Bone broth has been a ‘trend’ for a while now and many would argue that its been ‘trending’ in many cultures for hundreds of years but whats so good about it?
Winter is round the corner and one of the best additions to your diet to ward off the dreaded cold is…….. Bone Broth.
Bone Broth contains many precious minerals found in bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Many of which are essential for keeping us healthy over the long British winter.
Collagen
Collagen type 1 is the most abundant protein found in humans. It not only provides structure to body but also is essential for tissue development and regulation. (1)
Glycine
Glycine makes up about 1/3 of collagen and has many roles including acting as a neurotransmitter. However the gut is where glycine does some of its best work to support the immune system. Glycine has shown to down-regulate pro-inflammatory immune cells, know as cytokines, therefore having a anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect. (2)
Glutamine
Hopefully you have heard of' ‘leaky gut’ or ‘intestinal permeability’? This is where the cells within the intestinal wall become porous, allowing molecules through into the blood stream that normally wouldn’t be allowed through. This happens for multiple reasons but inflammation is heavily involved. Intestinal permeability has been linked to multiple disorders including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFD), liver cirrhosis, acute pancreatitis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, depression and more. Glutamine improves intestinal barrier function and is protective against intestinal permeability. Intestinal epithelial cells and activated immune cells also consume glutamine for energy. (2,3)
If there was one thing you did this winter to try to stay healthy and full of energy, let it be making a pot of bone broth every week.
Chicken Bone Broth recipe -
Serves 7-8
Ingredients – All organic (if possible)
As required –
2-3 Organic Chicken Carcasses
2-3 Carrots
2-3 Onions
2-3 Sticks of Celery
2 Bay leaves
Sprigs of Thyme
Salt and pepper
Clean water to cover
1. Add all the ingredients to a large stock pot
2. Simmer for 3-4 hours
3. KEEP the fat on the top of the stock
4. Strain the broth through a sieve to remove solids.
5. Keep in the fridge for the week, heating each morning. You can also freeze if you make a lot and use it for soups and stews.
6. Reheat each morning and take in a flask to work. The perfect start to the day.
Lullo, G. A. D., Sweeney, S. M., Körkkö, J., Ala-Kokko, L., & Antonio, J. D. S. (2001). Mapping the Ligand-binding Sites and Disease-associated Mutations on the Most Abundant Protein in the Human, Type I Collagen. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277(6), 4223–4231. doi: 10.1074/jbc.m110709200
Liu, Y., Wang, X., & Hu, C.-A. (2017). Therapeutic Potential of Amino Acids in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Nutrients, 9(9), 920. doi: 10.3390/nu9090920
Fukui, H. (2016). Increased Intestinal Permeability and Decreased Barrier Function: Does It Really Influence the Risk of Inflammation? Inflammatory Intestinal Diseases, 1(3), 135–145. doi: 10.1159/000447252