Making broth is simple, yet the benefits are vast.

Broth has been a cooking staple for over 800 years, making it a very traditional food. Broths are considered a savory experience, which help to balance out bitter foods in our diets, as well as compliment fatty and salty foods. Drinking a cup of broth along with your meal is a great idea.

Our gut barrier’s job is to protect the gut against invaders such as toxins, pathogens and the trillions of bacteria that live in our gut.  The gut also holds 80 percent of our immune system.  When our gut is damaged, known as leaky gut,  it is inflamed and has “increased intestinal permeability”. When this happens, our immune system is stimulated as other substances begin to leak through the gut wall and into the body. This chronic stimulation leads the immune system to attack the toxins as well as your own bodily tissues leading to chronic illness. 

Chicken broth is very gentle on the stomach so it is a great food for anyone who is experiencing any digestive discomfort. The gelatin that aids in digestion and contain essential amino acids, arginine and glycine. It “…provides building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation in the gut.” (source).  For all of us who are trying to heal inflammation, glycine is an important amino acid when it comes to gut healing as it has a large role in the digestive system, nervous system, and immune system.  Broth also supports liver detoxification - something we all need! The vitamins and minerals it offers, especially calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, are very important for bone health. 

If you are trying to make the switch to eat real, nutrient dense whole foods, making your own broth is a great way to start. Broth can help improve gut health, structural support, anti-aging, mental health, blood sugar regulation, and sleep improvement. It can also help with hydration and is a great way to obtain vital nutrients.

Both meat stock and bone broth contain basically the same nutrients, but in different amounts. This recipe that I make weekly is good for people who have sensitive stomachs. It is a combination of meat stock and bone broth. In the end, you have chicken to use for lunch or dinner and then lots of delicious broth for soups and cooking.

Meat stock is has a lower histamine level than bone broth because you cook the whole chicken, along with vegetables for a short period of time - 1 1/2- 3 hours.  You can cook a whole chicken or just the thighs/breasts with the bones still intact. In the end, the meat and the vegetables are edible. Meat stock is mild in flavor, gentle on the stomach, and has amazing gut-healing powers. The gelatin that is found in the joints and knuckles of the bones has the ability to heal and soothe leaky gut - it aids in digestion and helps the digestive system absorb nutrients.

Bone broth is made by cooking animals bones for a longer period of time - from 12-48 hours. Bone broth is an amazingly easy way to obtain numerous vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and glycine and has a higher amount of gelatin than meat stock. 

Simple and Gentle Chicken Broth

1 whole chicken (try to get organic and/or pastured, but any whole chicken will do)

6 quarts of Filtered water (or what you can fit in your stockpot!)

1 onion

4 carrots, peeled and cut up into approx. 3 inch pieces

4 celery, cut up into approx. 3 inch pieces

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Optional: pieces of ginger, garlic, peppercorns, any herbs (parsely, basil, bay leaf, thyme…)

Helpful Tools:

Large Stockpot

Strainer

ball jars

Soup Funnel

soup containers (optional)

directions:

1. cut up all vegetables: onion, carrots, celery, herbs etc. and place in large stockpot.

2. Put chicken into stockpot and fill with filtered water making sure the chicken is covered.

3. Add in apple cider vinegar.

4. Cook on high heat until it begins to boil, turn heat to simmer, skim off any foam that has formed.

5. cover the pot for about 2 hours until chicken is cooked all the way through. If you have a meat thermometer, make sure it is at least 165°.

6. Take out chicken and place in another bowl. With a fork and knife, take off all the meat and store in the refrigerator for future enjoyment and use!

7. Place chicken bones back into the pot and continue to simmer for a few more hours. I sometimes add more water at this time if some has simmered down.

8. When you are done, strain out the bones and vegetables to throw away and store chicken broth in glass containers overnight. When you are ready to enjoy, skim the fat off the top and throw it away. Broth will keep in the REFRIGERATOR for about a week. You can also freeze them in 1 cup portions to enjoy as needed!

Enjoy!