The restorative powers of bone broth have been celebrated for centuries. In fact, bone broth is often touted as a magic brew – offering a bevvy of health benefits and rich in amino acids – it’s little wonder bone broth has a long list of celebrity fans.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Salma Hayek credit the “liquid gold” recipe for keeping joints and skin healthy. Embued with a slate of healing properties: Elle MacPherson incorporates bone broth into her diet to boost gut health.
The Beauty Chef founder and CEO Carla Oates explains: “Bone broth is a soothing and restorative option for those seeking to heal their gut. Collagen-rich gelatin is released from the bones during cooking making it an excellent multitasker as it not only nourishes and helps fight inflammation but is also beneficial for restoring the strength of the gut lining.”
To put it simply, bone broth is a chicken soup-like liquid packed with brewed bones and connective tissues. To make bone broth, people use cow, fish, and chicken bones.
It’s easily made at home by simmering the bones in water with some apple cider vinegar. This releases nutrients from the marrow within the animal bones, as well as break down other tissues into the water.
As it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body bone broth has been used to assist with digestive health – including leaky gut syndrome – working to reduce irritation and mucus in the stomach. Additionally, gelatin (found in abundance in bone broth) also assists in healing the lining and improving the integrity of the gut and overall digestive system which in turn improves the immune system.
The benefits don’t end there – it’s also a beauty saviour. Bone broth is proven to vitally improve the health and strength of hair and nails, as it is rich in collagen. Collagen is one of the main structural proteins in our body that plays a very important role in giving the skin its smoothness, moisture and skin elasticity.
Bone Broth can also be beneficial for anyone looking to achieve their weight loss goals. Kourtney Kardashian is an advocate for drinking bone broth during periods of fast to keep her energy up.
Halle Berry took to social media to wax lyrical about the positive effects of bone broth on her skin’s elasticity. She wrote: “I also want to share one of the secret weapons that I think has helped me defy my age and look and feel younger than my years. The secret is Bone Broth! These nutrients are considered “beauty foods” because they help the body with proper structural alignment and beautiful skin and hair. The collagen in #bonebroth also helps with digestion and heals your gut lining and reduces intestinal inflammation.”
In her new book, The Beauty Chef Gut Guide ($39.99; at thebeautychef.com) – which includes a comprehensive guide on how to heal, weed, seed and feed your gut at home – Carla Oates shares healing recipes such as this bone broth recipe.
The Beauty Chef’s Bone Broth
Bone broth is a staple in my freezer. Not only is it a flavoursome base for soups and stews, it’s also a powerful gut healer. Collagen-rich gelatin, released from the bones during cooking, is an excellent multi-tasker: it nourishes and helps fight inflammation and is beneficial for restoring the strength of your gut lining. Note, however, that bone broth can be high in histamines, which cause a reaction in some people. If you feel worse after consuming bone broth, histamines may be an issue for you.
MAKES approx. 4 litres (135 fl oz/ 16 cups)
IDEAL COOKING TIMES
Vegetarian: 1 hour
Fish: 8–12 hours
Chicken: 12–24 hours
Beef & lamb bones: 24–48 hours
1 bunch spring onions (scallions), green part only, roughly chopped
2 carrots, halved crossways
2 celery sticks, halved crossways
2 tablespoons unpasteurised apple-cider vinegar
1 bunch parsley, leaves removed
10 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary stalk (optional)
8 black peppercorns
4 litres (135 fl oz/16 cups) water
1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) bones or 3 tablespoons white miso for Vegetarian broth
Put the vegetables, apple-cider vinegar, herbs and peppercorns in a large stockpot that can hold at least 5 litres (5 quarts) water. Pour in the water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a low heat, add the bones (or miso if you’re making vegetarian broth), and simmer according to the cooking instructions on the left. Skim the surface occasionally to remove impurities and excess fat. The broth can also be prepared in a slow cooker.
Strain the broth through a sieve lined with a large coffee filter. If your broth contains a lot of fat, refrigerate overnight to allow the fat to set in a layer on the surface. The following day, scoop out the fat. At this stage, the broth will look like jelly, but once heated, it will become liquid again. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze in 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) portions for up to 3 months.
CARLA’S TIP You can use chicken, beef, fish or lamb bones. Organic and grass-fed bones are best. The bones can be cooked or uncooked, but if using raw bones, it improves the flavour if you roast them in the oven for around 30 minutes first, especially for beef bones. Aim for 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) of bones for every 4 litres (135 fl oz/16 cups) of water.
This article originally appeared on InStyle.
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