Bone broth was once a dietary staple, and it’s thought that the absence of home-made bone broth in today’s modern diet is causing an increase in poor health and the need for dietary supplements.
Bone broth has the power to both prevent and heal illness.
Your grandparents probably recommended chicken soup when you had a cold, and there is scientific evidence that chicken soup can in fact assist in speeding healing and recuperation from illness.
Chicken contains a natural amino acid called cysteine which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky, making it easier to expel.
Broth also contains minerals in a form the body can easily absorb. Why buy expensive supplements, such as glucosamine for arthritis and joint pain, when you can easily make bone broth at home?
Bone broth is also excellent for gut health, says Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, as it “heals and seals” the gut. This is important because many modern diseases appear to be rooted in an unbalanced mix of microorganisms in the digestive system, and with general health being incredibly reliant on a healthy gut, bone broth may very well be a missing link in preventing degenerative diseases.
Bone broth has the ability to:
– Heal and seal the gut, promoting healthy digestion and a healthy immune system
– Inhibit infection caused by cold and flu viruses
– Reduce joint pain and inflammation
– Promote strong and healthy bones
– Promote healthy hair and nail growth
Making Your Own Bone Broth
There are many ways of making bone broth, so you can experiment with various recipes, but we’ll include one here to get you started!
One of the most important things to remember when sourcing your chicken or beef is that the animal should have been organically-raised and grass-fed. Chickens raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) tend to produce stock that doesn’t gel, and this gelatine has long been valued for its therapeutic properties. CAFO animals are also fed an unnatural diet that is not beneficial for their intestinal makeup, and they’re also given a variety of drugs and growth promoters. You don’t want any of these potentially harmful additives in your broth.
Chicken Broth Recipe
Ingredients
1 organic whole chicken
8 cups of water
4-6 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1/2 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 inch ginger root, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
Place all ingredients, except parsley, in a crockpot.
Bring to a boil and remove any scum that rises to the top.
Reduce heat to the lowest setting and let simmer.
The meat should start separating from the bone after about 2 hours. Simply remove the chicken from the pot and separate the meat from the bones. Place the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering the bones for another 12-24 hours.
Add the fresh parsley about 10 minutes before finishing the broth.
Remove remaining bones from the broth with a slotted spoon and strain the rest through a strainer to remove any bone fragments.
You can use the broth for soups, stews, or drink it straight.
You can store any excess broth in the freezer for future use. Keep in mind that the “skin” that forms on the top is the best part as it contains valuable nutrients. Simply stir it back into the broth once defrosted.