Healing Properties of Bone Broth

This is the blog post that everyone has been waiting for!  If you follow my Holistic Living Page on Facebook, you know that I post pictures and talk about bone broth often.  It is a magical elixir and I swear by the healing properties.  Bone broth has been around for centuries and used all over the world for it’s healing benefits.  Did you know that they use to serve this beef tea in hospitals in the 1800’s to help patients with all kinds of ailments?!  

When I started making it over 12 years ago, I had over 4 autoimmune disorders, including leaky gut and bacterial overgrown – my body and immune system was a mess!  As soon as I started making and drinking bone broth I was hooked.  My body instantly started to crave more and I began sipping on this beef tea daily to heal my body. 

 

What makes bone broth so magical?

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Here are 6 incredible benefits in drinking bone broth: 

1.    Protects Joints: The natural collagen  from the bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments with amino acid proline adds a protective layer to your joint and helps in recovery from injury or sports.

2.    Strengthens Immune System and Gut Health: Bone broth has many amino acids which thicken the mucus membrane in the gut, help digest food and effectively supports intestinal health and integrity.  This in turn supports immune system function and inflammation response.  

3.    Supports Brain Function:  Strong amino acid glutamine is a brain food, crosses the blood-brain barrier which helps people with depression, irritability, anxiety, mood swings and even conditions with ADD and ADHD.  It has helped neurological diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease as well and helps calm down and sleep better.  

4.    Boosts Detoxification: Bone broth contains potassium and glycine, which support both cellular and liver detoxification. The levels of collagen found in your homemade bone broth also improve circulation through increasing blood vessel elasticity and strengthening them.

5.    Aids the Metabolism:  Amino acid Glutamine not only boosts metabolism, it cuts down on cravings of sugar and carbohydrates.  

6.    Strengthens Elasticity in the Skin : The collagen in bone broth is responsible for maintaining skin’s youthful tone, texture and appearance. 

Here are two of my personal recipes.  I don’t add spices to my broth while simmering because it might come out too strong or too salty.  I like to add spices in after the broth right before I take my first sip.  Two of my favorite add-ins are: (1) turmeric, black pepper and sea salt and (2) red miso, ginger and sea salt

Classic Beef Bone Broth

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 4 lbs. of bones (grass-fed & grass-finished marrow & knuckles preferred, and as much meat on them as possible) 

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 4 to 5 quarts of cold filtered water (enough to fill an inch over the top of the bones)

  • 2 large carrots

  • Spring of thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorn

  • Cold filtered water

DIRECTIONS:  

  • Place bones (either frozen or fresh) in a slow cooker, pour apple cider vinegar over the bones, put lid on and let sit for 30 minutes. 

  • Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer on low for 36-72 hours.  

  • Take out bones and strain liquid in a pot through a fine mesh colander. 

  • Cool to room temperature, discard extra fat which rises to the top and transfer to mason jars.  

  • Store in refrigerator for 5-7 days or freeze for up to 12 months.  

 

Classic Chicken Bone Broth

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 whole chicken (or the carcass and bones of a roasted chicken)

  • 2 chicken feet and 1 chicken head, if available

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn

  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

  • Any vegetable scraps (leeks, celery, onion peels, carrots, etc)

  • Cold filtered water

DIRECTIONS:  

  • Place whole chicken or the carcass of roasted chicken, optional head & feet in your slow cooker; add bay leaves, black peppercorns, vinegar, and vegetable scraps.

  • Add enough water to cover the bones, over and cook on low for at least 24 hours.  

  • After 4 hours take out chicken and save for later.

  • Take out bones, strain the liquid through fine mesh colander. 

  • Store in broth in refrigerator for 5-7 days or freeze for 9-12 months.

Dena Totaro