Bone broth has many nourishing benefits because of its vitamins, minerals, and collagen content that some call it “the medicinal elixir”.
Benefits of bone broth
- Speed recovery time from injury and support joint health. It’s the amino acids in the broth that help speed recovery and the proteins that help with inflammation.
- Improved sleep. Another important part of recovery and a person’s general health is sleep. Bone broth has glycine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which helps relax and improve your sleep quality.
- Improve digestion and gut health. Regular intake of bone broth helps heal a person’s gut. The gelatin alongside with the amino acids are anti-inflammatory and helps heal the leaky gut.
- Improve immune function. Not only is the small intestine the primary site for nutrient absorption, it is also the first line of defense in our immune system. If the gut barrier becomes damaged or ‘leaky’, this can disrupt immune function. The amino acids found in bone broth protect the gut walls and consequently preserve a healthy immune function.
- Anti-aging. Bone broth increases the health of your hair, nails, and skin from the collagen extracted via the long cooking method.
- Chronic issues. TCM recommends bone broth for anyone who needs boosting qi, blood, yin, and even essence. Blood and yin replenishment is crucial for anyone depleted like in cases of chronic conditions (chronic digestive issues, sleep disorders, fatigue, cancer…).
Easy bone broth recipe
Bones from 2 or 3 roasted chickens* – include skin and be sure to pick off any meat left on the bones and reserve it for use in soup
2 medium onions – quartered through the root ends
2 ribs of celery cut into chunks
2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 head of garlic – slice crosswise into two pieces
1 2 inch piece of fresh ginger root (optional)
7-8 pieces of thyme (about 5 – 6 inches long)
8 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley (about 6 inches long)
2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar
2 to 3 quarts of cold water or enough to just cover the bones and vegetables
You can use rotisserie chickens if you like – the broth will be delicious!
Add all of the ingredients in the order listed to a 6 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 – 12 hours. At the end of cooking, remove the bones and vegetables and discard them. Strain the broth through a mesh strainer to remove the remaining pieces of bones, skin, and vegetables.
Note — If desired, you may use an oven and cover it in 300 degree for four hours. After four hours, reduce the oven heat to 275 degrees and cook for another 3 hours. After 7 hours total, remove the pot from the oven.
To finish the broth, remove the fat.
Storage: Refrigerate the broth for up to 5 days. After 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months.