What’s all the hype about Bone Broth?

I have been getting a lot of questions about bone broth lately. Some people swear by it and others can’t stand it. What’s the deal? Where did all the hype come from and why are we now looking at bone broth as a super food of the future?

Well, first thing you should know is that bone broth is not a new thing. It’s been around for centuries. I grew up having bone broth every Sunday at Grandmas house not knowing that the rest of the world wasn’t enjoying this beneficial elixir on a weekly or even daily basis. Our family has been passing the recipe down for generations and no quite knows when or why it became a staple for us. It’s truly a traditional food that allowed cultures of our past use every part of the animal that they ate.

Bone broth can be made with the bones of any animal that you enjoy eating. I have used beef, bison, lamb, elk, turkey, chicken and some people enjoy fish broth as well. The broth is extremely easy to digest, it’s rich in flavor and boosts the health of any person or animal that consumes it! (That’s right, it’s even good for your furry friends!) Bone broth is made by boiling and simmering the bones, ligaments, meaty bits and skin for long periods of time. This releases compounds like collagen, proline, glycine and glutamine which are amino acids that can transform your health. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and more are leached into the broth to improve your health.

The benefits of drinking and cooking with bone broth are so numerous I’m sure there are more than I could possibly list here but I will try my best to hit the highlights.

1. First and foremost, it will protect and seal your intestinal lining. If you suspect you have leaky gut and if you have been experiencing more and more food sensitivities, you definitely want to try consuming bone broth. The gelatin from the bone marrow in the bones restores the strength of the gut lining and helps with the growth of the intestinal probiota.
2. It can improve your joint health with collagen and gelatin to help joints glide.
3. Bone broth supports the immune system because it’s gut supportive and helps reduce inflammation.
4. It will improve your skin health with collagen to help form elastin. It is said to reduce wrinkles and even reduce cellulite!
5. Bone broth can aid in boosting your metabolism as it’s a great source of glutathione which is an important antioxidant and it is full of amino acids that help us maintain our energy by sending nutrients to our cells.
6. It can improve sleep as it has glycine which is thought to help with sleep and help fight fatigue.

Bone broth is like a powerful multivitamin with over 19 easily digested and absorbed amino acids. It has collagen and gelatin to help build tissues and help bones and joints. Bone broth as nutrients for digestive function, immunity and the brain so it’s full body nutrition. It’s relatively low in calories but high in nutrition value. I personally can’t imagine NOT drinking it regularly!

You will hear the terms meat broth, stock and bone broth all used and although the difference is slight, there is a difference. Broth is made with meat and only sometimes bones. It’s simmered for 1-2 hours only. Broth is much lighter in flavor, has a thin texture and is rich in protein. Stock is made with bones that may have a bit of meat left on them. The bone often come from an animal that has been roasted (For example making stock from the bones of the Christmas turkey). The stock is usually simmered for around 3-4 hours. It is rich in minerals and gelatin. I should note here that the store-bought stock in the grocery stores are not the real thing! These are lab produced with meat flavors and a lot of them have MSG which is a known neurotoxin so be aware! Bone broth as is discussed in most of the media posts right now is mostly made from bones. The bones are roasted before hand to improve the flavor of the bone broth. This type of broth is simmered for more than 24 hours. The minerals from the bones are leached into the broth and the bones will often become brittle.

I like to make a soup out of the stock and broth that I make regularly. I have also been known to drink my broth right from a mug on a cold morning or if I feel I may have a cold coming on. I cook rice and quinoa in my broth to absorb the nutrients and I sauté stir fry’s and make sauces with it. I also use it in soups instead of water or store-bought stock. Let me know how you use your bone broth in the comment section below!

Do you want to get even healthier? Would you like to know more about how you can begin to make broth and stocks? Let’s chat about how health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes so that you can feel your best every single day. I can provide recipes, meal and snack ideas and support changes to transform your health! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with women from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!