Bone broth is delicious and considered a super-food. It has been used since ancient times as a healing food. Bone broth is very rich in minerals and collagen containing glycosaminoglycans which are required throughout the body for most important body organs.
Many conditions, including Crohn’s disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, bowel hyper permeability (leaky gut) and bladder hyper permeability have demonstrated patient deficiency of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Deficiency of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) can result in a chain of adverse health conditions that affect digestion, immunity, musculoskeletal health and cognitive functions.
Bone broth can be a natural answer to the deficiency of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Besides glycosaminoglycans, it is rich of phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate and calcium. The amino acids in bone broth are ultimately utilized when the fat-soluble vitamins A and D are present in the diet.
Other nutrients the bone broth is rich in
- Collagen – can help with cellulite, wrinkles and other skin appearance issues that come with age.
- Glycine – required from glutathione biosynthesis, prevention of breakdown of proteins in the muscles and improving sleep. Bone broth provides a significant boost of glutathione with Glycine and Glutamic acid.
- Proline – reverses atherosclerotic deposits by releasing cholesterol buildups into the blood stream, used to create new cells, beneficial for memory and depression, beneficial to skin.
- Chondroitin Sulfate – plays additional role in lowering atherosclerosis and cholesterol metabolism
- Lysine – counteracts herpes family viruses, helps absorbing calcium.
- Gelatin was found to be very helpful in the treatment of a wide range of diseases including muscle diseases, diabetes, jaundice, infectious diseases, peptic ulcers and cancer. Gelatin also normalizes both hydrochloric acid deficiencies and excesses.
Gelatin (composite of bone broth) amino acids composition
| Glycine | 21.4% |
| Proline | 12.4% |
| Hydroxyproline | 11.9% |
| Glutamic acid | 10.0% |
| Alanine | 8.9% |
| Arginine | 7.8% |
| Asperic acid | 6.0% |
| Serine | 3.6% |
| Lysine | 3.5% |
| Leucine | 3.3% |
| Phenylanine | 2.4% |
| Valine | 2.2% |
| Theronine | 2.1% |
| Isoleucine | 1.5% |
| Hydoxylysine | 1.0% |
| Histidine | 0.8% |
| Methionine | 0.7% |
| Tyrosine | 0.5% |
Consumption of bone broth
Although the bone broth has the properties many have been looking for, it should be consumed in moderation.
- 1-2 cups a week should be more than reasonable as cholesterol amounts and lead contamination [srs] are factors to consider.
- Increase intake of magnesium rich foods or magnesium supplements when you consume bone broth since bone broth is very rich in calcium and can cause hypercalcemia [srs].
- Glycine content in bone broth may slow down peristaltic movement and cause constipation, therefore make appropriate dietary adjustments to alleviate possible constipation.
- Those infected within any herpes family viruses, should be careful if their foods are not well balanced in lysine / arginine ratios since gelatin contained within the bone broth is rich in arginine content.
Making bone broth
A bone broth should be made of a variety of bones from animals that are organic and grass-fed or pastured and free-range. Pick the bones that contain red marrow to help build an immune system support.
Cooking the bone broth
- Place bones into a 6 quart crockpot or stock pot and cover with water about 1 inch above
- Add 1-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or half lemon, which helps to extract the minerals from bone structures
- Add 2 cloves of fresh garlic (peeled)
- Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt
- Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 10-18 hours while skimming off the scum. Cooking time of the bones can do as high as 48 hours to help extract more minerals. When water boils out, add gradually to sustain the same levels
- Add vegetables of your choice such as carrots, onions and celery if desired 2-3 hours before the broth is cooked
- Once the broth is cooked and cooled, there will be a layer of hardened fat on top. Remove this layer before eating. Broth should be consumed within 2 days or frozen.
- Use the broth as a base to a nutrient rich soup
Leafy greens such as chard, collards, spinach and kale are also rich in minerals that can complement bone broth.