What Is Bone Broth?
Bone broth (B.B) has been consumed in various cultures for thousands of years. It allowed people to get the most out of the animals and livestock that they ate. To this day, it is often thought of as a convenient and affordable meal.
It is basically like any other broth, except that it is made with leftover bones and simmered for a very long time. This simple process gives you plenty of nutrients that your body will thank you for. The abundance of health benefits provided make it one of the most nutritious meals that you could be eating.
You can simply use leftover bones from your meals or purchase a bag of leftovers from your local butcher. This basically makes it free or incredibly cheap, depending on the other ingredients that you use.
While the fact that bone broth is economical is great, there are plenty of other reasons to consider eating more of this broth on a regular basis.
How Does Bone Broth Fight Inflammation?
B.B has been widely regarded as one of the most effective natural treatments to fight inflammation and chronic joint pain.
The high concentration of nutrients makes this elixir a superfood for dealing with inflammation. The bone marrow that is provided by the bones simmered in the broth can strengthen your immune system, improving your body’s ability to fight inflammation – whether the inflammation is the result of arthritis or any other condition.
It is the glucosamine found in bone broth that is often used in supplements to combat rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
For protecting joints or dealing with arthritis, it is common for a doctor to recommend that you take a glucosamine supplement. Glucosamine helps strengthen the cartilage that cushions bones located near joints.
As you age, or if you suffer from arthritis, this cartilage breaks down. While glucosamine supplements are often recommended, they do carry side effects, such as headaches, heartburn, and an upset stomach.
You can get just as much glucosamine from a large helping of fresh, tasty bone broth. Best of all – you should not have to deal with any of the side effects that are sometimes experienced by people that take a glucosamine supplement. If you suffer from arthritis or joint pain, add at least one meal that contains bone broth to your diet each day.
How Can You Use Bone Broth to Fight Inflammation?
The first place to start, to begin combatting inflammation with B.B, is to consider the foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties, such as:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Green, leafy vegetables
- Fatty fish
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Oranges
- Blueberries
If you are making a soup or stew with your broth, it is relatively easy to include more of these foods in your diet. For example, you could make a healthy broth tomato soup or add fresh, green leafy vegetables to a stew.
Adding the fruits that were listed in a B.B recipe is a little trickier. One suggestion for combining fruit and B.B is to replace water or milk in some of your favorite smoothie recipes with broth.
Depending on the overall taste of the recipe, you may want to try replacing half of the milk or water with the broth – to avoid overpowering the smoothie with the flavor of the broth.
Which Foods Should You Avoid?
The following items are known to promote inflammation or prevent your body from properly fighting inflammation. Cut back, or completely eliminate, these foods from your daily meals:
- Soda
- Fried foods
- Refined carbohydrates
- Red meat
- Margarine
Soda and any other sugar-sweetened beverage, can promote inflammation. The sugar contained in these drinks make it difficult for your body to fight the inflammation. This is also true with the sugars contained in refined carbohydrates, such as pastries, processed baked goods, and white bread.
If your primary goal is to prevent inflammation, then bone broth could be the solution that you have been looking for. Consider using some of these suggestions to combat inflammation and reduce pain related arthritis and other inflammatory illnesses.
Breakfast Bone Broth Soup Recipe
Want to give bone broth a try? Here is a simple, fast, and easy bone broth soup recipe that you can make for breakfast. Having a cup of bone broth with a couple of eggs should give you the nutrition you need to get through the day, while still providing you with an abundance of beneficial minerals.
This recipe has your morning covered.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Basic Bone Broth
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 1 slice of toast
- ΒΌ cup of parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions
To start preparing your breakfast soup, heat the two cups of bone broth with a squeeze of lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Add a dash of salt and pepper and then cover the saucepan. Bring the broth to a boil and then remove the lid. Lower the heat, to bring the broth to a simmer.
Place a piece of toast in the bottom of a soup bowl. Sprinkle some of the parmesan cheese over the toast and then drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top.
Carefully crack an egg over the broth. The egg should begin to cook without mixing into the broth. As the white begin to spread, use a spoon or spatula to fold the whites back in. Continue simmering for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the whites have set.
Slowly pour the soup over the toast, while trying to avoid cracking the egg yolk. Once the broth has been poured and the egg placed on top, sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top and then serve.
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