By MACROS | Published on July 23, 2017
Believe it or not, collagen is one of the world’s most underrated nutrients. Few people actually understand what it is or make an effort to support their diet and health with this pivotal ingredient.
You are held together by collagen. It makes up 25-35% of your body’s total proteins and is the main constituent of connective tissues like your ligaments and tendons.
If you’re interested in staying youthful it also makes up the structure, suppleness and firmness of your skin. Lack it and you’ll look like Keith Richards after a long tour. So it’s pretty damn important in the scheme of things. An easy way to get the amount you need is with bone broth. It’s easy to make, a great source of collagen and forms the base of some delicious soups.
Fight father time
We produce and renew collagen less efficiently as we age, so supporting the body with this vital building block is a fundamental habit you should pick up to improve performance and health. It’s essential in periods of gut compromise (like after a long endurance event), bone or cartilage injury and teeth health (dental degradation).The broth can also be thought of as a protein and calcium supplement that will keep your body moving efficiently and pain free.
Bone broth is health
Bone broth is eaten much less than it used to be, but, given its range of building components and collagen-forming proteins, it’s a hugely beneficial part of daily nutrition intake for any hard-training individual. It’s arguably the cheapest and most effective injury supplement.
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Your most important amino acid
Collagen is made from the amino acids proline (17.6%), glycine (14.5%) and lysine (29%). Vitamin C and iron are also vital to creating collagen, and making bone broth will give you a natural mix of all the collagen and vitamins your body needs to be healthy, strong and resilient to injury.
How do I make it?
Fortunately, making bone broth is easy. You’ll need the following to create the ultimate protection agent for your joints:
• Bones from any animal
• 5 cups of cold filtered water
• 2-3 cups mixed vegetables, like carrots, onions, celery, garlic, bay leaves
• 2 tsp vinegar.
Simmer this mixture for 2-3 hours. You can use a slow cooker for a longer bone broth; it’s safer if you’re popping out. Using the broth is quite simple; just add to sauces or risotto on a high carb day, or in soups or even drink it in a cup with some added tom yum paste to give your body everything it needs to recover after training and injury.
Try our Traditional Chicken Soup and Tom Yum Soup recipes to get your dose of bone broth.
