![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://bollspel.com/the-power-of-bone-broth-a-must-have-functional-food-for-protein-and-collagen/&media=https://bollspel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/19748-the-power-of-bone-broth-a-must-have-functional-food-for-protein-and-collagen.jpg&description="Discover the benefits of bone broth as a functional food for protein and collagen. Learn how this powerful ingredient can boost your overall health and wellness. Find out why bone broth is a must-have addition to your diet."){kind=link}
Humans have been consuming broth for thousands of years, but now it is becoming popular for new reasons – its health benefits.
UK startup Freja recently received a new £2m (€2.3m) investment, attracting input from figures such as English footballer Harry Kane. They plan to take advantage of the trend with their range of fish, chicken, and beef bone broths, as well as a veg broth.
This investment will be used for export to Western and Northern Europe, marketing, and new product development. Bone broth as a functional foodTraditionally, broth was used to add flavor to foods such as sauces, gravies, and stews. Now, it is sought after not only as a flavor but as a functional food. According to Ed Armitage, co-founder and CEO at Freja, there is increasing demand for clean label, non-UPF products with the right nutritional profile.
68% of Freja customers are buying it to meet a functional need (gut health, collagen, protein etc). Only 9% of customers buy it as a cooking ingredient. The nutrients take prominence over other concerns, like price. Many people buy it as a daily superfood blend or meal replacement, aiming to add specific nutrients daily and completely removing bad ingredients.
Freja’s range. Image Source: FrejaHowever, the connection between broth and traditional cooking is still a key part of the appeal. Freja’s broths are sourced entirely from Norway, with a low carbon footprint for cows and a low use of antibiotics compared to many other European countries.
As a functional food, bone broth has certain advantages that what it is drawn from – meat – doesn’t. “Because bone both extracts the nutrients from bone and cartilage, it has a different nutritional profile to meet. While meat has more protein, bone broth is rich in collagen and gelatin, which include the amino acids glycine and proline. Bone broth also has a higher concentration of electrolyte minerals such as potassium and magnesium.”
Freja also produces a vegetarian broth, which has its own benefits. “The vegetable broth is made with root vegetables,