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 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 our 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.
Ingredients
2 pounds bones
1 gallon water
1 small piece 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
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.
- Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with water.
- Roughly chop the vegetables and add them 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.
