To Sip or Not to Sip: 8 Health Benefits Of Homemade Bone Broth

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What is Broth?

Broth (or technically, stock) is a mineral rich infusion made by boiling bones of healthy animals with vegetables, herbs and spices. You’ll find a large stock pot of broth/stock simmering in the kitchen of almost every 5-star restaurant for its great culinary uses and unparalleled flavor, but it is also a powerful health tonic that you can easily add to your family’s diet.

Many societies around the world still consume broth regularly as it is a cheap and highly nutrient dense food.

Bone broth is known as a super food. The cooking process breaks down bones and connective tissues – including proteins, minerals and fat – that heal the body in various ways. And because bone broth comes from pure nature, it’s sometimes more beneficial than taking supplements, especially for people with severe digestive problems.

8 Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Protect your joints
Taking glucosamine supplements to help with joint pain has been common knowledge for years, but it turns out that bone broth has glucosamine too. But unlike pills, the broth also includes a host of other goodies that help keep your joints happy, healthy, and pain-free. The chondroitin sulfate in bone broth has been shown to help prevent osteoarthritis.

Look younger
Bone broth is a rich source of collagen. You can find collagen in all kinds of “plumping” products these days, but why stick it on the outside when you can drink it? Not only is drinking it cheaper, but it can make your skin, hair, and nails look just as radiant.

Sleep better
The glycine in bone broth has been shown in several studies to help people sleep better and improve memory.

Immune support
Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, actually calls bone broth a “superfood” thanks to the high concentration of minerals. He says that the bone marrow can help strengthen your immune system. (Something that won’t surprise your grandma who always made you her famous chicken soup when you got sick!) A Harvard study even showed that some people with auto-immune disorders experienced a relief of symptoms when drinking bone broth, with some achieving a complete remission.

Stronger bones
The phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium in the bones seeps out into the broth leaving you with the essential building blocks for healthy bones.

More energy
I’m not sure what the mechanism is for this, but if you read accounts of bone broth, you’ll notice everyone swears by the energy boost. I’d prefer to see science backing this up, but the research on bone broth is still emerging.

Reduces inflammation
The glucosamine in bone broth can actually stimulate the growth of new collagen, repair damaged joints and reduce pain and inflammation.

Infection fighting & recuperation from illness
Homemade bone broth is excellent for speeding healing and recuperation from illness. You’ve undoubtedly heard the old adage that chicken soup will help cure a cold, and there’s scientific support for such a statement.

Homemade recipe

Ingredients:

1 organic whole chicken
8 c of water
4 -6 stalks of celery, finely chopped
½ white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 inch ginger root, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Place all of the above ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low heat for 8 -10 hours.

I like to cook mine until the meat is falling away from the bones.

I make this just before bed and it’s ready and hot for breakfast.

You can store any excess broth in the freezer and defrost for a later time.

Reference:

doctorauer.com, mindbodygreen.com

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Geary Andrew
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Minor in business and liberal arts. I've written about health for more than a decade. Veteran freelance writer with expertise in health, wellness, parenting and lifestyle issues. I am passionate about educating and empowering people to achieve and maintain optimal health and is committed to providing the highest quality health care.