The Truth About Bone Broth

Move over, chai latte, and say hello to bone broth -- this new kid in town is getting quite the following. Originally very popular with the paleo crowd, it's now making is way into retail shops like Brodo in New York City. Instead of going in and ordering a cup of Joe, you order a cup of broth.

I grew up on homemade chicken soup, and my mother also occasionally used beef bones with marrow to make a broth. Little did I know my family was trendsetters.

Today, bone broth, also known as stock, is being touted as the next new superfood, claiming to help with everything from digestive issues to strengthening of our bones.

To get the most nutritional benefits, it supposedly must be made the traditional way -- not store-bought. That means boiling animal bones (fish, poultry or beef) with water, vegetable scraps, herbs and spices. You should also soak the bones in vinegar prior to cooking -- it's believed that the vinegar helps leech all those valuable minerals from the bones into the water -- and cook it longer than a simple soup (up to 48 hours).

So is this all hype or do the claims have merit? Let's take a look at broth's supposed benefits:

1. "It helps with digestive issues."

People claim that by drinking bone broth, their chronic diarrhea, constipation and even some food intolerances were cured. The belief is that the gelatin found in bones is responsible for this. I could not find any conclusive research to support it.

2. "It reduces joint pain and inflammation."

Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine are supposedly responsible for these claims. There is definite science supporting that these nutrients can help decrease inflammation. But I wasn't able to find exactly how much of these nutrients is in the broth.

3. "You'll look younger."

Collagen, found in connective tissue in animals, is known to be vital for skin elasticity, which declines as part of the aging process. Therefore, one might think that if your beverage contains some collagen, our elasticity will improve. How I wish it were that simple.

4. "Broth improves sleep."

There was one study that revealed that glycine, an amino acid, might indirectly contribute to improving the occasional sleepiness and fatigue induced by sleep restriction. But actually getting a better night's sleep? The jury is out.

5. "It i mproves memory."

What came first: the chicken or the egg? Is your memory better because you are less tired? I still think the jury is out on this claim as well.

6. "It improves the immune system."

The claim is that bone broth contains a high amount of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur chondroitin, glucosamine and a variety of trace minerals. But again, I'm not sure how much of each nutrient broth contains.

7. "It p romotes stronger bones."

Just because you drink something from bone doesn't necessarily mean your bones are stronger. From what I could find, one cup of bone broth contains 20 to 30 milligrams of calcium. When you know that the daily recommended value for men and women ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 milligrams per day, 30 grams doesn't seem like that much at all.

There were even more claims online -- the list never ended. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and author of " The Flexitarian Diet," told The Huffington Post, "It's not a miracle cure like some outlets talk about, but still a good-for-you food." I agree.

Hey, if you want to grab a cup of bone broth, I can't really find a reason why it would be a bad idea. It's low in calories, low in fat and does have some nutritional value -- it's definitely a better choice than most sugary hot beverages. Just don't be fooled into thinking it's the end-all, at least not until there is more science to back it up.

Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, is a registered dietitian/nutritionist, media personality, spokesperson, and author of The Small Change Diet. Gans's expert nutrition advice has been featured in Glamour, Fitness, Health, Self and Shape, and on national television and radio, including The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, ABC News, Primetime, and Sirius/XM Dr. Radio.