Longevity Soup- Homemade Bone Broth

Have you ever eaten a Chinese restaurant? Did you notice they served you a cup of soup when you sat down? This is because it is known in their culture and medicine that warming the stomach aids the digestion of your meal. What do we do in America??? We serve you a nice tall glass of ICE COLD water. The exact opposite. The cold constricts and shuts down your digestive fire making it more difficult to digest your meal causing stomach aches, indigestion, acid reflux, and heart burn. I recommend adding 8 ounces of warm broth or soup before a meal to promote optimum digestion. Bone broth is an ideal, nutrient dense option to support digestive health and overall well being.

Bone broth contains vital amino acids that help the body rejuvenate during the winter season. In Traditional Medicine everyone is born with vital qi energy called Jing essence. Jing essence originates from the kidneys. It is important that we nurture our Jing essence and kidneys with bone broth to promote longevity and vitality.

Benefits of Bone Broth

• Supports digestive disorders by promoting glutathione production and adequate hydrochloric acid

• Supports the liver in natural detoxification

• Contains Glycine (amino acid) needed for healthy fetus and infant development

• Promotes strong cartilage, bones, and joints

• Promotes glowing skin and strong nails and hair

• Reduces inflammation which can boost the immune system and decrease allergies, arthritis, and asthma

• Can assist with boosting your metabolism to regulate weight

For more information, check out this article from the Weston A. Price Foundation.

In TCM, bone broth supports the kidneys by supplementing blood, bones, skin, and hair. Bone broth is great for those with a TCM blood deficiency or qi deficiency. Menstruating women, those that have experienced blood loss due to trauma or child birth, or those that have had prolonged illness will benefit from bone broth daily. This superfood is so easy to make once you get into the habit!

Buying bone broth from the store can get expensive. Plus, many brands include additives, preservatives, and coloring, even if it says organic. You can make your own for the same price or less at home! Here are a few tricks I’ve learned:

• Cut down on the cost of bones by buying a whole organic chicken and saving the bones to make broth. I usually save a few chicken carcasses in order to have enough bones for broth. If you can find chicken feet and necks at your local store add those too for an extra collagen boost! My local grocery stores do not always have feet and necks available but they did have a turkey neck, which works too!.

• You can purchase organic, grass-fed beef bones in the freezer section at most stores or talk to the butcher counter. I usually make two batches of broth from the same set of beef bones. Sometimes I think I could do 3 batches! I have also ordered grass-fed bones from Arizona Grass Fed Beef which get mailed straight to my house. I always try to support local farmers when I can!

Temperature: Warm

Flavor: Sweet, acrid

Actions: Nourish blood, builds jing essence

Organs: Kidney, Liver, Spleen

Use if you are a postpartum or menstruating woman, those that have experienced blood loss, weak bones, hair, skin, or nails, foggy brain, dizziness, weak immune system, aid digestion, and overall wellness.

 Ingredients

• 3 pounds choice of meat bones- chicken (including necks and feet), beef, mix 

• 12 cups filtered water

• 1 yellow onion, quartered

• 2 Carrots, cut in large pieces

• 2 Stalks Celery with leaves, cut in large pieces

•  2 Bay leaves

• 1 tsp salt

• 4 cloves garlic, smashed

• 3-4 fresh or dried Shiitake mushrooms (optional)

• 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar (optional)

Stove Top Preparation

1. Add bones and enough water to cover in a large stock pot. 

2. Bring to boil and boil for 3-5 minutes. Foam and other impurities will bubble to the surface. 

3. Strain bones and discard water. Rinse bones and clean pot before returning bones to pot.

4. Add all ingredients including bones to the large stock pot. 

5. Bring to a boil for 1 hour and then reduce heat to a simmer for 24 hours. 

6. Pour broth through a large fine-mesh sieve in to a large bowl. 

7. Place broth in fridge to cool. This fat will separate and solidify making it easier to skim. 

8. Skim off and discard excess fat before use. 

Slow Cooker Preparation

1. Add bones and enough water to cover in a large stock pot. 

2. Bring to boil and boil for 3-5 minutes. Foam and other impurities will bubble to the surface. 

3. Strain bones and discard water. Rinse bones before adding to slow cooker. 

4. Add all ingredients to slower cooker. 

5. Cook on low for 24 hours.

6. Pour broth through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. 

7. Place broth in fridge to cool. This fat will separate and solidify making it easier to skim. 

8. Skim off and discard excess fat before use. 

InstaPot Preparation

1. Add bones and enough water to cover in a large stock pot. 

2. Bring to boil and boil for 3-5 minutes. Foam and other impurities will bubble to the surface. 

3. Strain bones and discard water. Rinse bones before adding to InstaPot. 

4. Add all ingredients to InstaPot. Only fill pot to MAX fill line. 

5. Close vent and set to Manual for 1 hour. 

6. Let pressure come down naturally, do not release vent. 

7. Pour broth through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. 

8. Place broth in fridge to cool. This fat will separate and solidify making it easier to skim. 

9. Skim off and discard excess fat before use. 

Storage Options

1. Fridge- store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat to boil on stove top.

2. Freeze- pour broth into silicon molds and freeze for easy use. 

3. Preserve broth with canning.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bJT1zx-y4c

Source:

https://draxe.com/nutrition/bone-broth-benefits/

https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/why-broth-is-beautiful-essential-roles-for-proline-glycine-and-gelatin/