Health Benefits of Bone Broth & How to Make Bone Broth

If you are not already making your own bone broth, I'm going to give you several reasons why you should consider starting. Not only is it inexpensive to make, but it's also one of the worlds most nutrient dense foods. Bone broth is packed with highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, sulfur, and a variety of amino acids, as well as collagen, glucosamine, and condrointin. These nutrients support our immune system, calm and heal digestive distress, and nourish our musculoskeletal system just to name a few.

Bone broth has affectionately been referred to as "Jewish penicillin" because of it's amazing healing and health promoting benefits. Did your mom ever make you chicken soup when you were sick? Most of us have had that experience more than a handful of times. It comes of course from generations and generations of people from all over the world making this very traditional healing and inexpensive food for decades and decades.  

I often consume bone broth for breakfast or as a snack with just some fresh herbs and diced raw veggies of choice. But you can also use it in your soups, stews, casseroles, and much more to add flavor and a boat-load of nutrients to your meal!

I started making my own bone broth regularly last year when I started treatment for chronic Lyme disease to help support my gut health while taking antibiotics and to nourish and support my immune system. But the benefits of bone broth go way beyond these two things...check it out...

Health Benefits of Bone Broth:

1. Promotes gut health and aids in healing digestive distress. 
   Nutrients founds in bone broth replenish the digestive track and calm gut; they can also help to reduce inflammation, diarrhea, and nausea, and can help lessen symptoms from acid re-flux, colitis, and even Chron's disease.
   
   
2. Improves musculoskeletal and skin health
   Bone broth is rich in collagen which is literally the back bone of your bones, tendons, and skin. Collagen also supports smooth connective tissue to help descrease the apprearance of cellulite and fine lines. This food is also packed with glucosamine and chondrontin to help reduce inflammation and strengthen the joints. 
   
   
3. Supports the immune system and promotes healing
   Since close to 65% of your immune system originates in the gut, this broth will help to calm your gut as well as promote assimilation of vitamins and minerals that support optimum immune and detoxification functions.
   
   
4. Promotes healthy blood
   Bone broth contains bone marrow, which is where white and red blood cells are made. Within traditional Chinese medicine, bone marrow is said to increase your chi and nourish your body's ability to create healthy blood.

How To Make Bone Broth:
Ingredients:
3 pounds organic chicken or turkey bones or carcass**
12-16 cups filtered water or enough to cover all ingredients (depending on how big your pot or slow cooker is)
2-3 tablespoons organic, raw apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, not peeled, quartered
2 stalks celery, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and quartered
2-3 inches ginger root and/or turmeric root (optional - for an extra Anti-Inflammatory boost!)
1 bunch parsley
2-4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together kitchen twine

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients (except parsley & thyme) into a large stock pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer slowly for 15-24 hours. The longer you cook it, the more minerals and nutrients will be extracted. In fact, if you get to 24 hours, the bones will feel soft  and may even crumble - this is a good sign that the minerals from the bone are now in your broth! If you are using a slow cooker, just cover and cook on low for 24 hours. 
2. Add parsley and thyme  (not chopped) to broth in last 1 hour of cook time.
3. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a container or bowl, then discard the bones and solids.  I like to use glass mason jars or freezer safe, glass tupperware to store these in the fridge or freezer. 
4. Allow  to cool completely before placing in fridge. Once they get cold in the fridge, the fat usually rises to the top. I simply use a large, flat spoon to skim the fat off and discard it. You can also save it and use it for cooking like you would use grass-feb butter or ghee:).
5. Use broth in soups and stews, to cook your grains or beans in, or simply drink it straight from a mug.

I like to just add some Pink Himalayan sea salt and fresh parsley and drink it down!!

If you've done this all correctly, your broth will most likely gels or congeals after you've had it in the fridge for a half day or so. Don't worry! This is a good sign that your broth is packed with collagen and all the other healing nutrients. Just re-heat and it will go back to a liquid broth consistency. 

If you can't find bones or don't have time to make broth, you can also make stock, which is has less collagen and gelatin but will still give you lots of protein and minerals in your final batch. For stock, follow the same directions except use a whole chicken or bones with meat on them instead of just the bones. Then you only cook it for 3-4 hours versus 12-24 for the bone broth. 

If you have more than 3 pounds of bones, this recipe is easy to double and I highly recommend making as big a batch as your pot or slow cooker will allow. You can store broth in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

**You can buy  chicken bones, feet, and other organic bones at places like Whole Foods. OR make friends with the butcher at your local grocery store and ask for bones and even feet (the feet have extra collagen).  It is also super important to get your bones from an organic bird as these will yield MANY more nutrients and not be contaminated with added hormones or antibiotics.  You could also opt for organic, grass-fed and finished beef or lamb bones for a different flavor and nutrient profile. 

Happy soup slurping friends...
~Billie