How to Make Bone Broth and Why You Should

There’s a reason why your mom would bring you chicken soup when you were sick. Bone broth is a staple in an ancestral diet and you’ll find some version of it in just about every culture.

Bone broths are rich in minerals, protein, and amino acids, especially glycine. These amino acids are easy to digest and promote healing.

The slow-cooked process of making bone broth releases healing compounds from the bones and tissues like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine.

Below are just a few benefits of adding more bone broth to your diet.

Health Benefits of Bone Broth

• Many people report a decrease in wrinkles and cellulite when they start consuming foods rich in collagen, like bone broth.
• Bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid that promotes better sleep
• Gelatin, a major component of bone broth, is beneficial for rebuilding the gut lining and fighting food sensitivities. 
• Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine are both found in bone broth. These are the compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation and joint pain.
• It may promote weight loss by improving insulin sensitivity, and through its anti-inflammatory effects.
• Glycine can promote a healthy gut and reduce inflammation.
• Glycine plays a role in detoxification, as it can restore glutathione, your body’s most powerful antioxidant.

How to get more bone broth in your diet?

Bone broth is easy to make and requires just a handful of ingredients (the basics: bones, water, vegetables, vinegar, salt).

You can drink bone broth as a nourishing, mineral-rich beverage. I like to add fresh ginger to mine. It provides about 10 grams of protein per cup, so it’s a great option for pairing with fruit as a blood-sugar balanced snack.

Bone broth is also great to cook with. Any time a recipe calls for stock or broth, I just add bone broth instead for the extra nutrition.

There are also some great pre-made bone broths on the market. My favorites are Kettle and Fire and Bonafide Provisions. Northstar Bison also sells a delicious broth concentrate.

How to make bone broth in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, peeled and halved
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 2 celert stalks, cut into large pieces
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic
• 2.5 pounds of assorted bones (chicken, beef, ox tails, chicken feet, etc. are all good options)
• 8 cups of filtered water (enough to cover the bones don’t fill the pressure cooker more than 2/3 full)
• 1 teasppon apple cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• salt, to taste (add at the end)

Instructions:

1. Add the ingredients to your pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot). Make sure not to pass the fill line with the ingredients.
2. Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 90-120 minutes. Chicken bones will do well at 90 minutes, while beef and thicker bones can go longer.
3. Let the pressure reduce naturally.
4. Remove the lid. You can skim the top of the broth to get the film off, if you want. It’s not necessary. Then strain the broth.
5. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding salt or herbs and spices. If you plan on cooking with it, you might want to keep it more bland.

How to make bone broth in the slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, peeled and halved
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 2 celert stalks, cut into large pieces
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic
• 2.5 pounds of assorted bones (chicken, beef, ox tails, chicken feet, etc. are all good options)
• 8 cups of filtered water (enough to cover the bones, but don’t overfill the slow cooker)
• 1 teasppon apple cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• salt, to taste (add at the end)

Instructions:

1. Add the ingredients to your slow cooker.
2.  Put the cover on your slow cooker and set to cook on low for 8-10 hours..
3. Remove the lid. You can skim the top of the broth to get the film off, if you want. It’s not necessary. Then strain the broth.
4. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding salt or herbs and spices. If you plan on cooking with it, you might want to keep it more bland.

Resources:

1. Effects of collagen tripeptide supplement on skin properties: a prospective, randomized, controlled study
2. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study
3. Effects of a nutritional supplement containing collagen peptides on skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkles
4. Chemotactic attraction of human fibroblasts to type I, II, and III collagens and collagen-derived peptides.
5. Glycine restores glutathione and protects against oxidative stress in vascular tissue from sucrose-fed rats
6. The epithelial glycine transporter GLYT1: protecting the gut from inflammation
7. L-Glycine: a novel antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and cytoprotective agent

Important notes:

I am not a doctor, and I don’t claim to be one. I can’t prevent, treat, cure or diagnose illness or disease. The information presented on this website is not meant to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. The purpose of this website is to share knowledge from my research and experience. I encourage you to make your own decisions regarding your health care based on your own research and relationship with your health care professional.

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