This bone broth ( a trendy term for good ol’ chicken broth) is like a warm hug from the inside out. It is rich and soothing, but did you also know this is a nutritional gold mine? While the chicken and vegetables are simmering down, they release all their sticky goodness into the filtered water, including important amino acids like glutamine proline and glycine, key for creating and repair of muscle tissue, lubricating our joints, and absorption of nutrients. The healthy byproducts of bone broth are numerous, as touted by many physicians, health experts, and folks that subscribe to Paleo and other anti-inflammatory lifestyles.
It Wiggles
You’ll note real broth or stock for that matter, becomes gelatinous as it cools and sets. This is a result of the collagen released in the cooking process, and I love me the benefits of collagen. Collagen protects and heals our stomach lining (helping with leaky gut), keeps our skin elastic and supple, and prevents bone loss. All of this plus the immune building powers of the onions and garlic, vitamins and minerals contained in the vegetables and herbs, plus the addition of turmeric makes for an amazing anti-inflammatory one pot souper food (get it, souper food).
Is it ready yet???
So all of this sounds good you may think, but why make your own when you can find broth in every grocery store around these days-even Amazon! Well, here’s why. Yes, there is a small time investment in the prep (maybe 20 minutes), and yes it cooks for many hours, but once you throw everything into the pot you just let it to do it’s thing. What you get in return is pure goodness, without all the additives such as MSG and fakey flavorings, and we’re all about the real, good, healthy food around here. I also encourage you to read the labels of the grocery store processed brands. Good luck deciphering what the heck is in there. Many have absolutely no real chicken, (or beef, turkey as the case may be) or veg in the broth, and taste like dirty dishwater—totes grossness in my opinion. And don’t get me started on the amount of sodium in the prepared versions. When you start with crap, you have to get flavor in there somehow and its usually sugar and salt, no thanks. When you make anything yourself, you know what goes in it, you know that the ingredients used are of the highest quality, and you control things like sodium.
Ok I’ll make my own…then what?
I can honestly say, I use this stuff almost daily. When you are avoiding allergens and other inflammatory foods like dairy for instance, you often need something else that can add moisture or just bump up the flavor, and chicken broth is the ticket. I add to my sweet potato mash, I use as a gravy base for things like Shepherd’s Pie (usually a beef broth but this one works too), I add to some of my smoothies (ok you might have to work up to that one). I sometimes drink it like a cup of tea when I’m under the weather or just need a reboot. Oh and hey, almost forgot the obvious, it’s the bomb diggety for soup. You will never go back to boxed or canned broth once you’ve had the real deal. The great thing about making the broth a few times a month is, I always have it on hand for those night I get home from work late, or just need something really soothing and nutrient dense. I can just whip up a vegetable, mushroom or tomato soup in 20 minutes. Its perfect when you need to clean out the fridge and use up all those veggies starting to wilt.
So have I convinced you yet? Please give it a try and let me know how you use bone broth.
Cheers!
\ m /