Soup IS Good Food, Bone Broth is Even Better
Not sure what bone broth is? Earlier in the year I wrote a 3 part series of blog posts about the health benefits of soups, salads and smoothies.
The last post caught the attention of Dr. Josh Axe, whom you may have seen on the Dr. Oz show. He is also very excited about the health benefits of bone broth as part of a natural healing ‘recipe’.
I have found bone broth to be the No. 1 thing you can consume to:
- Treat leaky gut syndrome
- Overcome food intolerances and allergies
- Improve joint health
- Reduce cellulite
- Boost immune system
Chicken soup isn’t just good for the soul: There’s a reason that it’s prescribed by doctors and mothers alike when you’re feeling under the weather. All bone broths — beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more — are staples in the traditional diets of every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and they boost healing.
Bone broth or stock was a way our ancestors made use of every part of an animal. Bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that you can’t eat directly can be boiled and then simmered over a period of days. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.
Dr. Axe provides a few bone broth recipes that are similar, but different from those I provided. Basically think of bone broth as a super slowly brewed soup that “supes” up your body in so many ways. Try a variety of recipes and you may come up with your own favorites. The important thing to remember is to get access to that bone marrow. Vinegar helps pull all the nutrients out of the bones and vegetables. The type of vinegar you use can be based on your taste, or what you already have at home. Dr. Axe suggests apple cider vinegar (ACV) but I also like white vinegar.
In his post, Dr. Axe reminds us that store bought stock is just not the same. Some are actually completely artificial. The best way to ensure you have a healthy, natural product is to make it yourself. Within his article, Dr. Axe provides a link to some additional recipes, for chicken bone broth and beef bone broth. You can also refer to the 3rd post in my series for several recipes, or go here for my chicken bone broth recipe.
And if making your own bone broth just seems like too much work then there are a couple of alternatives. While I encourage you to make your own so you know exactly what is in it and you know it is not processed at all, it is better to have a healthy option than just throw in the towel and not use bone broth at all.
While I confess I haven’t used it personally, I have looked at the ingredients and I feel good about suggesting this as an option from Wise Choice Market
Another way to get man
y of the benefits of bone broth without all the cooking is to use Collagen Hydrolysate. I recommend the Great Lakes brand, it is unflavored and Kosher and you can mix it with water, add it to your coffee or tea, or put it into your smoothies or juice. This is probably the easiest way to get the health benefits for your joints, it dissolves in either hot or cold liquids and is easily assimilated into our bodies.
I do offer the Great Lakes Gelatin at my office at my cost. It is also available at a variety of health food stores and online. This is a powerful natural healing tool that can help all your connective tissues–including your knees, wrists, and back!
Thanks to Dr. Axe for reaching out to us and sharing the love of bone broth with the world! You can read Dr. Axe’s entire article about the healing benefits of bone broth here.
Update, Apri 2018: bone broth is really gaining popularity and people want simple ideas on how to prepare this nutritional food. Gina from Morning Chores has a great solution, actually 2 of them, in her article How to Make Bone Broth in 5 Easy Steps Using 2 Different Methods. She offers some great pointers, so be sure to check it out.
