Rachel Brosnahan Said This One Food Helped Her Avoid Getting Sick On The 'Mrs. Maisel' Set

Is there anything more loathsome than feeling sick in a public setting? You could be overcome with nausea, struggling to breathe through a stuffy nose, or breaking a serious fever sweat — no matter how minuscule the ailment, the struggle is always amplified when you’re toughing it out at a desk. Can you imagine the agony it must be to battle a heinous cold for actors on a crowded set surrounded by blazing spotlights? Luckily for Netflix’s hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, lead actor Rachel Brosnahan eats bone broth to avoid getting sick on-set and to ensure the show can go on sniffle-free.

During a recent interview with Shape, the 28-year-old actor revealed a ton of her wellness secrets, from the importance of a flexible workout regimen, to knowing when to slow down, listen to her body’s cues, and indulge in self-care (which, she said, includes things like marathoning episodes of Survivor, snuggling her pups, and drinking lots of coffee with friends). When asked what types of foods she leans on to fuel her body, Brosnahan told the outlet she’s a big fan of avocado toast topped with poached eggs, and roasted root vegetables with every meal. But Brosnahan’s number one secret to keeping her body healthy, she said, is bone broth.

“For the first season of the show, I was feeling very tired. And because I have a fast metabolism, I felt like I was dropping weight in an unhealthy way,” the former House of Cards star told Shape. “Bone broth has collagen and fat in it, along with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, and I really think it helped me,” she continued, crediting the nutrient-dense stock for her strong immunity throughout filming.

But let’s rewind for a sec, because I’m almost positive that, if you’ve never heard of bone broth before, it probably doesn’t sound all that appetizing. To clarify, bone broth is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a broth made from animal or fish bones. However, when combined with water, vinegar (typically apple cider), aromatic veggies, and spices, says Jenn Randazzo, MS, RD, CLT, senior national training manager at Vital Proteins, it’s definitely tastier than it sounds. Plus, bone broth is essentially a “nutrient powerhouse,” Randazzo tells Elite Daily, as it’s loaded with “naturally occurring nutrients like collagen, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and other trace minerals." So think soup, but even better for you in the long run.

Now, there are pre-made bone broths on the market (like these ones from Bonafide Provisions), as well as powder variations (like Dr. Axe’s Bone Broth Protein Powder, and Vital Proteins’ Bone Broth Collagen) that you can simply add hot water to, or mix into smoothies and other recipes. There are even bone broth bars and capsules available for your convenience. If you want to go the traditional route, though, DIY-ing your own pot is pretty simple, too.

“To make bone broth at home, simply grab some grass-fed bones from your local butcher or farmer’s market and place in a large soup pan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over low heat for 24 to 48 hours,” Dr. Josh Axe, D.N.M., C.N.S., D.C., founder of Ancient Nutrition and DrAxe.com, tells Elite Daily. To enhance the flavor even more, he adds, tossing ingredients like celery, carrots, onions, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper into the mix should do the trick, plus they'll make the entire broth more nutritious.

So now that you know how bone broth is made, you’re probably wondering what this magical soup actually does that makes it so nutritious and beloved by Brosnahan. Well, for starters, Dr. Axe points out that bone broth delivers a slew of healthy compounds like collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, plus a whopping 19 amino acids — all of which, he says, have been associated with several health benefits, such as improved gut health, joint function, skin elasticity, and a stronger immune system.

But what really makes this broth a staple for anyone feeling under the weather, Randazzo says, is its electrolytes, “which can help our body rehydrate and replenish those much-needed minerals,” she explains. No wonder Brosnahan was sipping this stuff throughout her time on-set.

If, by some chance, you've read up to this point and are still kind of skeeved out by the idea of slurping spoonfuls of bone-infused water, I totally get where you're coming from. Just remember, you don't have to consume bowls on bowls of the stuff to reap these benefits. Try adding a scoop of bone broth powder to your morning smoothie, use it as a marinade for meat, or, as Dr. Axe suggests, you can even add it to side dishes like mashed potatoes and stuffing. Clearly your options, and the benefits, are unlimited, so what do you have to lose?