BONE BROTH (UPDATED)
I am just back from another three day Juice Retreat in Morecambe with the formidable Sally Wilkinson. While I was there I had a brief conversation with some of the other guests about the benefits of Bone Broth
So before I forget, here are some updated reasons why bone broth is good for you, and the Recipe.
But you will need to read until the end for that….
Here you go ………………..
Bone broth has been used as food and in healing remedies for a long time in traditional remedies throughout the world.
Bone broth is bones and water, simmered for between 1½ and 48 hours. Essentially it is bone soup. No more, no less.
Today, health experts talk about why this traditional broth is the best way to stay healthy. They use exciting terms such as superfood, anti-ageing, gut healing and energizing.
Basically, there are a few reasons to make bone broth (as well as being cheap and easy to make)
- It helps to heal a leaky gut.
The gelatin in broth protects and heals the mucous lining of your digestive system as well as helping the process of digestion itself.
- Bone Formation
The Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorous in bone broth help bones to grow and repair.
- Fights infection – Colds and Flu
Having Bone Broth during a respiratory infection reduces the number of white blood cells, which are the little buggers that start flu and cold symptoms (allegedly)..
- Collagen
Collagen holds the body together. It makes up bones, teeth, tendons, ligaments, joints and cartilage, and is a key element for hair, skin and nails. It strengthens muscles, helps cell growth and supports your digestive system.
The greatest advantage of bone broth is that it’s a source of collagen, which has been broken down into gelatin, which you can easily digest and absorb.
Three types of collagen are in:
- Bones, tendons, ligaments and skin,
- Cartilage,
- Skin, muscle and bone marrow.
Why is this important? You normally produce collagen on a day to day basis, but after about you are 20, its production begins to decline by about 1 per cent each year. This means that when you are 50 you have 30% less natural collagen than when you where ripping it up at 20. !!
This, fact alone, in my view, is a great incentive to replace the ongoing loss of collagen.
It may come as no surprise that, in addition to natural ageing any stress or chronic illness in your life will accelerate the decline of your natural collagen production.
When collagen declines or is somehow defective, some common symptoms are loose, sagging or wrinkled skin; sagging muscles; thin or dry hair and nails; joint issues or brittle bones; and digestive problems.
As animal protein is the only food source of collagen bone broth brings you a great replacement source. Plant foods do not contain collagen, BUT foods high in vitamins such as C, B complex, A, D and E together with minerals like silicon, sulphur and copper; can all help build collagen.
Besides being good for your skin, collagen affects your digestion in a couple of ways:
Protecting and sealing the intestines. Gelatin lines the walls of your gut and defends against any issues from food or drink, which makes it valuable for improving digestive problems.
When gelatin is combined with other foods, the total nutritional value from your food increases, because of gelatin’s ability to help your body’s digestion.
- Nutrients
Bone broth provides nutrients, the cow, or whatever, has already digested them which makes it easier for your body to assimilate them.
The most important nutrients are:
Amino acids – which help to build and repair every tissue and organ in the body. Amino acids contribute to every bodily function, such as its growth and repair, as well as moods, energy, focus and hormone balance. The amino acid Glycine, for example, will help fight inflammation as well as being very calming. A multi tasking amino acid, eh! Well, who would have thought it?
Minerals – Bone broth contains a wide base of easily digested minerals.
Glucosamine – plays a supporting role in connective tissue along with collagen. Essentially lubricates the skin, repairs joints joints, muscles and reduces pain from inflammation.
Vitamins to suit your circumstance– While a basic bone broth only needs a variety of bones and water, you can increase the nutrient value by adding vegetables, herbs and spices. Adding these ingredients allows you to get extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into your broth.
Healthy fats – Help provide important vitamins like A, D, E and K.
Here is our basic Recipe for a Chicken bone broth. It is the same principle for a Beef, Lamb, Turkey broth etc depending on your taste.
THE BASIC RECIPE
Put the whole (uncooked) organic chicken in the slow cooker on low heat. – Make sure all feathers removed, otherwise when you eat it makes you go Pff Pfff.
Add two roughly chopped onions and a few roughly chopped cloves of garlic.
Add 1 Litre of Chicken stock. (Organic cubes or rectangles – avoiding anything triangular)
Add a splosh of Apple Cider Vinegar . When it comes to making broth, the vinegar helps leech valuable minerals from the bones into the stock water, which is ultimately what you’ll be eating. I use Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar as it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized. You will not, however, be able to taste the vinegar after cooking. So, there is no danger of “oversploshing”
Squeeze juice of one Lemon over the chicken.
Put lid on and forget about it for 24 hours. No need to stir it, stare at it, sing to it or otherwise boost its self esteem.
At the same time that you put the lid on put two cups of barley, lentils, or split peas – depends on your taste i.e. ONE cup of Barley and One Cup of Split Peas = Two Cups. Cover with water and leave overnight.
After 24 Hours have elapsed (You will know this because it will be the following day) – Creep up on the Chicken and Lentils.
Pour the chicken liquid into a big pot together with the Onions and Garlic.
Add chopped carrots, celery and leeks (minimum – about three of each) to suit into the same big pot of chicken liquid.
Meanwhile de-bone and de-skin the chicken (Chuck these away) . The bones will be mushy by now and will dissolve even more if you miss any. So, there is no need to panic.
We lift away the chicken breasts to use in sandwiches or salads at a later stage, or you can put the whole chicken flesh in if you wish.
The rest of the chicken, you should shred and put into what is now known as “The Big Pot”
Simmer for an hour. (The Broth, not you)
Season to Taste, serve ,eat ,enjoy ,have a nap. In that order.
Wherever possible all the ingredients should be organic.
The chicken, or whatever bones you use should DEFINITELY be organic or from grass fed livestock, or you are wasting your time, health, money and energy.
Once you have made this basic one you can tweak it to your hearts content.
Good Luck
End of Message
stuandjudotcom 