Bone broth is made by boiling the bones of animals, as the bones are broken down, there is an abundance of amino acids, collagen & nutrients extracted from the bones.
When the bone broth is cooled, it will form a fatty layer on the top of the broth, this is a gelatin which is full of collagen. The more gelatinous your bone broth is, the more collagen you’ve extracted from the bones. As the broth is heated, the gelatinous layer will dissipate into the broth.
Adding vinegar will help to pull more nutrients out of the bones & will make the bone broth more gelatinous.
The bone broth should be cooked for at least 12 hours, but the longer you cook it for, the more nutrients you will extract from the bones.
Bone broth has an excellent nutrient profile.
It is full of calcium, phosphorus, silicon, magnesium, manganese, and amino acids, which are all vital in supporting the bones & joints of the body.
It has glucosamine & chondroitin, which are found in our cartilage and support our joint health.
Bone broth has a ton of collagen in it, which is found in our joints, and our skin.
Other minerals found in bone broth are vitamin A, K, zinc & iron, which can be helpful in supporting the immune system.
Selenium is also found in bone broth, which is helpful in supporting the thyroid gland.
Because of this excellent nutrient profile of bone broth, there are many benefits to drinking it.
Some of these include:
Improving gut health & digestion as it’s very easy to digest & can aid in the digestion of other foods. It’s also rich in the amino acid Glutamine, which is useful in repairing the gut linking & gut function.
Supporting the immune system as there are many immune supporting vitamins & antioxidants found in the bone broth.
Improving joint health because of the joint supporting nutrients found in the bone broth, it can be extremely helpful in supporting healthy joints and potentially decreasing joint pain.
Bone broth can be purchased from most health food stores, but it is fairly simple to make your own.
Check out our easy Crockpot Bone Broth Recipe below!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar 2-4 lbs of animal bones 4 cloves of garlic, minced Leftover vegetables, carrots, celery, onion 2 tbsp ginger, chopped or minced
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 12-24 hours
2. Strain the broth and store in the fridge or freezer
3. Enjoy! 4 L of water
Dr. Samantha Allen, ND
All Systems Wellness
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