Some of the simplest recipes are often the healthiest and most versatile. Not only is bone broth soup satisfying and wholesome, but it’s also super easy to make. The number of bone broth health benefits are countless. It’s a dish that serves up nutrition to your entire body, head to toe. A basic bone broth recipe involves boiling bones from beef, chicken, or even fish. You’ll be able to use every bit of your leftovers. By taking the bones and cooking them with herbs and spices, you’ve made homemade bone broth. So simple!

Recipes can range from 30 minutes to a full 48 hours. Plus, you can do much more than simply using it as stock. Replace your cup of coffee or tea with a cup of broth. Another option is to replace water with broth when you’re cooking up rice or other grains. Be traditional and add veggies or pasta for a delightful soup. When it comes to ways to use homemade bone broth, you are only limited by your imagination.

An ancient culinary staple in many cultures around the world, bone broth health benefits are countless. Not only does it heal, but soup also makes us feel better. What is the first thing we prescribe to one another when we’re feeling under the weather? Chicken soup! Its curative properties have been comforting humans for hundreds of years, and now bone broth soup is making a comeback.

Followers of a gluten-free, paleo, and even keto lifestyle can rejoice. This bone broth trend is sticking around, and for good reason. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and fight off hunger. Bone broth soup is multipurpose, flavorful, and refreshing. Making your own is a frugal way to save money and an excellent time-saver. To reap those fantastic bone broth health benefits, all you need is a little know-how.

Why Is Bone Broth Good for You?

Bone broth soup carries many therapeutic and corrective characteristics.

As bones are boiled, their healing properties are released. Minerals and compounds such as glucosamine, collagen, and glycine are known to cure joint pain, arthritis, and inflammation. Homemade bone broth can improve your joint health and boost your immune system.[1]

A basic bone broth recipe can even be a significant part of treatment plans for those with digestive problems like leaky gut syndrome.[2]

Besides aiding in digestion and helping with achy joints, collagen contained in bone broth recipes has been proven to ward off wrinkles, decrease puffiness, and treat and prevent pesky cellulite.[3]

The Top 5 Bone Broth Health Benefits

• Wrinkle and cellulite reduction. The collagen released from boiled bones keeps skin smooth and soft.
• Better sleep. Glycine is a compound found in bone broth soup and is a known agent in reducing fatigue and promoting better sleep.[4]
• Inexpensive. Making homemade bone broth reduces waste and boosts your savings. We love making a big batch and freezing it for later use. The convenience of ready-made bone broth soup is awesome!
• Diet supplement. Amino acids are an important part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Bone broth has loads of this vital nutrient which provides muscle maintenance and growth.[5]
• Soul-soothing. Maybe it’s nostalgia, or perhaps it’s the calming aroma of soup, but warm, flavorsome homemade bone broth will make you happier and healthier either way.

A Simple Bone Broth Recipe

This is a basis bone broth recipe that can be used in hundreds of other recipes and dishes, and one that will earn you loads of bone broth health benefits. Get inspired and use different bones, veggies, and spices for each batch you make.

Prep time: 10 minutes  |   Cook time: 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours, 10 minutes  |   Yield: 16 +
Equipment: Large stock pot and strainer

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. cooked bones (poultry, beef, bison, fish, lamb)
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 big pinches of pepper
• 1 big pinch of salt
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Optional: 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tsp peppercorns, herbs and spices to taste. Get creative! Additionally, you can throw in 2 cloves of garlic for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Directions

1. Place your bones of choice in a large stockpot and pour cool water over the bones.
2. Add your vinegar and let it sit for 30 minutes in water.
3. Chop and add veggies, salt, pepper, herbs, and garlic. You can save the parsley and garlic for the end if you’re using those ingredients.
4. Bring the broth to a boil.
5. Check every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours to scoop off the foamy layer that will form at the top.
6. Next, reduce to a simmer until done.
   Beef broth: 48 hours
   Poultry: 24 hours
   Fish broth: 8 hours
7. Optional: Add garlic and parsley during last 30 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and let cool.
9. Finally, use a strainer to remove bits and pieces of vegetable and bone matter.
10. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for later use.[6]

Depending on what you want to do with your homemade bone broth, know the different flavors each bone will give you.

Fish bones will make broth fast, finishing in 8 hours. Pescatarians can enjoy fish bone broth recipes. The broth will have a delicate, light flavor.

Chicken bones take about 24 hours to release all their nutritious goodies. A chicken bone broth recipe will have a light flavor with a thin consistency.

Beef bones are the meatiest and will take the longest time to simmer about 48 hours. The beef broth will have a robust and hearty flavor with a thicker consistency great for bone broth soup.

Tips for Buying Bone Broth

Sometimes we just don’t have the time to devote to making toast, let alone homemade bone broth. Don’t fret! The best bone broth health benefits will be the same, whether it’s straight from the kitchen, or straight out of the supermarket.

When you’re in a pinch and want to make a quick stop at the market, here is what you should be looking for:

• Bone broth that uses wholesome ingredients with no additives or food coloring.
• Brands that use free-range and/or grass-fed animal meat.
• A company that simmers chicken bone broth for at least 8 hours and beef bone broth for at least 12 hours.
• High protein content. You should see at least 10 grams of protein per 1 cup of bone broth.

Avoid:

• Bone broth that you wouldn’t make yourself. Cheaper brands of bone broth will add sugars and yeast extract. The list of ingredients should match what is already in your pantry.
• Poorly packaged broth. The best bone broth will be packaged while hot, in a pathogen-free environment.
• Poor shelf-life. You never know when a scrumptious bone broth recipe will pop into your head. Make sure you find a bone broth soup that you can keep on the shelf for about two years.

Cook Up Some Homemade Bone Broth Today

No matter your taste or dietary preferences, there is a homemade bone broth recipe for you. Whether you use it to make other dishes or to use on its own, you will reap some pretty incredible bone broth health benefits.

References

• [1] “Bone Broth Benefits for Digestion, Arthritis and Cellulite” Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/
• [2] “The Leaky Gut Diet and Treatment Plan, Including Top Gut Foods” Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/leaky-gut-diet-treatment/
• [3] “Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study” NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23949208
• [4] “The Effects of Glycine on Subjective Daytime Performance in Partially Sleep-Restricted Healthy Volunteers” NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3328957/
• [5] “Your Guide to the Benefits of BCAAs and Essential Amino Acids” Dr. Mike Roussell. https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/ask-diet-doctor-essential-amino-acids
• [6] “How to Make Bone Broth (Recipe)” Katie. https://wellnessmama.com/5888/bone-broth/