The broth is having a bit of a star moment in Toronto. It’s trending. We’re seeing local restaurants singled out for their broth's quality – or lack thereof. Also, we are witnessing ‘broth bars’ on the rise (which is sort of like a café except instead of tea and coffee), and they’re handing out different broths on the go.
This is why broth has received much attention from nutrition-focused folks searching for better health and a comfort meal after a winter’s day. Is broth really healthy? In this article, we look at precisely what broth is, how it’s made, and the health benefits that come with it.
What is Broth?
The broth is a clear liquid made from boiling down pieces of meat and bones into a protein-rich, nutrient-dense liquid. Broth can be had on its own or used as a base for pho, soups, risottos, or stews.
Health Benefit 1- Amino Acids
A lot goes into making broth. The bones and meats used contain abundances of minerals, in addition to providing up to 17 amino acids. This is all filtered into a broth bowl, which is beneficial to aspects of long-term health such as cell regeneration.
Health Benefit 2 – Collagen
The broth is packed with collagen. This is a protein found in our skin, cartilage, and bones. When increasing your collagen intake, you provide these parts of your body with a key ingredient keeping them strong and healthy.
Health Benefit 3 – Vitamins
The broth has a long list of vitamins and nutrients in it, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, glucosamine, chondroitin, phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin K2, omega-3s, omega-6s, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, manganese, thiamin (B1), and others.
Health Benefit 4 – Weight Loss
The broth is great for weight loss and weight maintenance. Fitness aficionados and gym-goers love broth which helps to boost metabolism, improve the processing of antioxidants, and support growth hormone production.
Health Benefit 5 – Fills Your Appetite
Tagging onto the prior point, broth mimics a lot of the nutrition of meats and veggies without excessive carbs or calories. It’s low-fat, low-calorie, and low-carb. It also fills your appetite, reducing cravings and helping a person trying to lose weight keep their hunger under control.
Health Benefit 6 – Treats Pain
Pouring a bowl of broth out for you, it’s a meal used to treat various forms of pain. Joint pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis have all responded favourably to the consumption of bone broth. Ingredients such as glucosamine help to support joint flexibility and cartilage restoration.
Health Benefit 7 – Immune System Boosting
In folk medicine, the broth was used to cure the common cold and aid in sickness. As has been revealed, broth's many components help boost the immune system and give it a little extra to fight against the risks of viruses in winter.
Health Benefit 8 – Helps Digestion and Gut Health
Gelatin is an abundant protein in a broth that binds with water in the digestive tract, helping food make its way through the intestines as it is fully digested. There is also early evidence presenting gelatin as a potential aid in tackling the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.
Health Benefit 9 – It’s A Celebrity Beauty Secret
A lot of celebrities swear by bone broth as their ultimate beauty secret. Kylie Jenner, Shailene Woodley, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mindy Kaling are all broth fans. The minerals – i.e. potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients – help to keep their skin glowing.
Health Benefit 10 – Anti-Aging
A broth’s collagen content alone has amazing anti-aging benefits you get with every cup. However, that’s not all. Bone broth increases plasma levels of glycine and proline – two amino acids used in forming collagen. This means not only are you consuming it, but you’re receiving the building blocks you need to make collagen.
Health Benefit 11 – Teeth, Skin, Nails, and Hair
The regular consumption of broth helps to enhance the skin's moisture, smoothness, and youthful appearance. It similarly impacts hair, nail growth, and dental health. All in all, a quality broth makes your body more efficient at maintenance. As we age, we lose some efficiency, to put it kindly. The broth is one of several things you can do to restore this quality.
Why Pho Offers the Best Broth this Winter
Pho is a healthy Vietnamese soup brought to Canada decades ago by emigrating Vietnamese families.
The base of pho is the broth. You’ll find the best-tasting broth in Toronto from pho from TorontoPHO.
For us, the broth is a part of our culture. It’s a tradition we hold dear. Making and drinking bone broth was done in Vietnamese culture long before it became a mainstream health trend.
We haven’t even gotten into how we use broth in pho. With pho, you get spices and herbs, it’s an abundant source of protein, the noodles are gluten-free, and it’s packed with vegetables – all depending on the variety.
As filling as the broth is on its own, you get a few additional nutrients, some carbs, and more protein in Pho.
The way we make our broth is very specific. Made in-house at each of our three Toronto PHO locations in the GTA, we use a recipe that originated with my father and has never changed. The broth we serve our clientele is the same broth done to our family for decades.
To ensure a clear broth while minimizing fat in the broth, we spend two hours skimming excess fat from the top. The whole recipe requires about six hours of cooking, but the process is well worth it!
On any given month, the team at Toronto PHO makes about 10,000 litres of broth. All this is delivered to Torontonians like you throughout the city.
TorontoPHO is a leader in Vietnamese pho in Toronto. We always start with broth. It’s the perfect warm meal to combat winter with. Please feel encouraged to stop in this winter and schedule a curbside pick-up or order delivery through our website!
Toronto Pho is a family-owned restaurant serving the best pho and late-night eats. Search for Best Pho near me, you will find one of our 4 locations across Ontario; we offer fast delivery and online ordering for pickup or delivery through our easy-to-use app, available for Android and iPhone smartphones.
