Bone broth has become popular in human foods and more recently in the pet food aisle. There are some near-medicinal claims related to companion animals which include benefits to joint health and care for osteoarthritis. These are purported to be due to a list of compounds ranging from hydrolyzed cartilage, collagen and gelatin to chondroitin, glucosamine and hyaluronic acid. Bone broth has also been claimed to help “detoxify the liver” due to its high concentration of glycine and that it prevents “leaky gut” and even provides relief from food and environmental allergies.
As with most old wives’ tales and urban legends there is a thread of truth somewhere in the story. Whether this holds true with pets is hard to confirm. More realistic is that bone broth helps entice picky eaters with its savory flavors. Additionally, the one claim that seems to be missing which is more probable is the contribution of electrolytes from the solubilized bone.
