The Benefits of Bone / Collagen Broth

We regularly discuss topics related to collagen and skin health and one question we are regularly asked is how to make a bone broth and what are the benefits of consuming bone broth?

Nayelle probiotic skincare is designed as a topical application for your skin to get the rich fusion of nutrients it needs to stimulate collagen production. Bone broth helps your body gain these same kinds of nutrients from the inside.

What is bone / collagen broth?

Bone broth also referred to as collagen broth is essentially stock. Both stock and bone broth are created from boiling bones in water. What sets bone broth apart from stock is its long cooking time. The long cooking time is required to break down the bones to get the collagen rich gelatin. You can’t really over cook a bone broth. Bone broth is typically thicker and more rich in nutrients than stock.

What kinds of bones can be used to make bone broth?

Bone broth can be made from the bones of almost any animal. The most popular bone broths are made from the bones of chicken, beef, pork and fish. Have you ever wondered what you can use chicken feet for? Well they are incredibly rich in gelatin and can be added to any type of bone broth.

How to acquire bones for bone broth?

Out top suggestions for gathering your bones to make bone broth are to save bones from your leftovers when you roast a chicken, duck, turkey or goose. You can also find bones at your local butcher and at farmers markets who raise grass fed animals. Save the bones from wild caught fish to make fish based bone broth.

Try to seek the bones from organically raised, pastured or grass fed animals.

The top benefits of bone broth

The rich fusion of nutrients and amino acids makes bone broth one of the healthiest foods for your entire body. It helps with digestive health and provides the nutrients required for healthy bones, connective tissue, teeth, nails and skin.

1. Collagen growth: Bone broth increases your body’s levels of glycine, proline and arginine. These amino acids are all required to fuel collagen growth and have their own anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Healthy digestive system: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid that holds and attracts liquids, including digestive juices and therefore helps the digestive process.
3. Healthy skin, teeth and bones: Bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium and other important nutrients that are critical for healthy teeth, hair and bones.
4. Anti-inflammatory properties: Chondroitin sulfates, glucosamine and other compounds help battle joint pain and inflammation.

Bone broth for healthy skin

Bone broth is an excellent source of amino acids, collagen and other trace minerals that support the collagen cycle. This helps your skin remain healthy and gives it the ability to repair itself. As we age our collagen production declines. You can notice this in your skins’ physical appearance (looser, more wrinkles and less elasticity).

Bone broth for a healthy gut

One of the most important functions bone broth can have is to promote a healthy gut. Bone broth can prevent and treat leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where the gut is leaky or permeable. This allows undigested foods, toxins, yeast and viruses to pass through the intestine and directly access the blood stream.

When leaky gut syndrome is left unchecked it leads to the eventual damage of cells called microvilli. The damaged microvilli and can no longer perform their function of processing the nutrients and enzymes that your body and your gut require for good health.

Your body starts to attack the foreign toxins and this results in inflammation, allergic reactions and many other symptoms that we relate to a variety of diseases.

Leaky gut syndrome is the route of many allergies and autoimmune disorders. When combined with toxic overload you have the perfect storm that can lead to neurological disorders like autism, ADHD and other learning disabilities.

The bone broth contains so many rich nutrients that contain immune optimizing components, that it can help to heal leaky gut syndrome.

Beef (Bovine) Bone Broth

Instructions:

1. To improve the flavour we like to roast our bones for 30 minutes at 350 in the oven first.
2. The key to any bone broth is a long simmering process of the bones. To simmer your bones place about 2 pounds of meaty bones such as short rib bones into a stock pot with apple cider vinegar and water. Let the mixture sit for about 1 hour so the vinegar can leach the minerals out of the bones.
3. Add more water if needed to fully cover the bones.
4. Add the vegetables, bring to a boil and skim the scum from the top and discard.
5. Reduce to a low simmer for 24-72 hours.
6. During the last 30 minutes add garlic and pepper.
7. During the last 10 minutes of cooking add parsley for added flavour and minerals.
8. Let the broth cool and strain it. Make sure that the bone marrow has come out of the bones and is in the broth.
9. You can add sea salt to taste.
10. Store the bone broth mixture in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze it for even longer life.
11. Use the bone broth in soups and stews.

Chicken Bone Broth

Instructions:

1. If you are only using the bones we like to roast them in the oven first for added flavour. 30 minutes and 350 is just fine.
2. Place the whole chicken or just a carcass (bones) and cover with water.
3. Add vinegar and chopped vegetables. Let stand for 30 minutes while the vinegar helps break down and pull minerals from the bones.
4. Place on the burner on high heat. Put a lid on.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-24 hours.
6. With 10 minutes remaining add parsley.
7. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and strain.
8. You can store the chicken broth in containers in the fridge or freeze it for longer shelf life.
9. Skim fat off the top of the bone broth. This fat can be used in all kinds of cooking methods and dishes.