Got Bone Broth?
As I sit here at my computer writing this blog post, drinking my bone broth, I think to myself...Why would anybody spend 4-48 hours making broth from bones (time depends on what kind of bones you are cooking - see chart below)...
Way back when in the paleolithic days, hunters and gathers would eat every part of the animal and use the bones to make stock. What on earth told them to do that? How did they know they could do that? How the hell did they get those big bones into to their pot without a butcher cutting them up?
Anyhow enough with those times, let's get back to our times...
Canned and box broths, although very convenient, many products in our grocery stores are loaded with MSG's, preservatives, sodium, and other (sometime) hidden ingredients to make its shelf life longer and 'taste' better (for the average American palette).
One of the first lessons I learned in culinary school was how to make bone broth...WHY???
Because as chefs we are taught not to waste anything. We are taught to save all the scraps, bones and ends bits of everything because there is always another way to use those pieces and it reduces food costs...Although I don't cook in a professional kitchen now, I am the chef of my home kitchen and I run my kitchen professionally which is the major reason I make bone broth almost every Sunday!
Another reason I make it, which they did NOT teach me in culinary and had to research myself are the health benefits....There are so many you wouldn't believe...Below are my top 5!
1. Bone Broth Heals The Gut
The gut in permeable which is good because it allows nutrients to pass through, but due to bad diet, stress, sleep deprivation, long term contraception, etc., the gut can become too permeable and when that happens people begin suffering from gastrointestinal issues (i.e. leaky guy, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, autoimmune diseases, etc.), which is bad. The gelatin in the bone broth helps clog the holes in the gut so it's not too permeable and helps stop gut issues.
2. Bone Broth Helps Make Your Joints Juicy
In order to keep your joints juicy and supple you need to feed them collagen, a large family of biomolecules which include glycosaminoglycans (GAG's). Bone broth is loaded with GAG's which come in many forms. One of the most popular GAG's/supplements is glucosamine which helps supports healthy joints and muscle recovery. So you not only get glucosamine in the bone broth, you also get other hard to find GAG's.
3. Bone Broth Helps Make You Look Sexy
Again, bone broth has collagen and the production of collagen helps stop the outward sign of aging, supports silky skin, shiny hair and strong nails.
4. Bone Broth Helps Detox
The liver is constantly under attack and needs help to detox your body. One of the liver's major helpers is glycine, an amino acid found in bone broth. So instead of going for that juice filled with sugar labeled 'Detox', heat up a cup of bone broth to detox your body. I doubt that juice has the ability to supply glycine to your liver.
5. Bone Broth Reduces Satiates
Bone broth is more satiated than a cup of coffee in the morning...you don't believe me try it...
I'm giving up coffee for the Whole30 and instead I'm drinking bone broth first thing in the morning (around 6am). I find myself satiated until about 9:30am, when I eat a few egg muffins...I also find myself not craving as much protein during the day because many of the nutrients I'd get from other protein sources I'm getting from the nutrients that cooked out of the bones and into the broth...
Cooking Bone Broth Times
Beef, Lamb, Buffalo, Pork Bone : 18 - 48 hours
Chicken, Duck, Turkey : 12 - 16 hours
Fish (any kind) : 4 - 6 hours
Check out my beef bone broth recipe....
