Bone Broth....The Fountain of Youth?

Over the past year or so,since we began purchasing a side of beef directly from the farmer, I have researched and experimented on using "all the beef parts" that come with our amazing grass fed cow. Who knew you get all the Gifts With Purchase (Just like the cosmetics counter, ladies- and actually it works better at skin tissue repair than any cosmetics on the market!) Seriously, the more I continue to read on the benefits of traditional Primitive Bone Broth....the more I am inclined to think it should be a new food group with major therapeutic benefits.

Broth is made from bones with a cartilage coating at the ends, broth infuses your blood with molecules of collagen and glycosaminoglycan that affect your body in amazing ways. Researchers now use colleagen hydrosylate(hydrolysis- means breaking a protein apart using water molecules) to grow brand new organs from stem cells (stem cells are baby cells that can be grown into any type of cell)In your body, these molecules travel to worn out tissues where they make stem cells more plentiful, effectively reversing time in your tissues.This gives bone broths an ability to rejuvenate all your worn out bones, joints, connective tissues, and the structural supports for skin(gotta love this one girls!). Most of the tissues have low blood supply and would otherwise be unable to heal.Supplements containing Glucosamine and Chondroiten provide two members of this family of miraculous molecules, but bone broth contains the whole family and works far superior in whole food form.

Properly prepared, the broth is also highly nutritious, containing the minerals of bone, cartilage, marrow and vegetables as electrolytes, a form that is easy to assimilate. Acidic wine or vinegar added during cooking helps draw out dense minerals--particularly calcium, magnesium and potassium into the broth. Dr. Frances Pottenger, author of the famous cat studies as well as articles on the benefits of natural gelatin in in broth, pointed out that broth is of greatest value because of its supply of hydrophyllic colloids to the diet. Raw food compounds are colloidal and hydrophyllic, meaning they attract liquids. Thus, when we eat a salad or some other raw food, the hydrophyllic colloids attract digestive juices for rapid an effective digestion. Colloids that have been heated are generally hydrophobic--they repel liquids, making cooked food harder to digest. However, the proteinaceous gelatin in bone broths has the unusual property of attracting liquids--it is hydrophyllic--even after it has been heated. the same property from which gelatin attracts water to form desserts, like Jello, allows it to attract digestive juices to the surface of the foods.Consequently, gelatin acts first and formost as an aid to digestion and has been used succesfully to treat many intestinal disorders such as colitis and chrohns disease. Gelatin found in bone broth has also been used in the treatment of anemia,blood diseases, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and even some forms of cancer.Another notable component of the broth is cartilage, which has recently been used with remarkable results in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Broths can be made from many different animal bones for various therapeutic benefits and flavors. We all know that chicken stock is the cure for the common cold, right? and did you know that iodine rich fish stock, using the bones and head (containing the thyroid gland) is also a Primitive treatment for symptoms of thyroid disease. So no matter what animal bones you use to make the broth, it is important to know "how the animal was raised"! Animals that were allowed to move about and enjoy their natural intended diet (what we should ALL be doing)build healthier bones and joints. Their bones and joints will become your bones and joints, so you will need them to be as healthy as possible.

Bone broth is made by slowly simmering lightly roasted bones together with a variety of fresh vegetables and some kind of acid like wine, tomatoes or vinegar to leach out the minerals. The boiling time depends on the diameter of the bonesand cow bones take the longest of most animals. The broth will wiggle like Jello when cool due to the gelatin content. And determined by how much of the collagen and glycosaminoglycan, the stiffer the broth will become when chilled. Most commercially made broths are made from meat not bones and will not provide the same benefit. You can freeze the broth for several months. Uses include, soup base, gravy/sauce base and even cooking your rice dishes in the broth....OR for you fellow grain free ladies, cook your cauliflower rice in the broth for a few minutes to absorb the flavor and many health benefits. So, get in touch with your local grass fed farmer to get some high quality bones and make your own fountain of youth elixir!