Bone broth has become a trendy food item over the last couple years. What exactly is bone broth, and why should you try it?
Bone broth is a rich source of collagen, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients. The benefits of bone broth include improved digestion, increased energy levels, and reduced inflammation.
You can add many different types of ingredients to bone broth, but these are 7 things that will level up your bone broth: vegetables, iodine-rich food, apple cider vinegar, wild and medicinal mushrooms, fresh herbs, coconut oil, and sea salt. .
There are five key vegetables and herbs that can add extra flavor to your bone broth. They are carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and bay leaves. These ingredients also provide additional health benefits.
Bone broth has become quite trendy lately. What exactly is bone broth? And why should you add it to your diet?
This article will cover what bone broth is, what goes into it, and ingredients that will add lots of flavor to your bone broth.
Table of Contents
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is made from bones (usually beef or chicken) simmered in water for several hours until they become tender. The resulting liquid is then strained out and served as a soup base.
The process of making bone broth is similar to how you make vegetable stock. You simply need to use more bones. A large pot of water is used to boil the bones in both cases, but stock is usually made with just simmering the bones for less time.
Whether it’s chicken bone broth or beef broth, you’ll notice that the flavor is stronger than stock. This is due to the fact that the bones were cooked for a longer timer.
Bone Broth Benefits
The health benefits of bone broth are endless, including joint health and digestive health benefits. It’s an easy way to add extra nutrients into your diet without adding calories.
- Bone broth is rich in collagen, which helps build strong bones and connective tissue.
- Bone broth can contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine, and vitamin D.
- These minerals help keep your body healthy by strengthening your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Some studies have shown that drinking bone broth regularly may even reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
- It is even used as traditional folk medicine in different cultures to treat illnesses affecting connective tissues, the gastrointestinal tract, joints, muscles, skin, lungs, and blood.
- In addition to its healing properties, bone broth is delicious. It adds a creamy texture to soups, stews, and sauces. It can be added to rice dishes, oatmeal, and even smoothies.
Best Bones for Bone Broth
Beef bones are the best for making bone broth because they’re high in gelatin, which makes them easier to digest. Beef also contains more protein than chicken bones. Chicken bones are great too, but they don’t contain enough gelatin to thicken the broth.
Chicken bones work well too, but beef bones are better and more flavorful. Chicken and turkey bones are good choices if you want to have a milder flavor.
An advantage of chicken bones is that they are easier to break down. Beef bones take longer to cook, so they require more attention during the cooking process.
If you want to make bone broth at home, you don’t necessarily need to buy expensive bones either. If you have leftover bones from other meals, feel free to toss them into the pot.
7 Ingredients You Should Be Adding to Your Bone Broth
When making bone broth, you can add many things to enhance the flavor and extra nutrients. Here are some additions that will help to bring out more flavor in your bone broth.
1. Vegetables
Vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and leeks are often added to bone broth. They provide additional vitamins and minerals. They will also add a great variety of flavor to your broth.
Carrots and celery are especially beneficial when you’re trying to lose weight. Carrots are low-calorie and high in fiber while celery has a lot of anti-inflammatory compounds.
The used vegetables and any unused vegetables can also go into your compost bin. Learn how to compost to make sure all nutrients are returned to the soil for a sustainable garden and home.
2. Iodine-Rich Foods
Iodine is important for proper thyroid function. When we eat foods with iodine, it is absorbed through our stomachs and intestines. This allows the thyroid gland to produce hormones that regulate metabolism and growth.
Iodine-rich foods include seaweed, kelp, sea vegetables, eggs, yogurt, and fish. These foods are rich sources of iodine and can be found in most grocery stores.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another ingredient that can be added to bone broth. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar helps to remove toxins from the digestive system. The low pH level of apple cider vinegar is ideal for this purpose.
It’s recommended that you use organic apple cider vinegar to avoid any potential residue from pesticides or chemicals. Using raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar will help allow the enzymes to remain intact in the bone broth.
Last update on 2024-12-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
4. Wild and Medicinal Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and healthy immune systems. It also plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels.
Mushrooms are also known to boost immunity. In fact, there are over 100 different types of medicinal mushrooms that have been shown to improve health.
Wild mushrooms such as shiitake, chaga, maitake, reishi, and turkey tail are considered medicinal mushrooms. They are known to improve overall health by supporting immune systems.
Shiitake mushrooms are particularly helpful for people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. They are also effective against cancer and diabetes.
Last update on 2024-12-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
5. Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are a wonderful addition to bone broth. They contain antioxidants, which help prevent cell damage. They also contain phytochemicals that protect cells from free radicals.
Herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, cilantro, and dill are some of the best herbs to add to bone broth. Different herbs are used differently depending on what type of soup or stew you want to prepare.
For example, if you want to make a chicken stock, then you would use fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage. If you wanted to make a beef stock, you could use fresh herbs like basil, garlic, and bay leaves.
6. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats available, so it’s a great ingredient to add to bone broth. Coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are quickly converted into energy instead of stored as fat.
This makes coconut oil great for those looking to lose weight. Coconut oil has also been linked to many positive effects including improving brain function, boosting your metabolism, and helping digestion.
You can find coconut oil at most grocery stores. You may even see it in natural food stores.
7. Sea Salt
Salt is one of the main ingredients in bone broth. Sea salt adds flavor to bone broth and is healthy too, aiding in digestion. This is because it contains trace minerals that are beneficial for our bodies. Trace minerals are needed for proper growth and development.
Adding sea salt to your bone broth will give it a savory taste. However, don’t go overboard with adding large amounts of salt. Too much salt can cause dehydration, making you feel tired and weak.
Keep track of the ingredients you add to the broth because they may already contain salt. If you add too much salt, you might end up consuming more than you need.
If you’re not sure how much salt to add, start small and work your way up. Taste the broth as you add more salt.
Bone Broth Final Thoughts
All in all, bone broth is a delicious and nutritious drink with numerous benefits. Bone broth helps keep your body hydrated, supports your gut microbiome, boosts your immune system, and aids in digestion.
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