Do you drink bone broth?

Arguably the newest old-fashioned "fad" in food, bone broth has been re-gaining popularity in the last few years. Most people probably remember their mothers and/or grandmothers making broth at home instead of buying containers or cans of it from the grocery store. Chicken noodle soup was a staple for many people and made the way it was back then, it did have properties to help you feel better! Studies have shown that it does actually have anti-inflammatory effects. While no studies have looked specifically at bone broth, there are studies that have looked at the ingredients and elements it contains. Gelatin, collagen, and vitamins & minerals all have documented health benefits.

More people are moving away from the store-bought shortcut for several reasons. It's easy! And cheap! I started cooking whole chickens fairly regularly about five years ago. And that's when I began making homemade broth, too. It has more benefits for me. Now, in full disclosure, we aren't a "cup of broth a day" family. But when I make it, I freeze it in either 2 cup jars or 1/2 cup muffin tins (then in large freezer bags). That way, it lasts for a long time, and I almost always have some on hand. 

The key to easily making it at home is to use up whatever you have (carcass/bones, veggies, herbs), add water, and slow cook. I started my slow cooker last night and it's still going. There is some debate on whether or not you should use a little apple cider vinegar to help leach some of the nutrients out of the bones, but it's an easy thing to do if you have that in your pantry. While the mixture simmers, the bones break down. They release gelatin, collagen, and vitamins & minerals into the broth. After 18+ hours simmering, just cool, strain with a fine-mesh strainer, and voila! You have bone broth. The best way to tell whether your bone broth is *good* is to refrigerate it. It should gelatinize in the refrigerator (and then will become liquid again once it's heated).

For people who are struggling with inflammation related issues, regular bone broth consumption is worth trying. It's not so liquid gold with which you need to be replacing your meals, however, adding it in as a supplement is indeed the way to go. Continue eating a healthy, balanced diet.

So, have you tried it? Will you try it? According to Kobe Bryant and his team nutritionist, regular bone broth consumption helped him bounce back from potentially career-ending injuries a couple of years ago. Give it a shot! And let me know what you think. I may try to convince my husband to start drinking a cup a day to try to avoid rotator cuff surgery. 

Happy Simmering!