A Principle With Promise

What is bone broth and why should I consume it? This is something that you may have asked yourself recently as bone broth has increased in popularity over the last few years. Having grown up in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, the phrase “bone broth” was never said during my childhood. In fact, with the rise of canned goods after the first world war, the making of homemade broths and stocks became a thing of the past. Why would anyone wish to spend multiple hours, or even days stewing and simmering leftover animal bones for soups and sauces when you can just buy it in a can from the local grocery store? It’s the same thing right? Wrong.

So, what is bone broth? Bone broth is the result of cooking the bones and other connective tissues of an animal for a long period of time in water. Bone broth is also referred to as stock. There are few differences between stock and broth, and the terms can usually be used interchangeably. Typically stock is made by simmering animal bones and broth is made by cooking not only the bones, but also meat and a few vegetables as well to create a tasty liquid that can be enjoyed on its own or as part of many recipes.

What does bone broth/stock have to do with the Word of Wisdom? The answer can be found in verse 12 of Doctrine and Covenants section 89: 

“Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;” 

In this verse we are taught that God has given us animals and that we must use them with thanksgiving. We are also taught that we are supposed to use these animals sparingly. Note that we are not instructed to eat them sparingly (something that many latter-day saints have misinterpreted for generations) but, we are supposed to use them sparingly. Eating meat is good and we are taught in scripture multiple times that we should not abstain from meats! So, how exactly can we use animals sparingly? This can be accomplished by eating/using the whole animal!

 A modern problem that we have in western culture is that we typically do not consume any part of an animal other than the meat/muscle tissue. For some people, the thought of eating the animal fat or skin makes them squeamish. Some people have even gone so far as to say that eating the fat of an animal is unhealthy (this idea is false. Eating fat will not make you fat!).

Sickeningly, in the modern world of agriculture and farming, we raise meat animals in inhumane conditions, disrespecting the animals and pumping them full of harmful hormones and drugs to fatten them up, just so we can slaughter them faster and then take what we deem as the “desirable pieces” of the animal, (such as the breasts of a chicken or the steak cuts of a cow), and then we proceed to throw the rest of the animal away, disgracing the value of the whole animal and discrediting the wisdom of the great Creator who made that animal. This is an offense toward God! Our loving Savior and our Father in Heaven have blessed us to have dominion over all the animals of the Earth so that we can steward them and care for them, and then, when it is time, use them for food, clothing, and anything else we may need them for. Animals were not designed to be fattened, drugged and slaughtered to our pleasure, and humans were not designed to eat an animal that has been drugged and harmed to be able to withstand horrendous living conditions.

One of the ways we can use an animal with thanksgiving and honor the life of the animal is to consume an animal from, “nose to tail”. This means, eating the organs, bones and the connective tissue from the animal. There is great wisdom in this practice. When we cook the bones of an animal we are doing our part to consume, in gratitude, all that the animal has to offer. When properly cooked, we extract from the bones every nutrient and vitamin available to us. When you only consume the meat of an animal you miss out on the benefits of the best parts of the animal and you are stuck with an imbalance of amino acids in your diet that can have a negative impact on your health. 

Drinking broth made from animal bones causes you to feel fuller longer. Bone broth is full of something called hydrophilic colloids. These molecules cause the food in your stomach to ‘gel together’, with the digestive juices and acids that your digestive system releases each time you eat food. Having good amounts of hydrophilic colloids in your system causes your digestion to slow down, allowing for a few things to happen. 1) Your body will feel fuller longer, and 2) your body will have the maximum amount of time to absorb the nutrients from the food you ate. One important thing to note is that slow digestion does not mean slow metabolism. The faster you digest things the more mineral and nutrient deficient you will be. Slower digestion allows for better appetite control and enhanced mental well being. It also allows your body to break down food better, including carbohydrates, meaning that you’re less likely to store those extra carbs as fat on your body. Slow digestion of food will also result in LESS, bloating, gas, indigestion, heartburn and reflux. And, in the big picture, you will have better mineral absorption and better appetite control, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes. (Another tip to make digestion more effective and even improve weight loss is to chew your food! Digestion starts in your mouth, so slow down and chew until your food is mush!) 

Collagen and gelatin are both protein substances found in large amounts in bone broth. Consuming whole food forms of collagen and gelatin will not only lead to better hair, skin and nails, (who doesn’t want that?) but they will also boost joint health. Collagen and Gelatin can strengthen your joints and connective tissues while also reducing the pain and stiffness in your joints, that means that they can even improve arthritis.

The gelatin present in bone broth can also act like a seal to the lining of your gut or intestine. It can help repair little holes or injuries in your gut lining caused by a bad diet, chemicals sprayed on food, medications and lifestyle choices. These little holes in your gut lining often lead to things like leaky gut syndrome, Crohn’s disease, mental/mood disorders,  food sensitivities, allergies, ulcerative colitis and even some cancers. Healing your gut lining should be a priority for every one of God’s children. 

Bone broth is also rich in the amino acid glycine. An amino acid that can improve sleep quality by reducing daytime fatigue and helping you to fall asleep faster. Glycine also aids in the building up of muscle tissue. Thus helping to prevent the wasting away of muscle syndrome known as sarcopenia, something that most elderly suffer with. Glycine can also regulate and boost your insulin response when you consume sugars and carbohydrates, allowing for blood sugar regulation to take place helping to fight the onset of type 2 diabetes, type 3 diabetes also known as Alzheimer’s and another insulin-resistant related medical issue known as PCOS. 

It is worth mentioning again that consuming bone broth can help with weight loss and weight management. Just by adding bone broth to your diet you will feel fuller for longer, causing you to eat less throughout the day. Plus, each cup of bone broth you consume contains about 8-10 grams of protein, an essential macronutrient. 

I believe that we should be making our own bone broth at home. But, if you do not have the space or tools to make your own, that is fine, store bought bone broth can also bring many benefits to your diet. However, you will find that purchasing a good quality bone broth can be quite expensive. And, when you make your own, you can alter the taste of it to best suit your liking. When it comes to selecting a bone broth from the store you will be presented with many different options. Choosing fish, beef or chicken will be according to your own preference. But what is important is to know your ingredients. Any broth that you purchase should only include ingredients such as animal bones, water, a vinegar, vegetables, recognizable herbs/spices, and sea salt. Avoid any broths that have ingredients that say; natural flavors, caramel color or other colorings, and yeast extract. 

Different ideas of how to use bone broth besides just drinking it include, using it in soups, using it instead of water when cooking rice or quinoa, steaming vegetables, as a gravy or sauce base, in marinades and in baby foods. Making your own bone broth is simple. Check out this post to find my recipe! 

One cup of bone broth a day truly can keep the doctor away!