bone broth for clear skin and healthy gut

Thanks to Ria Bass, who created this recipe and is a regular contributor of healthy recipes for clear skin for Healthy Skin Glows. Check out more amazing recipes on her blog, vibrantbythespoonful.com!

Wondering what to eat and what not to eat for clear skin?

I know, it can be very confusing. We are all different, and a different way of healthy eating is likely going to work for two different people.

Still, nourishing our bodies and supporting optimal skin health doesn't need to mean complicated concoctions of exotic foods and superfoods.

Instead, going back to the basics, to the food that our grand-grandparents ate is likely to be exactly what your body and skin needs.

One of those foods is the good ol' bone broth (or, as I like to call it, liquid gold for the soul).

This traditional food has been around for thousands of years, and is actually one of the most healing and nourishing foods you can eat for clear and healthy skin.

WHY BONE BROTH FOR CLEAR AND HEALTHY SKIN?

Bone broth, made by cooking bones (and the surrounding tissue) during 24-48 hours releases essential minerals, amino acids and other healing compounds that are well absorbed and utilized by our bodies (unlike many expensive supplements!).

bone broth for clear skin
Image credit: Ria Bass @vibrantbythespoonful

Here are some of the nutrients provided by bone broth (when we use bones from properly raised animals!) which can heal your body and skin from the inside out:

Collagen: A structural protein that helps builds strong skin, hair, and nails. Collagen is a protein rich in amino acids that your body can use to build other important proteins, including the collagen in your skin. This is vital for speeding up the process when healing indented acne scarring, for example.

Glycine: Glycine is an amino acid that aids in liver detoxification by getting rid of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis. It is a non-essential amino acid, and most proteins use a small amount of it, with the exception of collagen. About 35% of collagen is made from glycine amino acid residues, and providing it through our diet aids increased collagen production.

Glutamine: an amino acid that helps to repair the gut lining, aiding those who suffer from leaky gut. Gut health is extremely important for clear skin because the failure to digest food and absorb nutrients properly (due to poor gut health) will result in poor health, often visible in your skin.

Minerals: Sulfur is required for the synthesis of glutathione, a master antioxidant in the body. Furthermore, bone broth provides calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, all of which contribute to healthy and resilient skin

GUT HEALING BONE BROTH RECIPE

I like to make my bone broth in a slow cooker because the longer you cook the bones, the more nutritious and flavourful the broth becomes (i.e. more collagen). You can also use a large pot, but the important part is to simmer it for quite a long time on low heat (8-24 hours).

Make sure to find organic, grass-fed bones from properly raised animals (free of antibiotics and added hormones). Grass-fed bones also contain GLA which is a superstar nutrient for improving skin health.

The main ingredients are, of course, the bones with the surrounding tissue, and you can choose veggies to your liking. My staples are onions, carrots, garlic, celery root and a big bunch of parsley.

Bone Broth

  • 6-8 bones (beef, lamb, chicken, etc.)
  • 5 cups of water (just enough to cover your ingredients)
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (it helps to pull out collagen from the bones)
  • big bunch of fresh parsley (optional: thyme and bay leaf)
  • Optional: celery stalks, celery root, parsnip, turmeric root, fresh ginger
  1. Place bones in a large pot of water. Add all the remaining ingredients except for parsley. I don’t cut my veggies, I just add them in whole. If you want you can dice your veggies. 
  2. Bring to boil, then bring down to a simmer for at least 8 hours to cook on low. I recommend trying to simmer for 16 hours if you can. You can try using a slow cooker, and just leave it in there for a day.
  3. For the final 1 – 2 hours of simmering, add the parsley.
  4. After my broth has cooked, I like to blend some of the veggies and them to the broth for a creamy delight. Totally up to you!

When done, you can strain your bone broth and refrigerate for 5 days, or freeze in portions to use later.

Sip on the broth as a snack to warm the soul or save some of the juice as a base for making other soups, stews, or even cooking your rice or quinoa for a powerful flavor bomb.

We really hope you enjoy this warming recipe as much as we do!

In radiant skin health,

Sara


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