'Bone Broth' has become new branded name for an ancient food. There’s history behind why we gravitate towards chicken soup when we’re sick. For instance, the Jewish folk tradition of prescribing chicken soup for anything that ails you. The chicken soup remedy has probably survived centuries because it works.
Ancestors may have been boiling carcasses as a primal instinct, or as a natural habit that accompanied the advent of fire. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bone broth and herbal stocks were used over 2500 years ago. For Vietnamese pho, marrow rich bones are chosen. And then there’s noodle slurping Ramen that also traditionally utilizes nutrient dense broth! Broth-making is a mythical tradition that spans across cultures and time.
Just in case you haven’t heard the good news, bone broth is reported to promote overall wellness, healthy skin and bones, improve gut health, and provide bioavailable minerals. It is a whole body tonic.
So what’s the secret? Is it difficult to obtain or make bone broth? High quality products have become available, but making bone broth is quite simple. One must first acquire a nice sized crock pot, stock pot, instant pot or pressure cooker and a pile of bones. Then set aside time you’ll be home as the broth will be cooking for a long time. Put the bones (possibly veggies and herbs) in water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and let it go. Letting the bones mull in a crock pot overnight is a safe, cheap, and easy way to go. That's it! But there are some options to fine tune and enhance your bone broth. Here is a great recipe from Yang's Nourishing Kitchen on a simple Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth recipe. See another, more specific broth recipe on the left.
Basic modern bone broth recipes include chopped vegetables like onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, and others suggest really paying attention to where you source your bones – locate free range, grass fed and non-gmo fed animals- as the long boiling might make a broth of toxic, unwanted components.
Many folks say putting in some Apple Cider vinegar into the water with bones before boiling helps to extract all the nutrients from the bones.
A Middle Eastern and African broth is made from Mulukhiyah leaves that, when boiled, becomes mucilaginous broth. It is traditionally cooked with chicken or at least chicken stock. Mucilaginous substances (like slippery elm and marshmallow root) are thought to help repair gut lining and have been used in herbalism for ulcers and digestion among other great benefits. As a result, a broth including mucilaginous herbs could be even more healing for the gut.
Here’s the main point – in many of the traditional recipes for broth or stock there are also herbs and vegetables, even mushrooms. It’s worth thinking about returning to traditions of broth making with bones and herbs. Bone broth is becoming ever more popular for its great overall health benefits.
Here's a few of the many benefits of bone broth:
- Promotes healthy gut integrity
- Reduces permeability & inflammation
- Reduces visible signs of wrinkles and aging
- Supports normal immune system function
- Promotes healthy sleep
- Boosts energy during the day
- Supports a healthy mood
- Supports both cellular and liver detoxification
- Aids the metabolism and promotes anabolism
- Supports joints, skin, muscles, and digestion
The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.