By Beth Kandell | Beth’s Bountiful Bone Broth
Drinking bone broth is always a good idea if your body is healing. It is especially powerful at reducing symptoms associated with digestive issues such as SIBO, IBS, and leaky gut.
Preparing your bone broth with the highest quality bones is vital if you want to reap all the benefits of this superfood. In this blog post, you’ll learn why sourcing your bones from grass-fed and pasture-raised sources is ideal if you’re experiencing a debilitating digestive issue or just aiming to stay in good health.
1. Less toxic
Making bone broth involves simmering bones for up to 48 hours, a process that draws out all the nutrients from the bones. However, if you’re using grain-fed bones from inorganic sources, the bones are more likely to contain pesticides, insecticides, lead, and growth-stimulating hormones. What a cow or chicken is fed often ends up in their bones, albeit in trace amounts. Not only will you draw out the nutrients through simmering the bones, but these toxic elements, as well. Why risk it when your gut is in such a volatile state?
(These ranches sell affordable grass-fed marrow bones in your region)
2. Rich Omega-3 in Grass-Fed Bones
Did you know that bone broth made from grass-fed beef bones contains omega-3 fatty acids? Grass-fed beef contains up to 2-5 times more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed. Omega-3 can reduce inflammation in the body, which can help with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can have a positive impact on bacterial diversity [1] in the gut. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you likely have low microbial diversity, so consuming bone broth and a diet that’s rich in omega-3 can increase that beneficial microflora.
3. More CLA in Grass-Fed Bones
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is another ‘healthy fat’ like omega-3. It is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is found in meat and dairy but can also be found in grass-fed bones. In fact, bones from grass-fed sources contain up to 2-3 times more CLA.
Studies of CLA have found that it can modulate immune and inflammatory responses [2]. Another scientific study testing CLA’s effect on the leaky gut (a type experienced by those going through chemotherapy treatment) found that “CLA reduced intestinal permeability [3], bacterial translocation, and biomarkers of inflammatory response besides minor damage to ZO-1 and occludin with the maintenance of the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and a favorable balance between the inflammatory and regulatory cytokines.”
4. Mineral-Rich Grass-Fed Bones
Research has shown that bone broths contain highly absorbable minerals. Because making bone broth involves simmering bones over a long period, large concentrations of these minerals are released. There is no shortage of evidence of how important minerals are for your health, yet many Americans are deficient in magnesium and calcium. A mineral-rich diet contributes to healthy bones, skin, blood, and digestive system.
Having low levels of magnesium can make your digestion sluggish, and you may get constipated or experience stomach cramps. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 enzymatic processes [4] in the body. Some of these processes include breaking down food that enters the body at various points during digestion.
This means that if you’re suffering from a digestive issue (like irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, Crohn’s disease, and many others), your symptoms may improve with a higher daily magnesium intake.
A study by the USDA and Clemson University identified that grass-fed beef contains more minerals than grain-fed beef. Other studies have also found higher levels of zinc, phosphorus, sodium, and iron (S.K. Duckett et al, Journal of Animal Science, June 2009). Consuming essential minerals found in bone broth can ensure you don’t become deficient, making your digestive issues worse.

5. Glutathione Booster
Every cell in your body contains glutathione. Many natural health practitioners consider it the ultimate antioxidant. It grabs onto toxins and assists your body in safely eliminating them. Glutathione keeps your immune system strong and helps build muscle. When your body absorbs the high levels of glycine and glutamine from grass-fed bone broth, it uses these essential amino acids to produce more glutathione. This is particularly important as you age because as you get older, your body tends to produce less and less glutathione.
Glutathione is crucial for fighting autoimmune diseases which attack the mitochondria in specific cells. Glutathione helps protect cell mitochondria by eliminating free radicals. Increasing glutathione is also shown to be helpful when it comes to protecting the gut walls and making them stronger. Glutathione can help prevent leaky gut syndrome, as a study published in Biochemistry suggests [5]. IBS patients have been shown to have reduced activity of the enzymes responsible for glutathione production [6], so boosting its production can only help.
6. Rich in Collagen and Amino Acids
As discussed in previous posts on this blog, good health starts in the gut. In this post about SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), I mention why the type III collagen found in bone broth is so powerful. This type of collagen is a structural protein that contains 19 amino acids. It is particularly high in glycine, proline, and glutamine. Together these amino acids help build connective tissue, as well as the lining of the digestive tract, helping with “leaky gut syndrome.” As we age, collagen declines, so consuming bone broth is crucial. With the highest quality bones, you can feel assured that your skin, hair, nails, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are getting enough collagen to maintain structural integrity.
Learn more about how bone broth helps maintain healthy joints by watching my video!

Where to Get Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised Bones?
If you already purchase meats that are grass-fed or pasture-raised, then you now have a reason to save those bones from the meat you’ve eaten. Freeze the bones until you’re ready to throw them into a pot if you have to. Lastly, if you’re unfamiliar with how to make bone broth, you’ve come to the right place.
My veggie and seasoning mix contains the best ingredients you need to get started and, when combined with grass-fed or pasture-raised bones, can result in a premium quality bone broth.
I offer both SIBO and conventional bone broth seasoning mix. The SIBO seasoning mix has no onions or garlic and tastes delicious. In fact, they both taste delicious.
You can purchase some conventional seasoning mix here, directly from US Wellness Meats.
References cited:
[1] Omega-3 fatty acids correlate with gut microbiome diversity and production of N-carbamylglutamate in middle aged and elderly women https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10382-2
[2] Implication of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in human health https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22452730/
[3] Conjugated linoleic acid prevents damage caused by intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil in an experimental model https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29864944/
[4] Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
[5] Glutathione is required for intestinal function https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.87.5.1715
[6] Impairment of intestinal glutathione synthesis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease https://gut.bmj.com/content/42/4/485.full