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It’s here, it’s here! My long anticipated and very hyped up blog post on BONE BROTH!
For those of you who watch my Instagram Stories, you’ll know that I’ve ranted for the past month about my new bone broth obsession, but I haven’t wanted to get into specifics until I gave the BB life it’s fair shot. (It’s easy to be excited about a new diet or wellness find, only to discover you don’t love it thatttt much a week or two later). Well it’s been a month now, and I am excited to answer ALL of your questions, and tell you how bone broth changed my health… and life (cue dramatic music).
Why I Started Drinking Bone Broth:
For week’s, something in my digestion/body was OFF. My IBS was terrible (prepare for SOME TMI…) aka I was either backed up or super loose, I had major indigestion, cramping, anxiety, and BLOAT. All signs of an upset gut! I’ve been intrigued by bone broth and its gut healing properties for quite some time, but never indulged as I tend to stay away from meat and poultry (I’m not vegan… I love wild salmon and eggs), but I was feeling SO bad that I decided it was time to throw my rules out the window and give Bone Broth a go.
Why Bone Broth? The Benefits!
- Heal and Seal Your Leaky Gut- Simply adding one cup of bone broth a day works miracles for leaky gut syndrome, and keeps already-healthy guts strong!
- It contains GELATIN- According to Dr. Axe, Gelatin is “beneficial for restoring strength of the gut lining and fighting food sensitivities (such as to wheat or dairy), helping with the growth of probiotics (good bacteria) in the gut, and supporting healthy inflammation levels in the digestive tract.” Gelatin is incredibly powerful in sealing your leaky gut, which is the cause of so many autoimmune and digestive disorders!
- It is nutrient DENSE-
- Bone broth is one of world’s best sources of natural collagen, which is my jam for keeping my hair and bones strong, skin clear, and metabolism boosted. It also contains phosphorus, magnesium, Vitamins A, B, C, D, and K, and more! Every time you sip on bone broth, you are sipping on these incredible nutrients!
- Food Intolerance and Allergies- Intolerances and allergies are faced by everyone, whether they realize them or not! According to Dr. Axe, “Gelatin helps people with food allergies and sensitivities tolerate those foods.” Repairing your gut helps heal sensitivities!
- Boosts Immune System
According to Kettle and Fire, “Simmering bones and connective tissue into a broth for 10 to 16 hours enhances the digestibility of these powerful nutrients, and makes them incredibly easy for our body to digest, absorb, and assimilate. The easy digestibility of bone broth is why it’s one of the top recommended foods for those with weakened or compromised digestive systems, and others who may have trouble properly absorbing a nutritional supplement.”
How could I tell Bone Broth was having a positive and immideate impact on my health?
To begin my Bone Broth ‘cleanse’ (I hate the word ‘cleanse’ but it’s the best I could do here…) I found an amazing Bone Broth protocol on Kettle & Fire’s website! Their ‘treatment’ essentially involved eating paleo and incorporating two cups of bone broth into your day (at two different times). It sounded easy enough, so I gave it a try! (note: their protocol also included 2 days a week of bone broth fasting, which I didn’t do, but would love to try).
I read Kettle’s blog post and went straight to Erewhon to purchase all of the broth’s I could find. After just ONE day of adding two cups of bone broth to my diet, my backed-up days were no more. It was honestly like MAGIC!
IMPORTANT. Whenever I start a new protocol that alters or effects my gut, I experience a MEGA detox reaction. I like to call it “the pain that feels so good.” Essentially you feel worse before you feel better, as all of the bad bacteria is being flushed and forced out of your body, and it is replaced with good bacteria and nutrients! Days 3 & 4 I experienced the Bone Broth “die-off” SO badly. I had no energy, I went from not going to the bathroom to going to the bathroom TOO much, I was achy, and I had a headache like no other. But I didn’t mind it at all! I knew exactly what was going on, and I knew powering through a few days of feeling flu-like was what needed to happen in order to continue healing my gut. If you experience a strong detox reaction, I recommend cutting back on the broth to just one cup for a few days, taking epsom salt baths, hitting an infrared sauna, and drinking A TON OF WATER!
After just ONE week of adding bone broth to my diet, I felt completely de-bloated and less anxious, and my gut was seriously feeling awesome. You can have bone broth many ways- I typically have it as a soup and fill it with my favorite veggies (steamed zucchini, squash, and carrots) OR one cup twice a day as a snack. I’ve recently started boiling my rice in it too, and it is my new favorite dinner addiction!
I have yet to make bone broth myself, but given how costly bone broth is I really want to start! So stay tuned here 🙂
Where Do I Find Bone Broth?!
(Note: These are just places I’ve been to and frequent, I’m sure there are many more and I would love to hear where YOU have had bone broth!)
LA:
Erewhon– The first place I tried Bone Broth in LA! They have a whole refrigerated WALL of bone broth’s and soup’s at the West Hollywood location. They have all of the best bone broth brands, in addition to their own creations! My addiction is their chicken bone broth with butternut squash puree, and their beef bone broth with dandelion and other herbs!
Belcampo– I felt the impacts of Belcampo’s Bone Broth after just one cup! They have 24x the collagen as their competitors (reviewed in a Stanford Lab!) and make their broth in their farm kitchen by simmering organic beef and pork bones for 24 hours to extract maximum nutrients. If you’re not a fan of pork and beef, they have poultry broth and lamb broth, as well! YOU CAN PURCHASE THEIR BROTH ONLINE!
Kreation- My go-to healthy eatery in LA! They offer BISON and chicken bone broth on their menu and to take home in their kafe’s!
The District By Hannah An- The District has been one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles ever since I moved here two years ago! I always order the Filet Mignon and Chicken PHO! (Chicken or filet, rice noodles, onion, scallion, and bean sprouts).
*** Thanks to The District, whenever I see Pho on a menu, I order it! Pho isn’t necessarily BONE broth. The Pho at The District is made from the whole animal, bones AND flesh!
NYC:
Springbone– You must order the Liquid Gold! It is made with chicken broth, organic coconut milk & turmeric, and they also offer a veggie broth! You can add a variety of toppings to your broth to make it a filling meal!
Brodo– The OG spot for Bone Broth! Four styles of broth and a variety of flavorful add-ins, as well as chef-designed combos. 100% grass-fed beef, organic poultry, and whole fresh organic vegetables.Originally, Brodo opened as a window in the East Village, and they have since spread to multiple locations! YOU CAN PURCHASE THEIR BROTH ONLINE!
SF:
Saiwalks- Located in The Marina, this Vietnamese hotspot in my favorite place to go in SF. Homemade, slow-cooked (10-hour!) bone broth served steamy hot in a big bowl with rice noodle, cilantro, basil, onions, lemon wedges, and bean sprout. GLUTEN FREE AND NO MSG!
Favorite Brands of Bone Broth:
Belcampo
Erewhon
Kettle & Fire
Broth Masters
Bonafide- my friends love it, I have yet to try it!
Dr. Axe Bone Broth PROTEIN POWDERS– I am a self-proclaimed smoothie-addict, and using these powders in my smoothies has been amazing! Protein packed and equipped with good fats, using the powders enables me to have my two favorite foods (smoothies and bone broth) in one!
Probiotic Boost
FAQ:
Q: When I see soup on a menu, is it bone broth?
A: Not necessarily! There is a difference between broth and stock, and it mainly has to do with what part of the animal the broth is made from (bones versus flesh) and cooking time. Bone Broth is technically a stock, as according to Kettle & Fire, “A stock is made by simmering bones, ligaments and connective tissue in boiling water for roughly 3-4 hours.” However, Bone Broth is cooked for 10+ hours! For more details and the nitty gritty, check out Kettle & Fire’s blog, here!
Q: Does vegan bone broth exist?
A: Sort of! One of the first bone broth’s I ever tried was the Vegan, mushroom-based bone broth from Erewhon. There are no bones used, but mineral rich vegan soups are said to do the trick!
Q: The bone broth I just bought/made looks “jiggly”… is it supposed to!?
A: Jiggly is great! That’s the gelatin.
Q: How long can you refrigerate bone broth for before you have to freeze it? How long can it stay frozen?
A: The general rule of thumb seems to be, “refrigerate for up to a week, and then freeze for up to a year.”
Q: I have IBS, and so many bone broth’s have onion and garlic in them. Are there any without?!
A: YES! I feel you all on this one, as I have mild IBS, too. I live for Belcampo Bone Broth because their broth is made from a combination of different animal bones (so the flavor isn’t overly powerful/strong from just one animal), and the only added ingredient is Apple Cider Vinegar, which makes every broth better!
Sources I used in writing this article and in embarking on my own Bone Broth journey!
https://www.kettleandfire.com/pages/the-bone-broth-diet
https://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/
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