Bone broth: its many uses

I love having a cup of bone broth at the end of the day, especially when it is cold outside. Nothing better to warm you up and energize you at the same time! Bone broth has been used for thousands of years as a healing beverage by traditional cultures. A South American saying declares that “bone broth raises the dead.” Dr. Catherine Shanahan “consider[s] bone broth a missing food group.” You can directly drink the broth just like I do or/and use it whenever you want to make stews, soups, or sauces instead of using plain water. 

What bone broth offers

In Your Personal Paleo Code, Chris Kresser emphasizes the fact that “[t]he nutrients in bone broth are particularly helpful for restoring the integrity of the gut barrier when it’s damaged.”

In Food Rules, Dr. Catherine Shanahan states that the “broth infuses your blood with molecules of collagen and glycosaminoglycan that affect your body in amazing ways…. This gives bone broths an ability to rejuvenate all your worn-out bones, joints, connective tissues, and the structural supports for skin.”

In Boundless, Ben Greenfield explains in great detail what bone broth offers. Here are some of the nutrients he mentions with their benefits:

• Arginine (which is critical for immune system and liver function)
• Glutamine (which assists with cellular metabolism)
• Glycine (which aids in glutathione production and improves sleep quality)
• Alkylglycerols (lipids from the marrow in bone both that are crucial for the production of white blood cells)

How to make a basic bone broth

All you have to do when making bone broth is add the bones (joint bones with the cartilage and marrow bones) of a well-sourced cow, chicken, pig, lamb, fish, etc. to a pot of water and letting that simmer for several hours up to 24 or even 48 hours. You can add some vegetables too, of course. I usually add some onion, garlic, carrots, various herbs, salt, and pepper. And that’s it! Your broth is ready to enjoy day after day. To your health and wellness!

References

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, pp. 360–1.

Kresser, Chris. Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life. 1st ed., New York, NY, Little, Brown and Company, Dec. 2013, pp. 174–5.

Shanahan, Catherine. Food Rules : A Doctor’s Guide to Healthy Eating. Bedford, Nh, Big Box Books, 2010, p. 67-68.

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