American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) star Kobe Bryant's secret that keeps him going on court in the twilight of his career is 'bone broth'.
In March 2013, Bryant, who plays for Los Angeles Lakers, was lying crumpled on the court with his left ankle severely sprained after landing on an opponent's foot.
Director of the Lakers PRO Nutrition Program Dr. Cate Shanahan saw it all unfold on TV and immediately picked up the phone, as she knew that Bryant needed soup fast, ESPN reported.
Shanahan reportedly called the chef at the Atlanta hotel where the Lakers were staying and ordered two bowls of hot chicken vegetable soup to be delivered to Bryant's room.
And, it was not just your regular soup. It was made with bone broth, a nourishing concoction rich in nutrient and minerals, and especially collagen, produced by simmering bones (pig, cow, fish, etc.) and other ingredients for hours.
Bryant called the sprain his worst since 2000, and rightly so, as his ankle swelled to the size of a tennis ball. He was out indefinitely, but missed only two games.
As Bryant creeps toward the two-decade mark in the NBA, bone broth has quietly but steadily become a daily staple of his diet over the past three years and it's the foundation of his pre-game meal at home and on the road, and the Lakers put in long hours to make sure it's carefully prepared for him at all times.
Bryant said that he has been doing the bone broth for a while now, adding that it's great and gives him energy and inflammation.
Though wary about bone broth at first, Bryant has stuck with it. He said that as an athlete, one wants to make sure one leaves no stone unturned, adding that one wants to do the right things as much as possible to give themselves an opportunity.
He claims that bone broth isn't the only factor, but it is an important one.
Bryant said that it definitely contributes, adding that he believes it's a balance of a lot of things, but also insists that doing the small things all together, it makes a big difference.
