Wellness trends seem to come and go so quickly it is tough to know which ones you should grab onto. As a certified Holistic Nutrition Counselor, I would put bone broth in my top 3 “things” to add to your arsenal and this is why…

Bone broth has become a huge trend in the health and wellness world over the past few years, but it’s healing properties have been known for centuries.

This liquid gold is a highly nutritious stock made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue. Using acid, such as vinegar, it breaks down the collagen and connective tissue. This leaves you with a savory, nutritious liquid commonly used in soups and sauces.

Bone broth contains essential amino acids that are essential to our bodies but can only be found in a food source. These amino acids support your skin, immune system, gut health, liver detox, as well as decreasing inflammation and repairing and growing bones. Pretty big deal, right?

The collagen in this broth helps your skin to keep its healthy appearance as well as supporting nail and hair growth. As we age, we naturally lose collagen, and it needs to be replaced with a supplement to help prevent rapid signs of aging. This collagen also is great for your joints.

In addition to helping you look good, bone broths gut healing properties can’t be beat. Not only is bone broth easy to digest, but it may also aid in the digestion of other foods.

The gelatin found in bone broth naturally attracts and holds liquids. When it is properly prepared, broth congeals in the fridge. Gelatin can also bind to water in your digestive tract, which helps foods move through your gut more easily. An amino acid in gelatin called glutamine helps maintain the function of the intestinal wall and has been known to prevent and heal a condition known as “leaky gut.” Leaky gut, which is associated with several chronic diseases, is when the barrier between your gut and the bloodstream is impaired. Substances that your body does not normally allow through leak into your bloodstream, which leads to inflammation and food intolerances.

Do your best to find grass-fed and finished beef bones since these animals will be the healthiest and provide maximum health benefits to you. Grass-fed cows eat grass, while grain-fed cows eat an unnatural diet based on corn and soy during the later part of their lives. Grass-fed beef contains up to five times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids compared to grain-fed cows. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to numerous health benefits and seeking out the best quality beef is worth your investment. There is no exact recommendation of how often you should consume bone broth. Many people recommend drinking 1 cup of bone broth daily for maximum health benefits yet some is better than none, so whether it be once a week or once a day, drink it as often as you can.

I’ve made 3 batches of bone broth with Spring Cut Cattle Co. beef bones and it contains far more gelatin than the batches I had made in the past with conventional beef bones. The flavor is rich and earthy, like a hug in a cup! I’ll never make bone broth with conventional beef bones again.

I’ve included my recipe below which makes about 12 servings. Bone broth can only be kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days so generally I freeze half the batch and dig into the other half right away.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs beef soup bones
2 carrots, cut in half
2 stalks celery, cut in half
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
Fresh ginger (optional)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
Pepper
Fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, and rosemary

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bones on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 1 hour.
2. Place the remaining ingredients into a slow-cooker.
3. Add in the roasted beef bones and top with water(all the way to the top!).
4. Cook on high for 24 hours.
5. Strain the solids and discard. You should be left with rich broth. Cool down in an ice bath (I place the bowl of broth into the sink basin and fill the sink with ice/water, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.
6. Transfer to the refrigerator or freezer. Once the broth is completely chilled, the fat will solidify on the top. Remove fat before reheating. (Mason jars work great for individual portions.)

Amy Sichmeller
Certified Holistic Nutrition Counselor & Health Coach

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