Bone broth is one of the staples in my kitchen, and I’m hoping to make it that way in yours, too. Our ancestors knew about bone broth benefits, but we’ve gotten so out of touch with traditional foods that we don’t realize how healing something as simple as bone broth can be.
Minerals
“Good broth will resurrect the dead” is a South American proverb. The reason is that animal bones are full of minerals.
So many people are mineral deficient these days, especially those who eat a Standard American Diet full of processed foods that are typically void of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Minerals are necessary for proper functioning of our adrenal and thyroid glands, which help us to deal with stress. If you’re mineral deficient, you’re likely having a hard time managing stress.
Gelatin
When broth cools, the gelatin in it congeals. Gelatin contains the amino acids glycine and arginine. Glycine is helpful for achieving deep, restful sleep as well as for making glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant. Arginine helps heal coronary blood vessels, keeps the plaque off of arteries and minimizes clotting.
Gelatin also helps heal the lining of the colon, and is especially helpful for anyone with digestive issues. It’s great for building up hair and nails and because it contains collagen, it’s great for keeping your skin from sagging.
Gelatin has been found to increase cartilage in the joints, so it’s helpful for someone with arthritis. Not only that, but gelatin is anti-inflammatory, so it can help reduce the pain of arthritis, as well as that of other conditions.
Deep, Hearty Richness
Bone broth is the magic ingredient I use to give my home-cooked meals a satisfying and rich flavor. Anyone that’s eaten my food knows that it has a deep, hearty richness that comes from my homemade bone broths.
You can’t buy this flavor from a package in a store or even find it in most restaurants, as they use factory-made bases containing MSG or other free-glutamate “foods”. You really need to make it yourself to taste the difference. I use it for reconstituting grains and legumes, for sauteing and braising meats and vegetables and for the base for sauces and soups.
Be sure to use bones from pasture-raised or grass-fed land animals or from wild-caught (not farm-raised) fish. When I buy meat, I buy it with the bone in and skin on. Fat from the skin is full of fat-soluble vitamins and gives dishes another depth of flavor that’s impossible to duplicate with store- or restaurant-bought food.
I save the bones and store them in the freezer until I have enough to make a batch of bone broth in my slow cooker.
Here are some easy recipes for you to incorporate into your daily routine so that you, too, can realize bone broth benefits.
I wrote this blog post for Dr. Henri Roca, a functional-medicine MD.
