Paleo Magic Elixir: 8 Reasons Why Bone Broth is The Best
Liquid gold
Ok, nobody really calls it that. But still.
Bone broth is one of the most loved and admired Paleo foods.
In fact, Louise and I have a dedicated slow cooker in which we make bone broth. And often, we just keep it going 24 hours per day, taking some out whenever we need it and then filling it back up with water.
Bone Broth is a Nutritional Powerhouse
Bone Broth is broth made from the bones of beef or bison, poultry, fish or lamb, with the addition of veggies and spices. Most people use beef bones.
Technically, it should be called “bone stock,” since that’s the correct term for something made with bones (rather than meat, in which case it would be “broth”). But none of that really matters.
In pretty much every culture around the world, some form of bone broth was a regular part of the diet, often used as a base for sauces and soups.
However, with the gradual disappearance of local butchers and the increase in processed, store-bought “broth-like” bouillons and soups, real bone broth fell by the wayside.
Luckily, with the growth of the Paleo movement, bone broth has re-emerged as a nutrient-packed food, worthy of brewing up and sitting down to.
Here are 8 Excellent Reasons Why Bone Broth is So Magical
1. Bone Broth is Very High in Many Minerals. The rich mineral content helps replace the deficiencies that our diets generally lack these days.
2. Bone Broth is Great For Your Gut. There’s a fair amount of gelatin in bone broth, which works like a hole-filler for the unwanted openings in an unhealthy gut—brought on by factors like faulty diet, stress and medications. This boost to intestinal health helps improve absorption of minerals and guards against autoimmune issues and inflammatory reactions.
3. Your Joints Love Bone Broth. Bone broth is full of substances called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The glucosamine they contain is just one of the popular joint lubricating compounds being sold by the boatload in supplement form.
In addition, the GAGs provided in a cup of bone broth deliver other key compounds for joint health and connective tissue, including chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. GAGs stimulate cells that produce collagen for the joints, tendons, ligaments and arteries as well.
4. Bone Broth Supports Oral Health. The ability of GAGs to restore connective tissue also helps improve gum tissue that has been damaged and weakened by bacteria that cause gum disease, which can lead to loose teeth or tooth loss.
5. Bone Broth Provides Adrenal Support. Chinese medicine traditionally holds that the adrenals are part of the kidney system, and from that medicinal perspective, bone tissue relates to the kidneys. Subscribing to the theory of like supports like, the consumption of bone tissue can support the kidneys (and adrenals).
Additionally, some experts suggest that bone broth make actually help repair openings in damaged kidney and adrenal tissue that cause the kidneys to function in this sub-par state.
6. Your Skin, Hair, and Nails Will Look Better. In addition to healing your gut, the collagen in bone broth is the main substance found in our skin, hair, and nails that keeps them strong and healthy.
7. Bone Broth is Very High in Proline and Glycine. Proline and Glycine are two amino acids that are vital for healthy connective tissues. Proline has also been shown to reverse atherosclerotic deposits and can help the body break down proteins for use in making new muscle cells. Glycine has been shown to aid digestion, help regulate blood sugar levels and enhance muscle repair, among other benefits.
8. It’s easy to brew up a homemade batch and give your body all that bone broth has to offer. There are a number of recipes out there, but start with some good bones from an animal raised as healthily as possible, some veggies, a little apple cider vinegar, herbs and spices and some water and you’re set.
If you’d like to check out even more reasons that bone broth can be beneficial for your health, Dr. Axe also has a great post on bone broth here.
Here are a Few Great Bone Broth Recipes to Try
Simple Bone Broth
How to Make Bone Broth
Easy Bone Broth
Images: Copyright (c) photosiber from Fotolia and Comugnero Silvana from Fotolia