HOUSTON – If you're familiar with the Paleo diet, you've probably heard of bone broth. However, what are the benefits of consuming it, and is this health craze really worth your time?
Certified nutritionist Krystal Hammett with Alternative Wellness Solutions shares the top reasons why she recommends incorporating it into your diet.
Health Benefits
- GI health and gut healing (can heal little rips, holes and tears in the intestinal lining)
- Improving joint pain
- Promotes healthy hair, skin and nails (can even prevent and reverse cellulite)
- Boosting the immune system
If you want to make bone broth at home, here's how to prepare the bones. Use either chicken or beef broth based on your preference.
Bone Broth
Directions:
Place bones into a large stock pot or slow cooker and cover with water. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water prior to cooking. This helps to pull out important nutrients from the bones.
Fill stock pot or slow cooker with filtered water. Leave plenty of room for water to boil. Heat slowly. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for at least six hours. Skim gelatin build-up from the top as it arises and discard.
Cook slow and at low heat. Chicken bones can cook for 24 hours. Beef bones can cook for 48 hours. A low and slow cook time is necessary in order to fully extract the nutrients in and around the bone.
You can also add in vegetables, such as onions, garlic, carrots and celery, for added nutrient value.
After cooking in the slow cooker, the broth will cool and a layer of fat will harden on top. This layer protects the broth beneath. Discard this layer only when you are about to eat the broth.
For an added boost of collagen, try the cookie recipe below.
Salted Chocolate Chip Collagen Cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of balanced almond flour
- 1 scoop flavorless collagen such as Whole Body Collagen
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup (sweetened with monk fruit)
- 1/2 cup MCT oil or Coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips
- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or use baking block.
Combine almond flour, collagen powder, baking soda and sea salt in large bowl. Crack eggs in a medium bowl, add vanilla extract, and mix to combine. Add maple-flavored syrup and MCT or coconut oil to the egg mixture, whisking as you pour.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat with hand mixer until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Using a large wooden spoon, fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Drop balls of dough, about 2 tbsp, onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, start checking at 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt flakes and let cool for 10 minutes.
Makes 18 delicious cookies
To connect with Krystal and for more information on Alternative Wellness Solutions, click here.