Bone broth is made from connective tissue and animal bones. The most common types of this liquid come from seafood, chicken, or cattle. You create it by simmering the roasted bones, vegetables, and your favorite herbs and spices for up to an entire day.
Then you can have something that you drink every day to support your health.
There are several benefits to consider with bone broth if you’re thinking about adding it to your daily routine.
What Are the Benefits of Bone Broth?
Bone broth might be a buzzworthy food today, but it has an anchor in human history as being one of our original superfoods. The only problem is that there is a lack of empirical research to prove or disprove that it can provide multiple health benefits when consumed regularly.
These are the potential bone broth benefits that you will find discussed most of the time.
1. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.
The actual nutrient profile of your bone broth depends on the type of animal bones used to create it. Most people will receive high levels of calcium, magnesium, and potassium with each serving. Additional vitamins and minerals include selenium, manganese, boron, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin A.
2. It may help to support your joint health.
Bone broth releases glucosamine and chondroitin into the liquid, which are natural compounds found in connective tissue. Consuming them regularly can help to support your joint health over time. It may take up to 4-6 weeks of drinking bone broth to start noticing physical improvements.
3. It offers plenty of collagen.
The amount of collagen in bone broth is so extensive that it can turn the liquid into a form of savory Jell-O after it cools. That means there are several essential amino acids found in this product that can support your health with regular consumption.
4. It may help with digestive issues.
Bone broth is easy to digest. That’s why many doctors recommend using a broth-only diet when your stomach is upset, or there is inflammation in your gastrointestinal tract. This liquid could also help in the digestion of the other foods you eat as well. The collagen can bind to the water in your stomach or intestines, helping the food to move through easier.
5. It might help in the fight against inflammation in the body.
Bone broth offers high levels of arginine and glycine, which are two amino acids that provide robust anti-inflammatory effects for the body. Chronic internal inflammation can lead to a several potentially severe conditions, including metabolic syndrome, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and several forms of cancer.
How to Make Bone Broth
Bone broth is surprisingly easy to make. Don’t take the name seriously because it is closer to a stock.
A traditional stock will become gelatinous as it starts cooling. You create this liquid by cooking bones with extensive marrow for a long time with your favorite foods to create a unique flavor profile.
Broth usually comes from boiling meat, which means it doesn’t receive any collagen infusions into the liquid. That is why it stays thin, even during refrigeration.
Here is an easy recipe that you can follow today to start making this nutrient-rich item at home.
You’ll want to gather the following items: beef bones or oxtail, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, star anise, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon sticks.
It helps to have a stockpot that can hold up to eight quarts. Roasting pans are helpful because cooking the bones at a high temperature before boiling them works to release the benefits of the marrow. Then a strainer will help you to remove the fluid afterward.
It helps to use the bones of younger animals to create this stock because there will be more cartilage. That’s why you often see veal bones used when making stock.
You’ll start by blanching the bones. Use the stockpot to bring water to a boil with the bones fully covered by the liquid inside. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Then transfer the bones to the roasting pan with all of your other ingredients. You can mix-and-match the items based on your preference.
Roast the ingredients at 450°F for 30 minutes. Then stir the ingredients before allowing them to cook for another 15-30 minutes.
Transfer the bones back to your stockpot with all of the liquid that is in your roasting pan. Then fill with your ingredients, filling each pot with about 12 cups of water. Bring them to a low boil. You’ll need to simmer this mixture for up to 12 hours. The best bone broth cooks in 24 hours, but you don’t want to leave your stove running unsupervised overnight.
Then strain the stockpot so that you can capture the liquid underneath. If there is meat left on the bones, you can turn it and your vegetables into a fantastic soup to enjoy later that day.
Should I Skim the Fat from the Broth?
If you don’t want the extra fat in your bone broth, you can remove it by adding a couple of handfuls of ice to the liquid. Then transfer the broth to the refrigerator to allow the fluid to cool down entirely. You’ll see a thick, hard layer of fat form on top. You can then use a fork to scrape that off if you wish.
There can be health benefits to consuming that fat, but it can also add extra calories to your diet that you may not want.
Your bone broth will store well in the refrigerator for about five days. If you make a large batch that you can’t get through in that amount of time, then purchase some freezer containers so that you can store the liquid that way. Frozen bone broth will remain usable for up to six months.
