All About Bone Broth

Bone broth is a legit super food and probably one of the most nutrient dense foods you can consume. I believe bone broth single handedly healed my gut back in the day, no joke, this stuff is powerful! It has made such an impact on my health that I still drink it almost everyday! I guess you could call me a bone broth connoisseur 😜

As we know by now, I truly believe all chronic health issues begin in the gut. If your gut is unhappy, so will you be. Yes, those migraines and anxiety you are experiencing, that stubborn acne or eczema, the joint pain and osteoporosis, those annoying allergies and fatigue. You got it! The root cause is probably due to poor gut health. Bone broth offers an incredible way to heal your gut. It contains some amazing vitamins, minerals and amino acids that hugely benefit our intestines. These nutrients play a huge role in the function of our bodies from the integrity of our gut lining, the health of our immune system, regulation of our nervous system to the strength of our muscular and cardiovascular system.

Some health issues bone broth can help with are acne, rosacea, eczema, sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s disease, IBS, ulcers, heartburn, anxiety, migraines, arthritis, osteoporosis, hair thinning, inflammation, and any gut related disease/symptom.

Remember having a cold when you were a child, you would eat chicken noodle soup and would actually feel better? There's some science behind that! Chicken noodle soup (or bone broth) offers the body loads of gelatin and anti-inflammatory nutrients that help to keep you hydrated and full of electrolytes.

When it comes to weight loss, bone broth is a powerhouse. It can help your body build lean muscle, burn fat, lower insulin levels, flush out toxins, and boost metabolism.

Have I convinced you to have a daily cup o' broth yet?

Benefits of Bone Broth:

Improves digestion- Reduces symptoms related to digestive disorders such as bloating, gas, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhea

Heals your gut lining and reduces intestinal inflammation

Supports immune system, helps fight infections and reduce inflammation

Promotes energy, sleep and relaxation

More youthful looking skin, hair and nails

Stronger bones, joints, ligaments and tendons

Higher intake of important minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and more

Boosts metabolism

Promotes detoxification

If you aren't already, I highly encourage you to make your own broth at home since many store bought bone broths have synthetic ingredients and are not made from sustainable sourced animals. It is also WAY cheaper!

How I make bone broth at home:

Ingredients:
2 lbs 100% grass-fed beef bone marrow or knuckles, Organic Chicken Carcass, or Organic Chicken Wings(ask for these at the meat counter in your natural grocery store or local farmers market)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, chopped in large chunks
2 carrots, chopped in large chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut in half
Cheesecloth

Old School Stock Pot Instructions with Beef Bones or Chicken Carcass:
Instructions:
1. Fill the 3lb stock pot with cold water, leaving about 2 inches on the top.
2. Drop bones in the pot with cold water and let sit for 15 minutes before turning the heat on.
3. Once the 15 minutes is up, add the apple cider vinegar, onion, carrots, celery, ginger, and turmeric to the stock pot. Turn the stove top on High.
4. Bring the water to a boil.  Once you have a rolling boil, drop the temperature down to a simmer.
5. Let simmer for 7-9 hours.
6. For the first couple hours, use a slotted spoon to remove any excess foam from the top.
7. If you find that the water has boiled down a lot in the first 5 hours feel free to add more water and continue to simmer.
8. During the last half hour add the parsley and garlic and let simmer for a half hour.
9. Once done, turn off the stove and remove the pot from heat.
10. Using tongs remove all the produce and bones from the broth and let the broth sit until cooled.
11. Once cooled, you will need a colander, cheesecloth and a bowl or stock pot you can place under the colander.  Put the cheesecloth inside the colander, place the colander on top of the other stock pot or bowl and pour your broth in to discard of any left over produce or residue.
12. Using a ladle or measuring cup pour broth into Tupperware containers, mason jars or my favorite, silicone ice cube trays. Freeze all containers or store in the fridge up to 5 days.The silicone ice cube trays are perfect to have on hand for when you need broth for recipes. You can buy them here.

InstaPot Instructions with Beef Bones or Chicken Carcass:
I found another amazing way to make bone broth that blows my slow and low method out of the water! AND the broth gels every time, talk about success! A nice gelled bone broth means LOTS of collagen! This new way of making broth couldn't be easier!
Use the InstaPot! Yes, that's it. Literally throw the bones in the pot with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, chopped carrots, onion, and celery, fill up to the max line with water and cook for 4 hours on high! There you have it folks! Couldn't be easier!
Not able to find good quality bones? Try the Organic Chicken Wing route! I get mine from Trader Joe's in the freezer section. Do exactly the same as above with the frozen chicken wings (I use the whole 2lb bag) in the InstaPot but reduce time to 2 hours. If you use the stove top reduce time to 5 hours.