By now, you have definitely heard some of the hype around bone broth, the savory and delicious drink filling coffee cups and mugs. But this fad elixir is not all that new.

But what is bone broth, exactly? And is it good for you, really?

What Is Bone Broth?

It is basically simple: Bone broth, like Bonafide Bone Broth is a savory broth simmered with beef bones and some vegetables.

It isn’t exactly the same thing as stock. The difference lies chiefly in the amount of time it is simmered. The longer the liquid simmers, the more nutrients and minerals leach from the bones. Broths are made by simmering the bones and some meat (basically that has already been roasted) of an animal or fish for a long time, more than 24 hours, unlike a stock which can finish cooking in about three hours.

How to Make Bone Broth

Making homemade bone broth is easy—once you have the bones and bone broth recipe. Nevertheless, you might head off to the supermarket only to find they don’t have any lying around. Try your local prime butcher, and search for the “boniest bones” you can find, like beef knuckles, soup bones, chicken necks, oxtails, and even tiny feet. You can also reuse bones from other dishes you have cooked, like roast turkey or chicken.

Then, consider this bone broth recipe: Once you have the bones from your prime butcher, put them all into a pot with any vegetables and herbs you have available. (Try two chopped stalks of celery, one chopped carrot, and herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, or oregano). Then add water to the top, and simmer on low heat for at least 20 hours. It will smell wonderful and you will end up with a nutritious drink—or if all else fails, a hearty soup base.

Bone broth offers a chock-full of health-boosting benefits: For one, it is a good source of protein (about 5 grams per cup) and minerals like phosphorous (good for bones and teeth), calcium, and potassium, which helps transport nutrients into cells and waste out of cells. That is not all.

1. Heal and seal your gut

A cup of bone broth a day can be helpful with leaky gut syndrome, but it is also great for protecting non-leaky guts. The gelatin in the bones basically used for making broth (such as knuckles, feet, and joints) is said to help close up holes in intestines. This “patching” can help ease constipation, chronic diarrhea, and even some food intolerances. It also goes down easily; that is why dietitians advise broth as one of the best foods or for patients with food sensitivities.

2. Protect your joints

Taking glucosamine supplements has been used as a first line of treatment for people with joint pains, but it turns out that glucosamine can be found in bone broth, too. Unlike pills, though, the broth offers other health benefits that can help alleviate pain.

3. Sleep better

Studies has shown that glycine, found in bone broth from prime butchers, may help improve sleep and ward off fatigue.

4. Support a healthy immune system

Because of bone broth‘s high concentration of minerals, it can also strengthen your immune system.

5. Increase bone strength

The magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium in the bones seep out into the broth, leaving you to drink up all those essential nutrients for your own healthy bones.

6. Eat healthier

While the bone broth trend might have begun with drinkable broth in a cup, there are a lot of other ways you can eat and cook with bone broth.

That’s one more good reason to pay your prime butcher a trip today!