BONE BROTH: THE CHINESE HERBAL LOVE STORY
Bone broth is one of the most ancient and powerful examples of this idea. Long before collagen powders, gut-healing protocols, or “immunity shots,” bone broth was prescribed as a medicinal substance used intentionally, diagnostically, and seasonally.
A Brief History of Bone Broth in TCM
Bone broth has been used for thousands of years across Chinese, Ayurvedic, and ancestral food traditions. In Chinese medicine, broths made from bones, connective tissue, and marrow were traditionally reserved for:
• postpartum recovery
• chronic illness
• injury and trauma
• aging and constitutional depletion
Bones are associated with the Kidneys, which in Chinese medicine govern:
• vitality and longevity
• hormones and reproductive health
• bones, marrow, and brain
• deep immune reserves (Wei Qi at its root)
When we simmer bones slowly, we are extracting Essence (Jing) making something deeply foundational more accessible and absorbable for the body. Bone broth was never meant to be trendy. It was meant to be restorative.
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Bone Broth as an Herbal Therapy
In Chinese medicine, different animal sources carry different energetic properties. This is where bone broth becomes truly therapeutic.
Beef Bone Broth will help to Builds Blood, Mental and Physical Strength
Beef is warming, grounding, and deeply nourishing.
Best for:
• Blood deficiency
• Fatigue, burnout, and depletion
• Postpartum or post-illness recovery
• Cold hands/feet, low energy, anemia
• Hormonal depletion
Beef bone broth strongly supports:
• Blood production
• Musculoskeletal strength
• Immune resilience
This is the broth I reach for when someone is run down physically, emotionally, or hormonally.
Chicken Bone Broth used to Nourish the Muscles, Tendons & Recovery
Chicken is gentler and more neutral in temperature constitutionally speaking.
Best for:
• Muscle fatigue or weakness
• Tendon and ligament issues
• Recovery from exercise or injury
• Digestive weakness
Chicken broth is often used in Chinese medicine for rebuilding after illness or stress without overwhelming the digestion.
Pork Bone Broth used for Beauty, Yin & Fluids
Pork is deeply yin-nourishing and moistening.
Best for:
• Dry skin, hair, nails
• Hormonal dryness
• Perimenopause or menopause
• Constipation from dryness
• Insomnia related to yin deficiency
This is the beauty broth supporting skin elasticity, hair growth, and deep hydration from the inside out.
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the diagnosis matters
This is why diagnosis matters, food can be medicine when it’s applied correctly. This is a crucial point that often gets missed in modern wellness culture. Bone broth is not universally appropriate for everyone, all the time.
In Chinese medicine, we always ask:
• What is the constitution?
• Is there heat or cold?
• Excess or deficiency?
• Dampness, dryness, stagnation?
Someone with severe dampness or digestive stagnation may need a modified approach or a specific type of broth with digestive herbs added. This is why food as medicine requires diagnosis, not just good intentions.
Bone broth is especially important right now. From a seasonal perspective, bone broth is most aligned with:
• Fall and Winter
• Times of stress, illness, or immune challenge
• Periods of hormonal transition
• Burnout culture (hello, modern life!)
This is the time of year when we are meant to:
• slow down
• warm up
• build reserves
Bone broth supports exactly that.
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Functional Medicine Perspective: Why Bone Broth Works
From a functional medicine lens, bone broth offers powerful support for modern health challenges:
Gut & Microbiome Support
• Provides glutamine to support intestinal lining repair
• Supports gut barrier integrity
• Helps calm inflammation
Immune System Support
• Rich in amino acids that support immune signaling
• Supports mucosal immunity
• Helps regulate inflammatory response
Skin, Hair & Joint Health
• Collagen, gelatin, glycine, and proline support connective tissue
• Improves skin elasticity and hydration
• Supports joints and cartilage
Energy & Hormones
• Glycine supports adrenal and nervous system balance
• Supports detox pathways
• Helps stabilize blood sugar and cortisol rhythms
Bone broth is a foundational food that works quietly but profoundly.
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My Beef Bone Broth Recipe (Medicinal Grade)
This is the recipe I’ve used for years both personally and professionally.
Ingredients:
• ~5 pounds of bones (soup bones, knuckles, marrow bones—variety matters)
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Garlic
• Fresh ginger
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Bay leaf (optional)
• Filtered water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Method:
1. Roast or sear bones first to deepen flavor
2. Place bones into a slow cooker
3. Add vegetables and herbs (feel free to modify for your personal constitution)
4. Fill with filtered water to the fill line
5. Add apple cider vinegar (this helps demineralize the bones and extract minerals)
6. Cook on low for 24-48 hours
The result should be rich, gelatinous, and deeply nourishing, we are looking for that sippable jiggly medicine.
A Note From My Past Life: Dragon Broth
At my previous practice in California, I had a bone broth called Dragon Broth. We added Chinese herbs tailored to specific constitutions like
blood deficiency, yin deficiency, immune support, postpartum recovery.
It was wildly successful… and wildly labor-intensive.
Between sourcing bones, herbs, and rising supply costs, it became unsustainable long-term. That said, the philosophy remains:
If you can’t make it yourself, buy the best you can afford.
When choosing pre-made bone broth:
• Look for well-sourced bones
• Avoid unnecessary additives
• Prioritize quality over convenience always!
Bone broth is not a trend.
It is not a shortcut.
It is not a cure-all.
It is ancestral slow medicine, intentional, and deeply supportive when used correctly.
When we respect diagnosis, seasonality, and constitution, food becomes one of our most powerful healing tools.
And bone broth?
That’s one of the originals.
