T
he benefits of bone broth may
seem odd and can be easily
surpassed by more popular
superfoods.
Despite its apparent disadvantage, it
has definitely earned the trust of many
people, starting with early civilisation.
But is there room for bone broth in
today’s day and age?
With the advent of all the crazy new
foods that promote health and wellness,
it seems the whole world is fixated on
the latest food fads.
People are more concerned about
why a new food is suddenly good for
you than they are about food that has
withstood the test of time.
While all these crazes are with good
intent and are aiming for a healthier
approach to our diets, nothing beats
traditional food that nourishes the body
and soul. Bone broth has been effectively
doing both for the past few
thousand years – and science can’t
help but agree.
Sympathy for bones
What’s in a bone? Looking at it, it
seems it has nothing good to offer your
body; the texture is uncharacteristic
of ordinary food, and biting it can
sometimes result in a broken tooth.
When you think about it, a bone
doesn’t seem to represent what health
and wellness looks like, but looks can
be deceiving.
Bones may not look like a source
of life, but deep inside that hard shell
are essential nutrients, gut-healing and
anti-inflammatory proteins, plenty of
minerals and healthy fats. Going straight
for the bone is the fastest way to get at
nutrients, but unfortunately humans are
not capable of simply treating bones like
they were chewable tablets.Bone marrow nutrients
The benefits of bone broth come mainly
from the bone marrow. Bone marrow
is a fatty, jelly-like substance found
in the centre of bones. Bone marrow
is nutrient dense, which explains why
animals love to gnaw on bones as much
as they do with flesh.
If anything, you can say bone broth
wouldn’t be healthy at all without the
bone marrow. Bone marrow contains
plenty of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids
and lipids, while it also helps improve
our immune system by assisting in
oxygen transport. The best way to get
the health benefits of bone marrow is to
make a bone broth.How to make bone broth
The simplest bone broth recipe consists
of two ingredients: bone and water. You
only need to cook the bones in a slow
cooker and switch the heat to low for
approximately 8-10 hours and that’s it.
You can get bones from your local
market, sometimes for free from
butchers and farmers, and even your
leftovers can be used as the main
ingredient. The stock will have a clear,
rich colour, which can be anywhere from
translucent (fish bones) to golden-yellow
(chicken bones) to a deep brown hue
(ruminant bones).
If your taste buds want more flavour,
there are literally hundreds of bone
broth recipes, each one made healthier
than the last. Healthy bone broth recipes
include a variety of spices and other
ingredients, each with their own health
benefits and their own specific function.