Winter is the time when your health needs much more attention. Your body consumes a great deal of minerals and needs plenty of vitamins. A perfect dish for this season is soup. Of course, any kind of soup has good effects, but bone broth has amazing effects. This is a super food recommended by many known people who tackled it for a long period of time. Chris Kresser, Drs. Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet (co-authors of The Perfect Health Diet) and Dr. Cate Shanahan are just few of those who highlighted its super nutritional power.
Bone broth is very easy to cook, but it takes a lot of time. You didn’t actually think that those bones will decompose after 1-hour of slow cooking, did you? No, it takes between 6 and 48 hours depending on the thickness of the bones and on their type (for example chicken bones take the least amount of time). This food is amazing due to several factors:
– Acts as a great immune system enhancer. Your grandmother always used to tell you to drink chicken soup when you had a cold. Well, here’s your explanation. Drinking it reduces the number of white blood cells, which are the reason for all those cold and flu symptoms.
– Reduces joint inflammation due to glucosamine, which stimulates the production of new collagen, thus repairing and strengthening the joints.
– Bye-bye Cellulite! Dr. Shanahan explained in an interview that bone broth is great when it comes to cellular integrity. If you still have cellulite problems and you don’t know from where, it is probably because of a lack of collagen in your diet. According to Dr. Shanahan “cellulite is fat that lacks collagen support”; therefore this food is essential for supporting the structure of your cells.
– It can help you sleep and relax! The amino-acid, glycine, could calm you down and give you a chilled out mental state. However, this is just an extra benefit. Do not use the broth instead of prescribed pills. You cannot treat depression or other similar mental disorders by eating bone broth.
– It contains calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Yup! You could say goodbye to osteoporosis by including this food in your diet. All these minerals are very important for bone formation, growth and strength. If you already suffer from a bone condition, this recipe will help you get better.
– Last but not least, it makes your skin, nails and hair healthier. This is also due to collagen and gelatin, which you find in the bone broth.
With all this said, you are probably wondering how to add some flavor to it. You can find many recipes online, but never forget to add vinegar or cider (better) with it. This aliment helps extract the minerals from the bones. Do not worry about acidity because when it is done, you will not feel the taste of the cider. Garlic is another ingredient that shouldn’t miss in this recipe. It is not only healthy, but it gives a completely different flavor. This broth served with fresh garlic and just a pinch of black pepper will make you feel young again.
Of course, you can add the basic ingredients of a soup after you finished boiling the bones. Onions, carrots, potatoes etc. work great with the bone broth and they will give it some taste. Roasting the bones before boiling them could be another option for adding some flavor.
The bone broth is one of the best foods ever due to its health benefits, and its components are crucial for the human body. And, as a last statement, do not worry about storage. It lasts one week in the fridge and in can be frozen in ice-cube trays and defrosted as needed. It is a very easy , practical and healthy food, which will keep you strong and glowing.
A Blackbird in a Hotbed 