Why Bone Broth is Good For you + 7 Interesting Ways to Use It
Bone broth is jam-packed with goodness.
It’s incredibly nutrient-dense, providing a long list of health benefits. Bone broth has been around for a long, long time, dating back to our ancestors. Our ancestors always used as much of the animal as they could, and one way of using all of the animal was taking the bones and stewing them for hours before consuming the nutritious liquid. And here we are today, still drinking and using bone broth because of what it can do for the body. It’s considered an elixir, after all!
You might be thinking at this point – what’s the difference between broth vs stock vs bone broth? That’s a great question! Even though these words are often used interchangeably, there is definitely a difference.
Stock – Method of slowly simmering bones, cartilage, and/ or tendons for 2- 4 hours, resulting in a liquid rich in collagen and gelatin.
Broth – a derivative of stock. This is made by simmering meat scraps for 45 minutes - 2 hours. Broth doesn’t contain a high amount of collagen, gelatin, or protein due to the lack of contents and short simmer time. Most commercial broths are made this way (the ones found in stores) are made this way (NTA, 2020). Mainly used for cooking.
Bone broth – The term bone broth has been used in the scientific and anthropological literature since the 1930s, and it refers to the traditional practice of simmering bones and the collagen-rich parts of the animal for an extended period, up to 24 hours (NTA, 2019). Bone broth is higher in gelatin and collagen than stock and regular broth. It is meant to be consumed on its own as a healing elixir or used in soups and stews.
A note about meat stock – it’s a great alternative to bone broth if you are seeking a low-histamine diet. Meat stock is made from simmering a whole animal (such as a whole chicken) or part of an animal (joint of meat) for 3- 4 hours. The result is a nutritious liquid that is lower in histamine than bone broth and really healing for the connective tissue of your body (NTA, 2020). Making meat stock gives you nourishing broth and meat to use for meals.
The healing benefits of bone broth –
Our bodies need collagen. Collagen makes up 90 to 95% of the protein matrix in our bones (Ballantyne, 2017, p. 265). Unfortunately, as we age, the amount of collagen our body can produce diminishes. We need to supplement in collagen, and one of the best ways is through whole foods, especially bone broth.
Bone broth is rich in collagen, gelatin, minerals, protein, and amino acids. Bone broth is widely known for its high mineral content, but amino acids are the big players. Minerals like glycine, proline, and glutamine are highly supportive of the body. Glycine is needed for things like DNA and collagen production, proline is needed for things like gene expression, immune responses, and cellular metabolism, and glutamine is needed for things like cellular energy and gut health (Kresser and NTA). Bone broth is so good for you because it is healing to the body.
This simple act of sipping on bone broth feels your body with warmth and ease. I call it my “hug in a mug.”
Proof I call it my “hug in a mug” ;)
Bone Broth Benefits
Anti-aging
Regulates blood sugar
Aids in muscle repair
Bone health (hellooooo collagen)
Gut health
Detoxification
Sleep + mood
Eye health
Immune health
Can you see why it’s known as an elixir? According to Chris Kresser, “The age-old tradition of having a hot pot of bone broth constantly cooking on the hearth has been lost in favor of modern convenience, microwaves, and highly processed canned soups” (Kresser, 2019). The good news is bone broth can easily be implemented in your life because it’s easy to make and sourcing quality bone broth is becoming more readily available too! The importance of bringing back this tradition is even more imperative these days with the amount of stress and toxins that our bodies encounter daily.
How to source bone broth
I highly recommend trying to make your own! Bone broth is easy to throw together and affordable. Give this this recipe or this one a shot. The most important thing is to source quality bones, such as those from grass-fed cows or pasture-raised chickens to avoid intake of heavy metals, antibiotics, added hormones, etc. You can also start with the carcass of a chicken (again, quality matters)! More and more regenerative farms have created meat subscriptions or have online ordering so you can buy their meat + bones, but check out your local regenerative farm and farmer’s market first! If you rather purchase bone broth, I recommended purchasing Kettle + Fire, Bare Bones, or broth from a regenerative farmer or farmer’s market that uses bones from grass-fed cows and pasture-raised poultry.
What to do with bone broth?
If drinking bone broth straight doesn’t sound appealing to you – don’t knock it until you try it! – there are other ways to consume it. Some are pretty straight-forward while others are creative!
7 Creative Ways to Use Bone Broth –
In soups + stews
In place of broth or water in a recipe
As a liquid agent for sauteing
In your smoothies (you won’t taste it)
In hot cacao – try this recipe (use whatever bone broth you have)
In gummies
Freeze as ice cubes to throw into future soups/ stews/ smoothies or to add to a drink with herbs for a savory kick
Having bone broth daily is a surefire way to get in a lot of the nutrients your body is lacking, but your body will reap a lot of the benefits even consumed weekly.
Need more ideas or recipes? Let me know! Bone broth is here to stay and I think you can see why :)
Sources
Ballantyne (2017). Paleo Principles. Auberry, California: Victory Belt Publishing .
Kresser, C. (2019).The Bountiful Benefits of Bone Broth: A Comprehensive Guide. Retrieved from https://chriskresser.com/the-bountiful-benefits-of-bone-broth-a-comprehensive-guide/
Nutritional Therapy Association. (2019). Culinary Wellness. Nutritional Therapy Association Student Guide, 105- 110.