Bone broth is a source of healing and wellness for a wide range of people, from those working to improve gut health to postpartum mamas. But did you know that bone broth is great for athletes (and even casual exercisers!) too? Today, we’re breaking down how athletes can benefit from drinking more bone broth.
Here’s athlete Jason Wittrock - International Keto Coach, Personal Trainer and Fitness Model - talking about why he uses bone broth (specifically FOND!) in his post-workout routine:
"Recovering from intense workout sessions is critical to my success and development. I've used every powder and pill available, but nothing compares to the healing power of FOND Bone Broth. Not only does FOND taste amazing, but it also helps calm my central nervous system and delivers the electrolytes, collagen, and amino acids my body needs to heal and recover. It has been a total game changer for me, and I recommend it to anyone who is serious about working out and transforming their body."
But first, what is bone broth?
Bone broth is what we like to call "liquid gold." It's the liquid made from slowly simmering beef, chicken, pork, or fish bones. This slow-simmering process releases minerals and nutrients that your body is hard-pressed to find in many other foods.
If you’re choosing bone broth for fitness recovery, pay close attention to quality, ingredients, and sourcing. Regeneratively-sourced bone broth tends to be more nutrient-dense, and FOND's broth goes a step further, since its made traditionally, with a 1:1 ratio of bones to water (many brands use much more water than they do bones!). We slow-simmer those fresh bones and water for 18+ hours, then infuse many of our flavors with the benefits of organic vegetables and herbs. FOND is also seed oil-free, certified glyphosate residue-free, and has no nasty additives or preservatives.
FOND’s collagen-rich bone broths are full of glutamine, glycine, and other amino acids that your brain needs to be happy and your body needs to function. The result is a richly nourishing and delicious broth your body can use to rebuild, restore, and recover.
Benefits of bone broth for athletes:
The benefits are nearly endless, but we’re highlighting some of the biggest benefits below.
Bone Broth Is Protein-Rich
Bone broth is a simple, real food source of protein. After a workout, your body needs amino acids, the building blocks of protein, to repair and strengthen muscle. Training creates tiny breakdowns in muscle tissue, and getting amino acids back in helps your body rebuild stronger for the next session. One jar of FOND contains up to 18g of real food protein.
Digestive Health
According to Dr. Kevin Sprouse, "People who engage in a significant amount of training often deal with digestive stress, whether due to the actual training (i.e. long distance running) or the amounts and types of foods consumed to support that training. Gelatin, glycine, and glutamine [in bone broth] have been shown to aid in the promotion of digestive health." And though exercise is a healthy stressor, frequent high-intensity training is stressful for the body, meaning athletes may need extra help when it comes to gut repair.
Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection. Athletes often have inflammation from overuse or injuries to tissues and joints. Bone broth is high in anti-inflammatory amino acids like 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 athletes to get back to the gym faster.
Joint Health
Drinking bone broth is an easy way to introduce collagen (in the form of gelatin - cooked collagen!) back into your body, naturally supporting healthy bones and stronger joints. Your body also loses collagen as it ages, so drinking bone broth is a great way to supplement. Gelatin may provide cushioning and glide for your joints, too!
Sodium & Electrolytes
Bone broth is a great source of healthy sodium and other electrolytes. Whether you’re working out or simply live in a hot climate, when you sweat, your body loses water and sodium. One of the best solutions for replenishing those losses? Electrolytes! Bone broth provides a source of high-quality electrolytes, including sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium, to help your body recover.
And speaking of sodium, we are proud to use Diamond Kosher Salt for all of our products. They are one of the only salt brands who test free of things like heavy metals and microplastics and consistently rank as one of the cleanest salt options on the market.
Immune Support
You simply can’t perform at your best if you’re feeling under the weather. There's a reason mama always made chicken soup when you were sick as a kid...the bone broth in soup may help decrease cold and flu symptoms, while also altering immune responses on a cellular level.
How much bone broth you should consume?
Knowing the benefits of bone broth is great, but let's put those benefits into action! How much bone broth is right for you depends on your goals and health history, but we wrote a blog post all about how much and how often to drink bone broth. You can check that out here.
While bone broth won’t be the only tool in your post-workout toolbox, it’s a fantastic complement. Post-workout, it helps you replenish protein, electrolytes, and water, plus the collagen and glycine may help repair soft tissues damaged during exercise. It also supports joint health, helps reduce inflammation, and supports both digestive and overall immune health. The perfect post-workout supplement - just heat and sip!
Ready to stock up? Grab your broth here! Our post-workout bundle is the perfect place to start. It is 10% off and includes FREE shipping. Save an additional 10% by subscribing!
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