First, we would like to say that we have nothing against eating plant-based foods. In fact, we love fruits and vegetables! In our humble opinion, as long as you’re eating a diverse diet rich in whole foods (and light on ultra-processed foods), you’re going to be better off than most.
There are many reasons people choose a plant-based diet, ranging from animal welfare, environmental factors, and to achieve health goals. We truly respect anyone who chooses a diet with these good intentions. We will say, however, that many people find it challenging to obtain certain nutrients in sufficient amounts without animal products or supplements.
If you or someone you love is in the camp of wanting to reduce meat consumption for any of the reasons mentioned above, we urge you to consider bone broth as a healthy, Earth-friendly way of getting these nutrients into your diet. Bone broth is by nature a byproduct of the meat industry rather than the product driving it, so consuming it is helping to utilize the whole animal rather than letting some parts go to waste. We also take great care to source our meat and bones from farmers who commit to ethical and sustainable practices There’s a reason why we call Brodo “the most Earth-friendly protein on Earth!”
Some nutrients that are primarily found in animal products like bone broth include:
- Vitamin B12: This vitamin is crucial for nerve function and the production of red blood cells. Animal products are the only foods that naturally contain significant amounts of this vitamin.
- Iron (heme iron) Iron is present in plant foods, but it’s in a form (non-heme iron) that is not as easily absorbed by the body as the iron found in animal products (heme iron).
- Calcium: While we can get calcium from some plant foods (such as leafy greens, tofu, and fortified plant milks), however animal foods contain the highest amount and bioavailability. Ensuring an adequate intake of calcium is important for bone health.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): Plant-based sources like flaxseeds and walnuts provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), however the conversion of ALA to the more biologically active forms (EPA and DHA) is limited in the human body.
- Complete protein: While all essential amino acids are present in various plant foods, it can be more difficult to obtain all of them with a plant-based diet on a daily basis unless you’re able to carefully plan all of your meals. Bone broth contains collagen, gelatin, and a plethora of amino acids which are essential for your body’s basic functions and wellbeing.
- Zinc: Plant foods contain zinc, but the bioavailability in animal-based foods is greater.
For those who lean lighter on the meat and heavier on the vegetables, we recommend cooking beans, vegetables, whole grains, etc. in bone broth and we have lots of recipes in our blog. If you need more veggies in your life, check out how to get 8+ servings of vegetables in this recipe!
