Have you been hearing the buzz about bone broth lately? It’s a nutritional powerhouse and oh so easy to make…
Simply take any meat or fish bones – chicken, turkey, duck, beef, pork, lamb, fish or crab – your choice. Place the bones in a large soup pot, cover with water and a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar (the acid will help draw out the nutrients). If you’re using red meat bones, brown the meat first to add flavor. As the broth cooks, you can skim off “scum” that might rise to the top, before adding any desired veggies (sea veggies are a particularly nutritious choice). Simmer the broth for 2 to 72 hours, then remove the bones and there you have it! You can drink on its own or use as a base for soup.
And just why is bone broth so amazing? Well, it’s rich in glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates, which improves your bone strength and integrity. It’s an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals. It can support the healing of those recovering from illness, surgery or cancer. And it’s good for our cardiovascular system, our neurotransmitters, good for improved memory and learning ability, and good for relieving anxiety. On the anxiety front, bone broth contains collagen, which has the amino acid profile of glycine, proline and alanine. Glycine, in particular, is an inhibitory (calming) neurotransmitter and by drinking a cup or two of bone broth you can calm yourself and even improve your sleep. What’s not to love?