The Fall is upon us, and with that, comes all of the nourishing + gut-healing broths we get to use in soups + stews! Plus, it’s a super easy way to jump on the health train, because soups are easy to make, transport for lunch on-the-go, and store or freeze as leftovers.
Making your own broths + stocks are super easy, you guys. Plus, they are so much better for you!
WHY IS HOMEMADE SO MUCH BETTER?
- You control the sourcing of the quality of the bones.
- You get to spice + season it to your own liking.
- It’s one of the most nutrient-dense + healing foods out there!
HOW IS IT SO HEALING?
Ever wonder why chicken soup was always the staple meal when you were sick? Well, 80% of our immune system resides in our gut, and broth is the best thing to get well + kick the cold quick! Not because it is comforting, or easy, but because the nutrient density of broth is actually, truly healing!
Stocks + broths are made with a combination of animal tissues + bones, vegetables, herbs + good salt. The amino acid (protein) profile in stocks + broths is very beneficial to the repairing of our intestinal lining, as well as the excellent source of minerals it provides to our overall health.
Psst! It’s also a great (and cheap) post-workout recovery meal! After you hit the gym, forget the chalky protein shakes! Try sipping on a cup of broth or eat a bowl of soup to increase your muscle recovery.
Check out this info from Dr. Mercola‘s site:
Pretty amazing stuff!
In the winter months, I remember it seemed like my grandmother would always be sipping on broth to keep herself warm if she felt a cold coming on.
That chicken soup we were force-fed as a kid actually had a purpose!
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROTH + STOCK?
Here is an easy way to remember the difference.
Bone broth is a beverage.
Stock is a meal.
Although, you can make soups with broth, and you can sip on stock if you wish.
And yes, there are slight variations between the two when it comes to their nutrition profiles.
Bone broth is typically cooked much longer with mostly bones + connective tissue, while stock includes a larger meat to bone ratio. Therefore, the longer cooked bone broth contains a slightly different amino acid profile, and is particularly increased in Glutamate (related to MSG, but not to be confused with L-Glutamine, which is beneficial to gut-healing).
Read more about broth, MSG + glutamine!
So, word to the wise… if you are looking to do serious gut healing, stock would be the best place to start, before transitioning to bone broth.
For more on the differences between these two, check out this article.
SIDE NOTE: Are you a former vegetarian or vegan and want to add animal foods back into your diet but are afraid to start? Sipping on or making soups with homemade stock will help ease your body into readjusting your digestion to handle meat proteins again.
- 1 whole organic free range chicken
- 1 gallon filtered water
- 1 bunch celery stalks, chopped
- 1 bunch carrots, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, roughly sliced
- 1 bunch parsley, bundled
- 2 tbs raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbs good sea salt
- optional: additional herbs + spices such as rosemary, thyme, sage, peppercorns, bay leaves
- Remove giblets inside chicken, and set to the side.
- Rinse whole chicken + place in slow cooker or large dutch oven on the stove.
- Add veggies, salt, vinegar, parsley bundle + herbs.
- Cover with water and let stand for 20-30 minutes, allowing for minerals to draw out of the bones.
- Bring to a boil and skim any impurities that may float to the surface.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 2-4 hours, until a drumstick easily separates from the rest of the chicken.
- Remove parsley bundle, veggies + chicken from pot and separate out the bones. Save bones for future bone broth in a ziploc bag in the freezer.
- Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, and return back to pot along with the veggies + chicken meat.
- Serve as a simple chicken soup, or dress it up!
So, next time you come down with something, sip on this liquid gold and you’ll be back at it quicker than you can say bacterial pneumonia!
I am curious to try more soups with homemade broth this fall!
What’s your favorite soup recipe?
