bone broth can smooth out wrinkles, plump up the skin, and promote a healthy complexion. Antioxidants and vitamins like vitamin C and zinc in bone broth further protect the skin.
Read also: Benefits and Risks of Bone Broth Diet
Gut Health
The gelatin and amino acids in bone broth may support gut integrity and reduce inflammation in the digestive tract. Chronic inflammation is a root cause of many digestive disorders. Bone broth may benefit individuals with gut problems like leaky gut or inflammatory bowel conditions.
Immune System Support
Bone broth contains immune-boosting nutrients like the amino acid glycine, which enhances the activity of immune cells. Its anti-inflammatory properties, attributed to gelatin, can also help maintain a well-functioning immune system. Gelatin may also have prebiotic-like effects that nourish beneficial gut bacteria, essential for a strong immune system.
Weight Management
Bone broth's high protein content promotes feelings of fullness and satisfaction, which can curb appetite. The gelatin in bone broth may also help the body burn fat more efficiently. Additionally, amino acids like glycine and arginine can help preserve lean muscle mass, crucial for healthy weight loss.
Bone Health
Bone broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are important for maintaining bone density and strength. These minerals support the structural integrity of bones and help prevent conditions like osteoporosis. Collagen provides flexibility and resilience to the skeletal structure, and bone broth contains amino acids like glycine and proline, the building blocks of collagen.
Detoxification
Glycine in bone broth supports the body's natural detoxification processes and helps eliminate waste and toxins. Arginine can support the liver's ability to filter out harmful substances. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus help alkalinize the body, creating an environment less favorable for toxin buildup.
Read also: Bone Broth Fasting: A Detailed Look
Potential Disadvantages of the Bone Broth Diet
Despite its potential benefits, the Bone Broth Diet has some drawbacks:
High Histamine Levels
Bone broth, especially when cooked for extended periods, can be high in histamine. Individuals with histamine intolerance or sensitivities may experience symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, or skin irritation.
Potential Oxalate Concerns
Bone broths made from bones with high cartilage content, such as chicken feet or knuckles, can be high in oxalates. This can worsen the situation for those with a tendency to form kidney stones or other oxalate-related health problems.
Time-Consuming Preparation
Making high-quality bone broth at home can be time-consuming, requiring simmering the bones for 12-24 hours or more.
Not a Complete Meal Replacement
While nutritious, bone broth is not a complete source of nutrition and cannot replace a main meal as a sole source of sustenance. Although it contains protein and fat, it does not provide all the essential nutrients the body needs. The high water content may initially provide a feeling of fullness, but hunger and dissatisfaction are likely to follow soon after.
Celebrities and the Bone Broth Diet
The Bone Broth Diet has gained popularity among celebrities, including:
- Shailene Woodley: Actress Shailene Woodley praises bone broth for its benefits for conditions like leaky gut syndrome.
- Kobe Bryant: The late basketball star credited bone broth as an important part of his recovery process after injuries.
- Salma Hayek: Actress Salma Hayek credits bone broth as one of the secrets behind her youthful appearance.
Other celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian, and Mark Wahlberg also incorporate bone broth into their diets.
Bone Broth Diet and Intermittent Fasting
The 21-day bone broth diet is a type of intermittent fasting (IF) program called 5:2. Generally speaking, intermittent fasting is the practice of taking regular breaks from food. Intermittent fasting, the research shows, may promote a slew of health benefits.
Bone Broth vs. Shop-Bought Broth
Homemade beef bone broth differs a lot from shop-bought one which mostly consists of artificial flavours and additives.
Sample Bone Broth Diet Plan
Here’s a sample bone broth diet plan for your five feeding days and two fasting days. On a bone broth fast, you’re supposed to eat paleo on feeding days. A bone broth fast is perfectly compatible with a whole foods ketogenic diet. The bone broth days stay the same. The paleo diet allows more carbs, and sometimes disallows dairy - but both diets prohibit the processed junk that plagues the Standard American Diet.
Making Bone Broth at Home
If you have time, you can make bone broth at home. If your schedule doesn’t have room for extended simmering, consider Kettle & Fire as a good option.
Homemade Beef Bone Broth Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 onions
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 lbs beef bones with marrow (organic)
- 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 10 cups water
Instructions:
- Roughly chop the carrots and celery.
- Quarter and peel the onions.
- Crush the garlic with a broad-blade knife.
- Add all the ingredients into a slow cooker, turn the heat to high until it starts boiling, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 24-48 hours.
- Strain the solids from the liquid.
- Consume directly or let it cool and skim the fat off the surface for later use.
- Refrigerate the bone broth and consume within 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.