Like All Animal ‘Products,’ Bone Broth Is Unethical—and It Doesn’t Work
Food fads—they come and go. Some, like bone broth, need to go yesterday.
What is bone broth, anyway, and does it work? Read on to find out, and learn about vegan collagen supplements that aren’t revolting and actually work.
What Is Bone Broth?
Carcass soup. Skeleton bisque. Corpse potage. These are all perfectly acceptable synonyms for bone broth. If you think we’re being crass, think again.
Bone broth is made from the bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons of violently killed individuals—usually cows or chickens but also ducks, bison, turkeys, lambs, deer, and other animals. They are individuals who yearn for freedom and value their lives—but instead, they’re crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds or stuffed into wire cages, metal crates, or other torturous enclosures and endure constant fear and torment. Chickens who are slaughtered for food, for example, spend their lives in dirty, warehouse-like structures—from the moment they hatch until the day they’re killed. Yes, that includes most of those on so-called “free-range” and organic farms.
No matter what ridiculous marketing terms their body parts are labeled with—for example, “grass-fed,” “grass-finished,” “free-range,” or “humane”—all cows used for food end up in slaughterhouses, where workers shoot them in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and cut their throats before skinning and gutting them. Some cows remain conscious throughout the entire process.
If you buy bone broth, you may pay an outrageous amount for a “product” that’s essentially just “beef” or “chicken” stock, but the animals pay with their lives.
What About the Supposed Health Benefits of Bone Broth?
One of bone broth’s supposed healing powers is its ability to restore collagen. But Kantha Shelke, a food scientist, says that this isn’t true. To help restore collagen, she touts a vegan-friendly approach:
“Eating a diet rich in leafy green vegetables is ideal. Plants offer richer sources in collagen building blocks and, in addition, provide nutrients not found in sufficient quantities in meats or broth,” she says.
“Scientists agree that bone broth’s so-called ability to heal and restore collagen is probably overblown,” according to chef and food journalist Amy Blaszyk.
There you have it. If you want to be healthy and restore your body’s collagen, eat vegetables. For every health benefit that bone broth is claimed to have, there’s a vegan approach that actually works. Take a look:
Restoring Collagen
Collagen is in our bones, muscles, tendons, skin, blood vessels, and digestive systems, but as we age, we produce less of it. In addition to eating veggies, taking vegan collagen supplements can help keep all these body parts (and animals) healthy. Consider mixing Amazing Grass‘ Amazing Protein Glow with water or your favorite vegan milk or adding it to a smoothie. The vegan, gluten-free, no-sugar-added supplement comes in three delicious flavors: Chocolate Rose, Vanilla Honeysuckle, and Wild Berry Hibiscus.
To replenish your skin specifically, try Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare’s Vitamin C+ Collagen Deep Cream. It helps to diminish dark spots and wrinkles and prevent future damage. “I tried this on a fluke and I am glad I did! My skin has not looked this good in several years,” wrote one satisfied user. Best of all, this popular collagen cream is vegan and cruelty-free.
Keep an eye out, too, for products containing Geltor’s N-Collage, the first-ever animal-free collagen ingredient intended for cosmetic applications. The award-winning, vegan, high-performance protein solution is expected to take the beauty industry by storm.
Find out more about fighting wrinkles the cruelty-free way.
Improved Digestion
Tummy troubles? You don’t need to drink animal-bone soup to combat poor digestion. By simply eating a high-fiber diet, you can improve the functionality of your gut, and most fibrous foods are vegan. Think avocados, raspberries, artichokes, lentils, oats, and chia seeds. Make sure that you stock up on veggie broth, too. You can also add vegan foods that contain probiotics—like kombucha, sauerkraut, and miso—to your diet, which promotes a healthy digestive tract and immune system. For a digestive supplement, consider trying one from Deva Nutrition.
Protecting Your Joints
You can eat your way to healthier joints, one berry at a time. Many vegan foods—including berries, nuts, orange veggies, and dark leafy greens—contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can effectively reduce joint stiffness and pain. Some people who suffer from arthritis, like Patrice Herbst and Jon Hinds, even assert that going vegan helped them combat their symptoms. For added joint health, consider taking bone and glucosamine supplements from Deva Nutrition.
Healthier Skin, Hair, and Nails
While vegan collagen supplements can help you to have healthier hair, skin that glows, and stronger nails, there’s more that you can do to protect yourself from damage. Consider taking a vegan biotin supplement or a hair, skin, and nails supplement like those offered by Deva Nutrition. And if you aren’t already vegan, give it a try: Going vegan can help improve your skin—and save animals.
In Short, Go Vegan
Forget flimflam fads. All you need to restore collagen and live your healthiest, kindest life is a well-balanced vegan diet. Let animals keep their bones while you keep yours healthy. Click here to learn more about the benefits of being vegan, and find out how to get started on your vegan journey today.
