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Bone broth becomes the hottest fad food trend of 2015

Sarah Berry
Sarah Berry

Soup for you: Move over, coconut water – it's all about bone broth now.
Soup for you: Move over, coconut water – it's all about bone broth now.Supplied

One of my girlfriends has started drinking it daily to enhance her chances of falling pregnant. Another, who was a life-long vegetarian-turned-of-all-things-Paleo, has started drinking it for its rich nutrient profile.

It's cool everywhere from Brooklyn to Bondi.

Pete Evans, in his controversial Paleo book for babies (which was dropped by Pan MacMillan in March after an outcry by doctors and dietitians), even recommended a baby milk formula based on it.

Hot damn lamb chops, there's even bone broth for pussycats.

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Yeah, the hottest food trend of 2015 ... is soup.

It's also not bad business. My local wholefoods shop sells half-litre tubs of frozen bone broth for $12. You can buy one litre of organic chicken stock in the same shop for $8.50.

What's the difference between bone broth and stock, you ask?

Both are made mainly from roasted bones, but broth is typically simmered in water for much longer – about 24 hours, to extract the collagen, amino acids and minerals, compared with several hours for stock.

Time is money, people.

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Bone broth might be up there with green smoothies, coconut water and quinoa in the food fad stakes. But, it's props old-school.

Many Asian cultures are big on broth. The French and Italians have long been into it; there is "cow foot soup" in the Caribbean and, of course, "Jewish penicillin" has been around since the 12th century.

"Like other health foods that have taken off in recent years — yoghurt, quinoa — broth combines mystical connections to the ancient world and demonstrable nutrition benefits in the modern one," the New York Times says.

The supposed benefits alleviate joint and gut pain, boost your immune system, brighten skin and even make your hair shiny.

Little research has actually been conducted on the benefits and while most experts agree it's healthy, it is no magic elixir.

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The idea that the collagen from the broth will help our bones and joints, for example, is sketchy.

"Since we don't absorb collagen whole, the idea that eating collagen somehow promotes bone growth is just wishful thinking," William Percy, an associate professor at the University of South Dakota's Sanford School of Medicine, told NPR.

If we want to build our own collagen, broth is not necessarily the best answer anyway.

"Eating a diet rich in leafy green vegetables is ideal," added food scientist Kantha Shelke "Plants offer richer sources in collagen building blocks and, in addition, provide nutrients not found in sufficient quantities in meats or broth."

But, as part of a balanced diet, if you'd like to jump on the healthful broth bandwagon, how much should you have?

"Like everything in life, enjoy in moderation," advises nutritionist, Cassie Mendoza-Jones, "but a cup a day on an empty stomach, or even to accompany a meal is a great way to increase the nutrient-density of your diet, help to reduce inflammation, reduce joint aches and pains and support a healthy lifestyle."

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Sarah BerrySarah Berry is a lifestyle and health writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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