Bone Broth is all the rage right now. If you haven't heard about it, I'll fill you in. Bone broth is easy to cook at home and provides a plethora of nutritional value.
To make it, you'll need bones, knuckles, even the feet of any animal- most common is chicken and beef. I get mine from a local butcher called "Bud's Meats." You can get them from your local grocer/meat department as well. You then let the bones simmer in a large pot of water (think 10 quarts of water to 2 quarts of bones. The slow cooking releases nutrients from the bones: collagen (good for skin and hair), protein, amino acids, glutamine (heals the gut), arginine (fights inflammation), along with many others. Check out this article for more details on the benefits of bone broth https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bone-broth. The bones need to simmer for 18-48 hours. This elicits the most nutrition from the bones. After that, you store the broth in the fridge (for up to 5 days) or freezer. How you use it is up to you. You can drink it straight, or use it as a base for soup, rice, or anything else. The more you drink the better!
Here is a picture of my favorite way to use bone broth: a tofu, veggie stir-fry soup! So delicious!
Stir Fry:
Snow peas, Bok Choy, Shitake Mushrooms, Garlic, and Ginger (and any other veggies you want).
Add broth and tofu and enjoy!
The article I cited above goes into great detail about the benefits of bone broth. It helps your immune system, gut health, inflammation, you name it. I can tell you that I am 100% sold, and trying to get it into all of my family members and as many people as possible because of how healing it is! It has been used for ages, and takes the use of the entire animal into consideration, which I love from a moral standpoint.
Bone broth is readily available in stores now. You can probably find it at your local grocery store, if not, then definitely a more specialty store such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. The problem is that if you're consuming it readily, it tends to get pretty expensive. A container at Trader Joe's for example, yielding about 2 cups, costs $5.99. Two cups might get you through 2-3 days. The money adds up. Which is why I suggest making it yourself!
When making your own, you want to look for healthy bones! Since all of the nutrients from the bones are going straight to you, make sure you're getting the best! This means animals that are grass-fed and consuming organic, non-pesticide grass. You can also save and freeze any leftover bones you have from your meals and use those for your broth. As my pictures show, you can also add scraps of root vegetables, bay leaves or other seasonings. Adding a couple tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar helps to break down the bones.
If you don't want to deal with making your own, I'm happy to make extra and sell it to whoever is interested for a price that will save you money compared to the grocery store- just let me know.
Pictures of the bone broth process from start to finish. After refrigeration, the fat will solidify at the top. You can scrap it off, or enjoy! :)