I won’t lie, the smell of bone broth slow cooking on your stove doesn’t fill my house with that delicious aroma that I can get from simply frying an onion in butter however the benefits far outweigh this!
Based on historical traditions, cultures around the world have been using bone broth for centuries to promote health and healing. However just recently it seems to be the latest health trend.
So easy to make and probably one of the most restorative beauty tonics, bone broth is one of the world’s best sources of natural collagen ….. ahhhh collagen, now that’s a word I must say at least 30 times a day and it’s what we all want more of.
Bone Broth is an incredible source of nutrition
Being rich in protein and a wide range of minerals and nutrients that are often missing in our diets. Bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. Broth also contains glucosamine, the compound sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain.
The Gelatin in collagen can support a healthy gut and help with the strength of our skin while also fighting food sensitivities (like those to wheat and dairy). The amino acids proline, glycine and glutamine, also found in broth are important for healing the gut wall as well as building and repairing muscle tissue, supporting bone mineral density, boosting nutrient absorption and synthesis, and maintaining muscle and connective tissue health.
Today in the Western world,
the average person is exposed to an array of environmental toxins, pesticides, artificial ingredients and chemicals of all sorts. While the human body has its own means of detoxifying itself from heavy metals and other toxic exposures, it often has a hard time keeping up when flooded with an overwhelming amount of chemicals. Bone broth is considered a powerful detoxification agent since it helps the digestive system expel waste and promotes the liver’s ability to remove toxins, helps maintain tissue integrity, and improves the body’s use of antioxidants. Bone broth also contains potassium, which support both cellular and liver detoxification.
We now know that the gut wall provides our body with the defences that protect us from the outside world would it not make sense to do everything in our power to keep our gut wall healthy? Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis and Rosacea are just some conditions I deal with in my profession and we now know these can be healed through your diet.
I remember if we were sick with a cold my Nonna would make a chicken broth with the whole chicken, feet included (yummy!) then add the vegetables, and we would be told to rest. There was nothing better. These days we run off to the pharmacy to grab a bottle of cough syrup or decongestant to get us through, and I seriously wonder what all those chemicals are doing to our bodies. We have such busy lifestyles that we don’t take the time to heal ourselves. No wonder we are all so sick.
You might be wondering if you can just,
run down to your local Coles or Woollies and pick up some of your store-bought “stock” or “broth” ?? Well the answer is NO – they aren’t “REAL.” Instead, companies use lab-produced meat flavours put into little cubes, soup and sauce mixes. Also, manufacturers began using MSG, which is recognised as a meat flavour but in reality is a neurotoxin. Nice hey!
Although it’s wise to avoid drinking with meals, having half a cup of bone broth with your meals can actually improve digestion. Broth requires very little digestion, making all the nutrients easy to absorb.
So, if you are like me and cant cook your way out of a paper bag, I promise you this….. you will be able to make broth!!!
This is how I make my broth
INGREDIENTS
- 2 kg grass-fed beef bones including marrow bones and knuckle bones
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 celery sticks, coarsely chopped
- 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 2 onions
- 4 liters filtered water
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 bunch parsley
DIRECTIONS
- Place the knuckle and marrow bones in a very large pot with vinegar and cover with water. Let it stand for at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile place the meaty bones in a roasting pan and brown at 180 degrees in the oven.
- When well browned, add to the pot along with the vegetables.
- Pour the fat out of the roasting pan, add cold water to the pan, set over a high flame and bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen up coagulated juices. Add this liquid to the pot.
- Add additional water to the pot if necessary, to cover the bones making sure the liquid does not come higher than within 1 inch of the rim of the pot.
- Bring to the boil. Remove all scum with a spoon that comes to the top.
- After you have skimmed, reduce the heat, and add the peppercorns.
- Simmer stock for at least 12-24 hours (the longer the better). 1 hour before finishing add the parsley.
- Now you will have a pot filled with repulsive looking brown liquid !!!!
- Strain the stock and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Discard the congealed fat that rises to the top and transfer the beautiful broth into small snap lock bags and freeze.
Remember, Bone Broth can be stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or frozen in batches for up to 4 months. Your broths can be popped into your sauces or soups or just enjoyed as a warm drink.
Maybe instead of our daily coffee we could sit down with friends and have a warm glass of bone broth and enjoy all the benefits it brings!!
Healthy Skin, Healthy Gut, Healthy Life.
Rach x