Chicken Soup-Not Just Good For The Soul

There’s a reason chicken soup is prescribed by doctors and mothers alike when you’re feeling under the weather. All bone broths, including beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more are staples of the traditional diets in every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and they boost healing.

Bone broth or stock was a way our ancestors made use of every part of an animal. Bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that you can’t eat directly can be boiled and then simmered over a period of days. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.  Bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. They contain chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the compounds we use as supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain.

One of the major bonuses is the health benefits to your gut. Between the pesticides in our food, overuse of antibiotics, and chemicals in processed foods, our gut is under attack more than ever. Fortunately, the gelatin found in bone broth is fantastic for healing the gut. Gelatin heals the gut by repairing the intestinal lining and reducing inflammation caused by gut-related disease and food sensitivities.  Also, researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center were curious if there was any truth behind the immune system and chicken soup connection. To their surprise, they discovered that the amino acids  found in chicken broth could reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and boost the immune system. In other words, bone broth can help you feel better and fight illness.

Bone broth is not just good for your inside either, it contains anti-aging benefits for skin as well.  Skin is composed of two layers, the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis, or upper layer, is composed of keratinocytes and is largely responsible for skin barrier function. Underneath is the dermis, a dense matrix of collagen, along with some GAGs, that provides structural and nutritive support. Keratin, collagen, and GAGs are abundant in bone broth, particularly if the skin from the animal is included in the cooking process.  Collagen scaffolds are widely used in medical applications to promote tissue regeneration and heal wounds.  The collagen in bone broth is more plentiful and easy to digest than in most other foods, and the GAG hyaluronic acid has been shown to promote skin cell proliferation and increase the presence of retinoic acid, which improves the skin’s hydration.

So as we head into fall and winter, take advantage of the colder months to get all of the great benefits of this amazing food!  Here is a great recipe for bone broth.