I love everything about bone broth. The aroma of the broth while it slow simmers with fresh herbs and veggies. The simple purity of the process. And that familiar taste of a freshly warmed mug of broth.
It’s quite simply the world’s most perfect food – an infusion of all the richness and nourishment that Mother Nature can cook up for us.
Bone broth is also one of our most ancient foods. People have been preparing nourishing broths since the Stone Age. We didn’t even have pots back then, so we made a kind of ‘stone soup.’ People would heat stones in the fire and then add them to the abdominal pouches of butchered animals to simmer a type of soup made from the meat, bones, fat, herbs, water, and wild grains.
We don’t have to go to those lengths today to experience the grounding and nourishing qualities of bone broth and to enjoy the deep, soul-stirring healing it offers.
Bone broth is made from slow simmering animal bones in a pot. It sounds like a straightforward concept, but what happens is actually quite complex.
The bones are cooked in fresh, purified water with the meat and connective tissue still left on the bone. A little vinegar is added – usually apple cider vinegar – to help draw out the nutrients from deep within the bone. Fresh herbs and vegetables are added – carrots and thyme, onions, sage, marjoram, whatever flavors you’d like – to enhance the flavor and nutrition of the soup.
Then the magic happens. Once the water is brought to a boil, the heat is turned down to a low, gentle simmer. Then, the broth cooks for hours, or even days. This ultra-slow cooking method allows all the good stuff to fall off the bones. The ligaments, cartilage, and bone marrow slowly infuse into the liquid, enriching it with amino acids, minerals, and other beneficial compounds that are often lacking in the modern diet.
A lot of interesting figures have played a role in the history of bone broth as a restorative food. One was a soup-maker in France during the Industrial Revolution. In 1765, a man named A. Boulanger opened up a shop to serve soup to the workers of Paris, who needed a vitalizing meal to keep up their strength to deal with the difficult working conditions of that era. He posted a sign outside his shop that read, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will restore you.”The idea of food that restores is behind the term ‘restaurant’ – this was the first time it was used to refer to an establishment that served food.
Soups and stews have been used for centuries as a food that brings us back to health, soothes the soul, and nourishes like no other meal can. Bone broth is the reason for this restorative reputation.
And the main restorative ingredient in bone broth has always been the collagen.
The collagen is what makes bone broth different than your everyday, standard beef of chicken broth. It creates a rich flavor and that soothing, nourishing feeling you get when you sip a steaming mug full of broth.
And, it’s the nutrient that is responsible for a lot of the amazing advantages of making bone broth a regular part of your diet. From healthier skin to improved digestion, you can thank collagen for many of the long-lasting wonders of this natural food.
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