Bone broth is a highly nutritious, comforting liquid that’s good for your gut and your joints. Learn about the many benefits of bone broth and how to make it.
At Goose Creek Homestead, we are big on nurturing the body’s ability to heal itself. We look at bone broth almost like medicine because it has so many benefits for the body. Don’t get me wrong! It’s absolutely delicious and super comforting to sip on a chilly day, especially if you’re not feeling well. Bone broth is full of minerals and other nutrients that are especially beneficial for the digestive system and the joints, among other things. Here’s how to make bone broth and why you should.
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is basically a liquid that is made by simmering the bones and connective tissues of beef, chicken, pork, or fish. The bones are simmered in water and apple cider vinegar for an extended period of time (at least 24 hours). This slow simmering process extracts minerals and other nutrients from the bones, marrow, and connective tissues, creating an extraordinarily nutritious and flavorful broth.
The Benefits of Bone Broth
Our family drinks bone broth almost every day because of its amazing benefits. Bone broth has the same benefits for animals as it does for humans, so our dogs and cats get some every day as well.
· Bone Broth is a Natural Source of Collagen and Other Nutrients
Bones are rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The cartilage and connective tissues that are simmered with the bones also contain beneficial compounds. One of the most important ones is collagen, which is only found in the bones and connective tissues of animals.
Our tendons, muscles, bones, and skin contain abundant amounts of collagen protein; however, collagen production slows down as we age. Sagging skin, wrinkles, and joint pain are all symptoms of this decrease in collagen production. For women, the production of collagen decreases dramatically after menopause.
Collagen is also used in medical treatments as a dressing for wounds and burns. It promotes tissue regeneration and can relieve or prevent the symptoms of arthritis. It is also added to many skincare products, although it is doubtful that it can actually be absorbed through the skin. High sugar diets, smoking, UV rays, autoimmune disorders, and the aging process all deplete natural collagen levels.
Bone broth also contains other vital nutrients like iron, zinc, selenium, fatty acids, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, manganese, and iron. Adding vegetables to your bone broth will also increase its nutritional value. Many of these nutrients, especially collagen, are difficult to get from other sources and more easily absorbed in the form of bone broth.
· Bone Broth Protects Your Joints
Bone broth also contains natural gelatin, which is especially crucial for joint health. As we age, the cartilage in our joints breaks down and shrinks. This leads to joint pain and stress. Gelatin supplements have been shown to increase the amount of collagen in joint cartilage, protecting the joints from damage and stress. Bone broth is an excellent way to add gelatin to your diet naturally.
· Bone Broth May Reduce or Prevent Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Since the natural compounds found in bone broth protect the joints, it may also help prevent or at least reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. According to this study, the collagen that came from the connective tissues of chickens decreased pain and stiffness in the knee joints and even improved the physical function of those joints. Bone broth is an effective way to deliver collagen to the body in an easily absorbable form.
· Bone Broth Reduces Inflammation and Improves Gut Health
Bone broth also contains certain amino acids that are good for the digestive system. One of the most important ones is glutamine. Glutamine has been shown to heal the intestinal barrier in people and animals. People with a leaky gut can benefit from drinking the broth.
· Bone Broth Can Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Bone broth also contains the amino acid glycine, which has been shown to help some people get a better night’s sleep. People who take glycine before going to bed not only sleep better but they also wake up less fatigued the following day. Bone broth is an excellent bedtimes snack for people who suffer from insomnia.
· Bone Broth May Help You Lose Weight
Since bone broth is high in protein, it helps you full fuller longer, which means it could help you lose weight by supporting your efforts to restrict calories. Studies show that chicken bone broth contains more protein than basic chicken broth, so it’s a great way to feels satisfied without consuming the calories of a full meal.
Keeping Bone Broth in Your Pantry
In a perfect world, I would make bone broth at home every time. But the world’s not perfect, and sometimes, there just isn’t time to do everything yourself. Believe me, I get it. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of bone broth! For times when I can’t make it myself, I like to buy delicious, high-quality bone broth online. The brand we buy is made from pasture-raised, grass-fed cattle and organic herbs and veggies.
Our favorite brand of ready-made bone broth contains all of the important amino acids and collagen in their natural state, which is very important. Some brands add synthetic collagen to their broth which can’t be absorbed or used by the body efficiently. We actually like to keep a good supply of this bone broth in our pantry since it’s shelf-stable, high in protein, and so nutritious. We drink bone broth just about every day, so we go through it pretty quickly, and it’s nice to have some on hand. I also use it in my cooking and as stock when I’m making soup or stew.
How to Make Bone Broth at Home
It’s very easy to make bone broth at home, and we try to make a big batch every couple of weeks. We save all of our bones from our meals by tossing them into the freezer. You can also ask for bones at the butcher section of your local grocery store. If they have any available, they’ll let you buy them. Whenever possible, use bones from grass-fed, free-range organic animals only.
Here’s the recipe I use to make bone broth:
- 3-4 pounds of bones and tissues from grass-fed or free-range organic sources
- 1 ounce of organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 1 ½ gallon of filtered water to cover the bones completely
- Vegetables, salt, herbs, and spices to taste-depending on what we have on hand
I place all of the ingredients together in my slow-cooker and simmer them for about 24 hours. To save time, you could also make bone broth in your Instant Pot. Before storing, the broth should be strained through a mesh colander or cheesecloth. If I’m making a big batch of bone broth, I freeze it in small containers to make it last longer. Whenever we have extra bone broth, we also can it for shelf-stable storage the same way we would any type of both.
In Conclusion
Bone broth has many benefits for the body, and it is an excellent source of nutrients and minerals that you may not typically get, even with a healthy diet. Of course, every batch of homemade bone broth will contain different levels of nutrition depending on the ingredients that you use. Bone broth may offer additional benefits that we haven’t discovered yet, but we know without a doubt that it supports the body in many ways.
