Whether you lean toward the Paleo or Vegan camp (or somewhere in-between), this article is highly relevant to your health.
Across many cultures of the world, including your grand- and great-grandparents, mineral broths were a staple to health. Think of grandma’s chicken soup. Or a slow-cooked thick and rich vegetable soup. Research is showing that the cooking methods of our ancestors are superior in some very important ways.
Slow-cooking of vegetables and/or animal bones (such as a picked-over chicken) releases much needed minerals into the broth. Bone broths also supply collagen–a highly valuable building block for all kinds of connective tissue–muscles, fascia and bones, to name a few. It is these types of broths and soups that can nourish the body on a deep level and are simply delicious. These soups and broths contain highly bioavailable amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium and other trace minerals. The amounts are small, but very useful to the body.
Excerpts from an article by nutritionist Dr. Kaayla Daniel:
“…Bone, after all, is not built on calcium alone. In fact bone is built on a scaffold of collagen, making collagen the most important bone building component in broth.”
“Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, constituting between 25 and 35 percent of the body’s total protein, and needed for building healthy bones, cartilage, skin, arteries, corneas, placentas and just about every other structure in the body. Collagen production in the body slows down age and ill health, causing skin, joints and bones to become drier, less pliant, thinner and weaker. Think sagging skin, creaky joints and the brittle bones of osteoporosis.”
“To build good bone we need collagen above all. The basic building blocks of bone are collagen fibrils that form a latticework for deposition of calcium phosphate and other minerals. The collagen cross-links are more important for whole bone strength and fracture resistance than mineral levels and patterns. Indeed, some people have bones thick with calcium and other minerals that are weak and crack under tension like unreinforced concrete.”
Note the use of the words, “scaffold of collagen”. That scaffold is your fascial network. Fascia is comprised largely of collagen, which gives it its resiliency. For those of you who have experienced bodywork, such as Hellerwork Structural Integration, you know how good it feels to have your fascial network enlivened and reorganized. Well, that network extends into your bones.
Enjoy some recipes that can add minerals and collagen to support healthy bones and fascia!
Recipes for Vegetable or Bone Broth
(Adapted from Weston Price Foundation)
1 bunch of parsley
Vegetable Version:
1 bunch of parsley
For either broth version, put all ingredients except the parsley in a large stock pot or in a slow-cooker. Heat to hot but not a boil. Simmer the vegetable broth for 2 hours and the bone version for 24-hours. About 15 minutes before removing the pot from the heat, add the parsley for additional minerals. Strain in jars or other containers and use within a few days or freeze (Mason wide mouth pint jars work best if you’ll use glass). If you like, you can refill the stock pot with 2 quarts of water and simmer again for a second batch that will be less concentrated than the first, but still very delicious. Note that both versions will have plenty of bioavailable minerals but only broths made with bones will have collagen, a very important nutrient for fascia and bone health.
One Response
Makes me want to get busy in the kitchen. Thanks for the recipe!
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