Bone Broth!

Bone broth is absolutely amazing for your health. I was a vegan, raw vegan, vegetarian, then pescatarian for a long time, but recently found that eating pasture raised and grass fed meats in moderation worked well for me. I love the idea of a vegan diet for the environment and for the well being of animals, but I also think that this diet may not be for everyone. end tangent, back to bone broth.

The thought of bone broth may weird some people out, especially those on a diet with limited meat, but it is actually extremely sustainable and so beneficial to your health. I like bone broth because it is utilizing the entire animal, instead of wasting, which is important to me because you are respecting the nourishment that the animal is giving you and not wasting any of it.

Bone broth is packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients and minerals that our body can easily absorb. It contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, chondroitin sulfates, glucosamine, and other trace minerals.  People pay a lot of money for glucosamine/chondroitin supplements to alleviate joint pain, but you can make it for free with leftover bones! Or, you could go to the meat department at your local grocer and ask for their leftover bones!

BONE BROTH BENEFITS

HELPS HEAL AND SEAL YOUR GUT AND PROMOTES HEALTHY DIGESTION: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices,  thereby supporting proper digestion.	INHIBITS INFECTION CAUSED BY COLD AND FLU VIRUSES, ETC.: A study published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection
REDUCES JOINT PAIN AND INFLAMMATION, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage	FIGHTS INFLAMMATION: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis (whole-body inflammation).Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better
PROMOTES STRONG, HEALTHY BONES: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation	PROMOTES HEALTHY HAIR AND NAIL GROWTH, thanks to the gelatin in the broth

via articles.mercola.com

 

HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH:

• Simply boil bones and then reduce to a simmer and let the bones simmer overnight!
• You can also simply place bones in a crock pot over night with water!
• Adding in herbs will only increase the benefits of the bone broth. Add in lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric, or other immunity boosters to make the broth even more nourishing!
• The skin/ fat layer on top contains valuable nutrients, such as sulfur, along with healthful fats, it may be the most nourishing part! However, if you want to scoop this part off you will be left with just the gelatin!
• This is the perfect base for any soup!

 

**If you want more information on nourishing foods such as bone broth, I highly recommend Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions. It is an amazing book that is packed with so much information on utilizing your surroundings and truly nourishing your body.