The Miracle of Bone Broth and Why You Need to Add it to Your Diet Today!

Dr. Kelly Ann Petrucci calls it the weight loss and anti-aging miracle food.  In her book “The Bone Broth Diet”, two days per week are spent fasting on bone broth alone with the goal in 21 days of younger looking skin AND weight loss.

Every functional nutrition expert touts bone broth as the ultimate in gut healing.

Dr. Cate Shanahan has the L.A. Lakers on bone broth in order heal and prevent injuries.  Her book “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Foods” is the #1 book I currently recommend!

Greg Cleland’s book, “Bone Broth Power” is subtitled, “Reverse Grey Hair and Bring Back Morning Wood.” 🙂

So what’s the big deal?

Well, bone broth has been around for centuries.  One can imagine some sort of broth was kept going over the fire on a constant basis, bones being reused over and over again; in poorer times, it was only bones; in more prosperous times, perhaps some meat and veggies were added, and if they were really lucky, some salt.

Therapeutic stories of bone broth’s predecessor, beef tea, made it’s debut in Britain in the late 1700’s and was soon used on hospital wards for the sick. It was in fact reserved for the deathly ill; frequently baffling nurses and doctors by it’s ability to heal.  This was certainly before the knowledge of vitamins and minerals became common knowledge with regard to health.  It was equally consumed as a daily tonic and was their attempt in the 1800’s to extend the life of one of their most nutritious foods: meat.  While today’s bone broth is mostly made from meatless bones, the preparation of beef tea and modern bone broth are nearly identical. 

In 1860,  Florence Nightingale proclaimed, “Beef tea may be chosen as an illustration of great nutrient power in sickness.”

Modern science explains the magic of Bone Broth

The prolonged cooking of bone breaks down the minerals in the bones, which leaches into the fluid.  This fluid is rich in magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and potassium in forms that our bodies can easily assimilate.  The amino acids in bone broths are ones that we are deficient in due to our over-consumption of muscle meat and under-consumption of things like skin, cartilage and bone.  These amino acids are essential to our soft tissue and bone health and are building blocks for our intestinal lining and skin.  Proline, glycine, collagen, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as glucosamine, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate, all support joint health, ligament integrity, prevent wrinkles and support sagging skin, heal the intestinal lining, prevent allergies (epithelial lining repair), lubricate and protect epithelial tissue and provide building blocks for repair of all soft tissue.

Benefits of Collagen

Types of Collagen and their benefits

Type 1:  the most abundant in the body making up nearly 90%: strongest type: found in tendons, ligaments, organs and skin as well as in bone and the GI tract— essential for wound healing, and holding tissue together so it doesn’t tear.  ( think of tendon, ligament and muscle tears)

Type 2:  primarily found in cartilage- which is the padding between joints; shock absorbers

Type 3: found in organs and skin; firmness and elasticity of skin; but also essential in the strength of blood vessels and heart tissue- which you will want to have strong in 30-40years!

Type 10: essential to new bone formation in growth or injury repair; as well as repair of joints and their synovial tissue( the fluid, cushioning and protection)

So if you want to worry about appearance: collagen can improve your skin and hair- improving acne and reducing and more importantly for you PREVENTING wrinkles. Prevents cellulite and stretch marks!

If you are more worried about health issues, bone broth will not let you down!  It packs a punch no matter what:

1)   reduces joint degeneration

2)  helps intestinal problems

3)  BOOSTS METABOLISM, MUSCLE MASS AND ENERGY OUTPUT

4)   helps add lean muscle mass keeping your body healthy and youthful

5)   helps repair muscle, heal wounds

6)   is fuel for your cells during the next game or workout

7)  strengthens hair, nails and teeth

8)  supports liver detox, improves blood flow and keeps your heart in top shape

If you want to prevent wrinkles and cellulite, prevent and heal from injuries, stay supple, and feel young and vibrant, this is one food you must add today!

Here are some ways to incorporate bone broth soup into your diet: 

1) make bone broth at home from either left over bones from chicken or beef dishes, or purchase bones at the grocery store, Whole Foods, butcher, etc; (see bone broth recipe below) then turn the broth into wonderful soups:

a). Pho (here is one recipe)  

b). Chicken noodle (with rice noodles, organic pasta, rice or other grain pasta)

c). Chicken tortilla soup (please use organic corn tortillas)

2) purchase Bone Broth Protein Powder 

a). Makes easy, on-the-run, tasty shakes

b). Use to blend with a nut milk, berries, greens and chia seeds

3). Drink a cup of bone broth with some rice noodles and a pinch of salt, or your favorite seasonings:  curry, lemongrass, ginger, etc

Whether you do it for wrinkle reduction, muscle and soft tissue health, weight loss or intestinal healing, you’ve got to try including bone broth in your diet today!  It is an easy way to get some ancient nutrition into our diets start to replace some of our modern, processed, inflammatory foods.

       BONE BROTH RECIPE

Bone broth is a rich source of nutrients.  It contains protein, cartilage, and minerals, especially calcium.  It’s easy for our body to digest, tastes delicious and fills a home with an aroma of goodness while cooking. Bone broth is inherently calming, consoling, and restorative to our energy and spirit.

              BASIC BROTH MAKING

1.  Bones –  poultry, fish, shellfish, beef or lamb

• cooked bones from a previous meal, with or without skin or meat
• raw bones, with or without skin and meat (can be browned first for flavor)
• use a whole carcass or just parts (good choices include feet, ribs, necks and knuckles)

2.  Water –  cold      

• enough to just cover the bones in slow cooker, stock pot or IntantPot, or 2 cups water per 1 pound bones

3.  Vinegar –  any kind  

• a splash (1-2 tablespoons), or substitute lemon juice for vinegar

4.  Vegetables (optional) – skins, ends and tops or entire veggie

• traditional choices include celery, carrots, onions, garlic and parsley, but any will do

      

  Combine bones, water and vinegar in a pot, bring to a boil, remove any scum that has risen to the top and reduce heat.  Simmer 6-48 hrs for chicken, 12 –72 hrs for beef, the longer the better (24 hrs is best). To reduce cooking time, you may smash or cut bones into small pieces first.  If desired, add vegetables in last 30 minutes of cooking (or at any point as convenience dictates).  Strain through a colander and discard the bones.  If uncooked meat was used to start with, you may reserve the meat for soup or salads. If you wish to remove the fat for use in gravy, use a gravy separator while the broth is warm, or skim the fat off the top once refrigerated.  Cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present.  Broth may be frozen for months, or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

    To use

1.  Soup –  Make soup by adding vegetables, beans, grains or meat to broth.  Briefly cook vegetables and meat with oil or butter in the bottom of a stockpot (optional- 5 minutes).  Add broth and grains or previously soaked beans and simmer till all is cooked through (time will vary with ingredients but count on a minimum of 20 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper or other spices.

2.  Cooking Liquid –  Use broth in place of water to steam veggies or cook rice, beans or other grains.  Place steamer basket of veggies over broth or add grains or beans directly to it in proper ratio.  Simmer for instructed time.  You may thicken veggie steaming-broth, as below, to use as gravy.   

3.  Gravy –  Make gravy to put on vegetables, meat or biscuits.  Put fat (removed from the broth, or use butter) in a skillet.  Add any type of flour, one tablespoon at a time and stir constantly till browned.  Whisk in broth and cook till thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

4.  Tea –  Don’t forget you can just add salt and sip broth like tea. This is especially nice in the winter months or if you’re feeling sick. Since broth is simultaneously energizing and calming, it can take the place of morning coffee, afternoon tea, or evening nightcap. Try it in a thermos and sip throughout the day. Of course, the most traditional use for seasoned broth is as a first course, to enhance the digestion of any meal to come.

Overwhelmed or just want some guidance?  Recipes? Food prep help? What to know what you really need food-wise and supplement-wise?  Need to simplify?   Work with me!

In Health,