The Bare-Bones on Broth! Or is it Stock?
As if there isn’t enough going on in your life, now you wonder if you should be drinking Bone-broth. Am I right?!
Well you probably don’t put it at the top of your list of concerns but as we start approaching the colder months and more sickness is upon us, you are starting to hear more about it, and with good reason.
There is a lot of hype these days about bone-broth and so many questions surrounding it… Exactly what is bone-broth? What ever happened to just calling it stock or broth - wait, is there a difference? Should I really be consuming this ‘super food’? Do I drink it or cook with it?
Let me take the worry away and help answer all these questions… and how you can conveniently get your hands on some of your own.
Is it broth, or is it stock or is it something different? Let’s start by breaking it down…
Both stocks and broths are favorable liquids which are used to make sauces, soups or even consumed on their own.
Although the terms broth and stock and used interchangeably there is a difference between them.
Broth is traditionally made using meat and water that is simmered often with herbs and vegetables for several hours. With a broth, you cook the meat in water, then remove the meat after a short time so it can be used for another recipe or added back to the finished broth for a soup.
Bone broth on the other hand, which has become a popular term over the last few years is actually a stock not a broth! It’s just a fancy new name for stock… but stay with me… there is good information here…
Stock is cooked using the chicken bones, not necessary the meat. This is where the backs and necks of the chicken can be used… and is cooked for a longer period of time… sometimes up to 24 hours. It may also have some added vinegar just to help break down the bones as they cook.
The end result is also typically thicker than broth because all the marrow, collagen and cartilage from the bones are released.
When chilled it can resemble that of gelatin. Although stock is traditionally used as a base for other recipes because it’s not meant to have a lot a flavor, you can add vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Traditional additions include, onions, carrots, celery, and herbs like thyme and parsley… this gives you a flavorful liquid with all the nutrients from the chicken and vitamins from the vegetables and herbs.
So what the health benefits of Stock (bone-broth) over Broth
According to Dr. Axe, stock (bone-broth) is one of the most healing foods you can consume. It is rich in nutrients and protect and heal your gut lining, boost skin health, and improve joint function.
Healthline compared a cup of broth to a cup of stock and found stock to be much higher in the following vitamins/nutrients
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): B2 helps the body breakdown carbohydrates, proteins and fats to produce energy. It is also essential for overall health. According to Dr. Sherry Ross, a woman’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica California “Riboflavin is also used for the development and function of the skin, lining of the digestive tract, blood cells and other vital organs.”
Thiamine (B1): B1 is a vitamin complex used to heart disease, metabolic disorders and cataracts. It is also referred to as the ‘anti-stress’ vitamin - it helps control mood and physiological impairments due to stress.
Vitamin B6: Without B6 our bodies cannot absorb B12 and crucial to the body to produce new DNA, red blood cells, hormones and nerve health.
Selenium: our bodies cannot make Selenium on it’s own and needs it from outside resources - it helps fight cancer and other diseases, along with keeping your joints, heart and immune system healthy.
Yes, you should be consuming stock (bone-broth).
You don’t have to drink it by the mug though and you’re not limited to just soups. There are plenty of uses when making other recipes as well. Why not use it instead of water when cooking rice or quinoa? What about in gravies or casseroles?
It’s a favorable alternative when a recipe calls for water.
So where can you buy your own?
I want you and your family to be healthy - not just now, but always (and especially now), so I had some made for you!
We’re now offering 22oz containers of Chicken-Bone broth (stock) - it will last a full year in your freezer.
Click here to grab a container of our stock (bone-broth) so you always have some on hand.
I can’t wait to see you on the farm soon! Until then may God bless you and be gracious to you!
~Gina