In the last few years bone broth has become very popular. There are also many different products that have come out using bone broth. The preparation of bone broth is what makes it a superfood. Bone broth’s real benefits come from simmering the bones for up to 72 hours which allows the marrow to be cooked down and the minerals to be released.
Benefits of Bone Broth
1. Joint Health
Bones actually give the body 50% of its protein. The collagen from the bones, tendons and ligaments are broken down in the cooking process and turn into a gelatin which is actually a protein. Gelatin contains several amino acids that help rebuild our connective tissue, especially our tendons and ligaments. This is why people that have arthritis start feeling less pain once they boost their intake of bone broth because as we maintain the connective tissue in our body we reduce the risk of aching joints.
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) best known as glucosamine is a family carbohydrate found in bone broth, which thousands of people take every day as a joint health supplement. A recent study showed that chicken collagen dramatically improved the symptoms with rheumatoid arthritis.
The minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium are crucial to help strengthen out bones and reduce osteoporosis.
2. Gut Health
Glycine, an amino acid in bone broth helps to reduce symptoms of acid reflux. Contrary to what you might think, acid reflux is actually caused by a lack of stomach acid which makes digesting food difficult. Glutamine, another amino acid found in bone broth, is a natural remedy for “leaky gut syndrome”, which basically means the lining of your intestines are not working properly and can set off a number of autoimmune issues.
3. Immune Health
The marrow in bone broth is extremely rich in nutrients. It helps immune function, especially for colds and flu. Bone broth also contains a variety of valuable nutrients in a form your body can easily absorb.
How to Make Bone Broth
The best bones to choose for making bone broth are the ones with the most marrow. Depending on the bones, I recommend simmering the broth for 8-48 hours. I usually like to rinse my bones with vinegar to minimize the strong bony taste.
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds of bones
• 1 gallon water
• 1 small piece of peeled ginger
• 1 onion
• 2 large carrots (if from an organic source, you can rough chop and don’t need to peel)
• 2 celery stalks, rough chopped
• salt,pepper, and spices to taste
Directions:
• Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with water.
• Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower to a simmer.
• For beef broth, simmer for 48 hours, for chicken broth, simmer for 24 hours, for fish broth, simmer for 8 hours.
• Allow to cool slightly and strain. Store in an airtight Mason jar or freeze until ready to use.
3 Ways to eat Bone Broth
You can drink a mug of it daily as you would your morning coffee to get all the health benefits it has to offer, or use it as a base of a soup for added nutrients and flavor
In a smoothie
There are many companies that sell polvarized bone broth which can be used in a smoothie. This is how I boost my kid’s immune system.
Recipe:
2 Tbsp. of Great Lakes Collagen
1/2 cup of Strawberries
1/2 Banana
2 cups of Milk ( can also use almond milk or other non dairy options)
Direction:
Blend all ingredients and enjoy
Bulletproof Bars and Snack Bites
There are now many companies that are using bone broth as a key ingredient in their snacks and bars. It is a great way to get nutrients while snacking
