Do your joints ache or are they inflamed? Does your tummy ever get sore to touch or bloated? Are you constantly feeling run down? Do you have weak bones? Then bone broth may be your answer. There are many prescriptions available over the counter to help all of the above symptoms, but not everyone can afford them or they don’t want to add another pill to the list.
By making a pot of home-made bone broth your body and purse can benefit from it. It is as simple as using last night’s leftover roast bones putting them into a slow cooker (crockpot), adding what herb and vegies you have in the fridge top up with water and then let it simmer for up to 24 hours. You can always buy bones specifically for making broths.
Depending on the bones used will depend on the colour of your broth from translucent (fish) to golden yellow (chicken) to deep brown (cattle). When the broth has simmered for the desired amount of time strain the mixture and reserve the liquid. Once it’s cooled it may change to a jelly consistency, this is perfect. Fats will also raise to the surface, scrap these off once they’ve hardened.
Through the cooking process of the broth vital nutrients and minerals are released from the bones. Protein help your body to heal tissues like tendons and ligaments. Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) a form of carbohydrates within the bones, make up the natural collagen, this helps with joint pain and inflammation.
Land animal bones are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous. Fish bones also contain iodine. To get the most nutrient dense broth you add some apple cider vinegar when first placing in the crock pot, this helps to leach the goodness out of the bones and into the liquid. Some bones may dissolve altogether.
This liquid gold is what you add to your daily diet. Bone broth is also known as stock. So it can be added and used in cooking in place of stock in recipes. Risottos, soups, casseroles, gravy and sauce all contain stock in recipes. It can also be drank by itself like a cup of soup.
So, now you can add bone broth to your daily food and add flavour and aid your health at the same time.
