The One Food That Has Completely Changed My Body
/For me, 2021 has been a year of discovery—a year of figuring out what I like, what I don’t like, and what I need now that I’m about to turn 65. I’ve learned so much about myself and my body, and in some ways, I feel like I’ve cracked the code to living my best life. I know what foods make me feel my best, which skincare products actually work, and what workout routines are sustainable and fun for me. Don’t get me wrong, my health journey isn’t over—it’s constantly evolving, and will be for the rest of my life, hence calling it a “journey”—but there are a few things I’ve incorporated into my routine that I can’t see myself ever giving up. One of those things is bone broth.
What’s the deal with bone broth?
Bone broth is a liquid made from boiling animal bones and connective tissue. I know that may sound off-putting, but stay with me. It tastes like a hearty soup broth, and the health benefits it offers are fantastic. Note that bone broth is NOT the same as your run-of-the-mill chicken broth that you find at the store. That kind of broth is made with bones and vegetables too, but it’s not cooked long enough for the bones to release all their nutrients. Bone broth is simmered on a very low heat for 24 to 48 hours, whereas regular broth and stock require less time.
Bone broth is full of vitamins and minerals that we need to function at our best. You’d be hard pressed to find more nutritious liquid. It’s rich in calcium (which is crucial for women over 50, who are at risk for osteoporosis), magnesium (great for sleep, stress, and digestion), potassium, phosphorus, and more. And like collagen powder, which is made from ground animal bones, bone broth is packed with collagen and other essential amino acids!
Bone broth can also improve your digestion system (hello gut health!), lower and fight off inflammation, improve joint health, and boost your brain health. I’ve reaped a lot of these benefits, plus more…
My experience with bone broth
The biggest change I’ve made in my diet this year was adding bone broth into the mix. I drink a cup every day—it’s become a new habit. People have started coming up to me in the gym and saying, “Wow, your body has changed!” The same goes for my skin, and I’ve noticed that my skin is plumper, and has a glow to it. My digestion has also never been better. I attribute this to the collagen and protein in the bone broth! Bone broth is high in protein (because collagen is protein), with one cup delivering anywhere from 5 to 10 grams of protein, depending on the type of bone broth you drink.
Normally, I make my own bone broth—it’s super easy to make from scratch (see recipe at the end of the article) and for us meat eaters, it helps cut back on food waste. Think how many bones and leftover pieces you usually toss in the trash—now you can make them into bone broth and utilize them to boost your health! When I don’t have the time to make my own, my favorite bone broth brands are Brodo and Bonafide Provisions.
Brodo sells individual cups of chicken, beef, and heart bone broth, and you can even get a vegan seaweed mushroom broth if you’re totally plant-based. They ship nationwide, but if you live in New York, they’ve opened a number of stands on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, as well as in Chelsea, SoHo, and the East Village.
Bonafide Provisions is sold at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and other health-minded grocery stores, usually in the freezer section. They offer chicken, beef, and turkey bone broth as well as a blend, or you can get it shipped to you. Bonafide Provisions offers one of my favorite bone broth flavors ever, which is the Coconut Lemon Turmeric Chicken Broth. It comes in individual carrying cups for on the go. I love having it before or after my workouts for a protein kick!
You can find the Brodo Variety Pack I order here, and a frozen pack of Bonafide Provisions Chicken broth here. I love keeping bone broth in the freezer—it lasts for a long time and I just take some out and heat it up when I want it, or let it thaw in the fridge overnight!
If you’re more of a do-it-yourself-er, bone broth is pretty easy to make, and you can customize the flavor to include whatever spices you want. Here’s my go-to chicken bone broth recipe, courtesy of Minimalist Baker.
Bone Broth Recipe:
Makes 8 cups, lasts in the fridge for two to three days and in the freezer for a month.
Ingredients:
Bones and carcass of 1 chicken (we suggest starting with a whole roasted chicken)
12 cups filtered water
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 generous pinch each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
Rosemary/herbs (leftover from roasting chicken // optional)
1 sliced lemon (leftover from roasting chicken // optional)
Instructions:
To a large pot or Dutch oven, add the bones leftover from a whole roasted chicken (including legs and wings that may have been on the serving platter), or the bones from 1 chicken purchased from a butcher. (Note: This can also be done in a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot.) We also like adding the lemon wedges and rosemary that were cooked with our whole roasted chicken (optional).
Top with filtered water until generously covered (about 12 cups / 2880 ml). This should reduce down by about 1/3 or 1/2, leaving you with 6-8 cups of bone broth.
Next, add in a bit of salt and pepper to season the broth (you can add more later to taste).
Then add apple cider vinegar, which is added primarily because the acidity breaks down the collagen and makes it more abundant in the broth. You can also sub lemon juice, but we prefer apple cider vinegar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor will become and the more collagen will be extracted. We find 12 hours to be about right.
Strain and discard the bones. Either use immediately or store in glass jars and freeze up to 1-2 months or more. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.
Note: Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don't worry — that's normal. When reheated it liquifies once again, just like store-bought chicken broth.
What do you think? Are you willing to give bone broth a try? Come tell me why or why not in our Private Pure Joy Wellness Facebook Group, or over on the @purejoywellness Instagram.
xo,
Renata