#I heard that the brains were soup Their intestines were cut in two So it's gotta be Donna!
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Someone: hi
Me: I’ve never seen darker times, and I’ve covered the protest live, at the Hatchet Kennel. I am Dan Reynolds....with Action News, weekdays at 10 PM (/lyr)
#💫 talks#I hate to relay the news But the football team might be screwed Stay inside watch your children ’Cuz a losin' streaks comin'#A losin’ streaks comin'!#There's a man on the loose And he's got a gun Better put out the APB! The psycho's killed two If he gets me next make it three#If he gets me next I could be three We're chasing wild goose And we don't know how Watch the blame go around! Man down down down down#Who's swinging the Hatchet now In Hatchet Town?#Someone’s got their hands on the Hatchet handle Swinging on the youth it’s a Hatchet scandal#Careful or your folks will end up a cannibal's plate It ain’t great!#You're better on the run than are you hiding Suddenly this quiet town's exciting#I heard that the brains were soup Their intestines were cut in two So it's gotta be Donna!#Yeah it’s gotta be Donna!#Dan?!#Reynolds was in the school We all know he's a local mule Selling drugs to our children!#I'm a volunteer counselor!#We know he loves killing!#I certainly don't love killing#Bailey's on the loose and he's got a gun And he's got a motive to kill!#I'm a cop!#The case is closed his description matches the bill Fits the bill he fits the bill#The killer's gotta go and for what he's done If you don't take him in I will#Man down down down down Who's swinging the hatchet now in Hatchet Town?#Lauter's got his hands on the Hatchet handle#Swinging on the youth from his high mantle#Careful or your kids will end up on Karen's plate!#Excuse me?!#She just ate!#How dare you!#You're better on the run than you are hiding Suddenly this quiet town's divided#Singing all these songs gives him greater windows to kill! But we're singing still!#/lyr (I CANT FIT ANYMORE TAGS.)
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My personal theory on how Charlotte would've been included in Hatchet Town (as said in a livestream iirc but Jaime was too busy) is her being blamed for the brains being soup (and intestines cut in two) instead of Donna. It makes sense because in the proshot Donna's the only one who stays the same in the digital ticket and soundtrack. So the line would be "I heard that their brains were soup, their intestines were cut in two, it's gotta be Charlotte!"
BUT my other headcanon in this is also that if Charlotte was gonna be blamed, Sam would be the one saying "Yeah it's gotta be Charlotte!" Instead of Dan like the original. Because it wouldn't make any sense for Charlotte to call Dan out for blaming her for murder (unless there was a weird friendship??? Idk that's a fanfic for another day) and cmon, Sam would blame his wife for murder.
AND THEN in the part where they blame Bailey (and Barry Swift in the proshot) they blame SAM instead ("Sweetly's on the loose and he's got a gun, and he's got a motive to kill!"), so we can get both the Jeff cameo and also the "I'm a cop!" Bit
#nab's rambles#starkid#hatchetverse#team starkid#hatchetfield universe#hatchetfield#dan reynolds#dan and donna my beloveds#donna daggit#<they're not the focus of the post but they're mentioned so#Sam Sweetly#Charlotte Sweetly#nerdy prudes must die#hatchet town
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Jeff: I heard victim's brain was soup. They intestines were cut in two... So it's gotta be Shauna!
Shauna: What?
Jackie: Yeah, It's probably Shaunna.
Shauna: JAX!
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you may be Dan Reynolds. but I heard that their brains were soup, their intestines were cut in two, so it’s gotta be Donna 👉👩💼
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Well I heard that the brains were soup and their intestines were cut in two, so... it's gotta be Donna?
I’m not going to say this again so listen up.
SOMEONE has got their HANDS on the HATCHET 👏 HANDLE 👏
Got that?
They are
SWINGING on the YOUTH!
This is a HATCHET SCANDAL!!
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WTF brain?
My sleep disorder and illness decided to strike simultaneously last night, so I couldn’t sleep but couldn't get anything productive done in my new-found awake time. I got the idea for a Bat Family AU, even though I’ve never been willing to write Bat Family fanfiction. I guess I thought maybe an AU would be easier to start with?
Anyway, I jotted down the outline, but then started working it into something resembling the start of a story. Today, I look at what I wrote and this was it. The breaks are where there’s apparently going to be actual plot development/story.
Eventually, I will finish shaping this into a proper story. Feel free to use any concepts if you like them though. I’d appreciated it if you’d link me so I can read them.
Half-assed plotline below the cut.
Bat Family Multiverse AU
Bruce was helping Wonder Woman on a case when he came into contact with a strange artifact. He awoke back in Gotham, in a world where the Waynes never died and there is no Batman. Bruce doesn’t know if he’s been sent to an alternate reality or if the world around him has actually changed. Before he figures it out, he needs to find out where his children are.
Dick’s parents were killed just the same in this world, but without Bruce there to take him in, he was sent to an orphanage. Rumors of bullying and abuse abound, but before anyone ever bothered to look into it, Dick had had enough. He ran away and seemingly fell off the face of the earth for ten years. Then an eighteen year old Dick, mute and scarred, showed up at Haley’s Circus.
Dick’s still kind and intelligent, but not the friendly and flirty son Bruce raised. He helps out and stands up for those around him when necessary, but otherwise keeps to himself. He’s never told anyone anything about those ten years, but his skills as an acrobat are more impressive than ever. He performs under the name Robin, and wears a costume with colors that honor of his fallen parents.
There’s another costume hidden in a trunk in Dick’s trailer. One that’s less bright and designed to protect the wearer a little better than a leotard. One that once instilled fear into the hearts of mobsters and child killers across the US East coast, when a vigilante referred to as Robin Redbreast captured many violent offenders and left them in a nest of evidence for the police to find over the course of three years. No one knows where the vigilante came from or where he disappeared to, but he’s rarely seen or heard from these days.
It all makes Bruce want to take Dick in all over again and show him who he could be.
After a robbery gone wrong that led to stint in juvenile hall, Jason Todd was taken in by a boys home in Gotham run by a kindly priest and funded in part by donations from Thomas Wayne. There the boy learned patience, mercifulness and how to funnel his inborn rage into passion for good. Now he runs a homeless shelter and soup kitchen with the allowance he receives as the guardian of an orphaned billionaire child. Some would find a stranger taking in an unrelated boy suspicious, especially when there was so much money attached to the child, but anyone who has actually seen Jason interact with Tim Drake can honestly say that they adore each other.
Tim Drake was lonely for most of his childhood. His parents were always off working or schmoozing with the rest of the Gotham elite. Eventually, he was old enough to suggest going with them when they headed off to a charity fund raiser, which meant he was with his parents during the attack that killed them. Tim himself was injured, losing his spleen, a small length of intestines, and the lower half of his left leg. After a couple shady individuals showed interest in taking in the heir, Jason Todd (who had met the boy during his usual visits to the Gotham Hospital children’s ward) fought for -and won- custody. Despite his tragic childhood, Tim appears quite content. With Jason, he has the love and sense of belonging he never received from his parents and all he ever wanted was a family that loved him, wanted him.
Jason and Tim also moonlight as a vigilante detective known as Bluejay. They follow crimes in Gotham (and elsewhere, if the crime is big and mysterious enough to catch their attention) -Tim hacks all sorts of data bases and security footage and Jason gets information from assorted street types who would never talk to the police- and then send the proof they collect to whatever authority or superhero will be able to use it. They never get involved physically and always take precautions to never get too close to a case.
Bruce can’t help but wonder if this is the path Jason and Tim would have followed if he hadn’t intervened in their lives. The two are closer than any of his children have ever been and seem happy, at peace, as though all they needed was love and a real home. It hurts and shames Bruce to think that he didn’t give them that.
Cassandra was raised by her father, but after her first few kills, Bluejay tracked her down and sent Lady Shiva proof of her heritage and whereabouts. Lady Shiva handled Cain and reclaimed her daughter. After a couple years together, Cassandra left her mother’s side (with her blessings) to pursue her own path. After receiving a few anonymous communications from Bluejay that led to Cassandra stopping several costumed villains and even a terrorist plot, she decided that vigilantism was her true calling. She does not have a brand or specific city she haunts. She is more brutal and frightening than Batman ever was. Criminals all around the world know her, and fear her, as The Rook.
Bruce can only hope that Lady Shiva is half as proud of Cassandra as he is. He wishes someone had been there to remover her from the situation earlier, as he had done in his own world (timeline?). He also wishes that she wasn’t so alone.
Without his Batman persona and the internal darkness from which it was born, Bruce Wayne was not intriguing enough to catch Talia Al Ghul’s interest. As such, Damian was never conceived.
Bruce isn’t sure how he feels about that.
But he does know that without the Batcomputer and the connections he forged as Batman, he’s going to need help if he’s going to figure out where he is, how he got here, and how to set things right.
The Justice League doesn’t exist in this world. Superman does, so does Green Arrow and Black Canary. Some photos and descriptions on assorted alien conspiracy sites lead Bruce to believe that the Green Lantern Corps does as well but aren’t known to Earth. He can’t find anything concrete on Wonder Woman or Aquaman. He chooses to believe that they exist but have remained hidden and he’ll leave them that way. Barry Allen and Barbara Gordon are police detectives in their respective cities without any alternate identities as far as Bruce can tell.
He has no way to get in touch with Oliver, Dinah or any of the Green Lanterns. Bruce would rather avoid bringing in Clark until he knows more about the situation and who exactly <i>this</i> Clark is. Barry, Barbara and Commissioner Gordon would likely write him off as eccentric if he tried telling them what was going on.
He didn’t want to disrupt their lives in this world, but he’s going to need his children’s help to solve this case.
Jason and Tim were the only ones currently in Gotham and they would be the easiest to approach in any case. Bruce could just walk into the soup kitchen and ask to speak with Jason about expanding or contributing to his charity. They’d also be able to locate Cassandra while Bruce went to see Dick at Haly’s.
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“I can’t take the risk. If I got caught, they’d take Timmy away from me. If I got killed, I’d be leaving him all alone. I made a promise when I took him in, to be there for him. I won’t break that promise. I won’t do anything to hurt him.
“Besides, he’s my responsibility. I don’t take that lightly. And I love him too much to put him at risk.” Jason offered a kind smile. “Maybe one day you’ll have kids. Then, you’ll understand.”
Bruce couldn’t tell Jason that he actually had five kids, including him. Wouldn’t tell him that’s he’d just unintentionally schooled him on his failures as a parent.
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Bruce leaves them together, a new formed family. And goes to reunite his own.
#ficlet#my fanfiction#work in progress#Bat Family#AU#DC#Comics#multiverse#Batman#Bruce Wayne#Bruce Wayne's adopted children#Dick Grayson#Nightwing#Jason Todd#Red Hood#Tim Drake#Tim Wayne#Red Robin#Robin#Cassandra Cain#Batgirl#Black Bat#The Orphan
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The night before I wrote this post, I thought my mom had had a stroke.
The night before I wrote this post, she couldn’t speak to me or do anything but smile and shrug no matter what I asked her.
The night before I wrote this post, she spent the entire day in bed, no food or drink or television or phone.. just laying there, doing nothing. Finally, I made her soup and made her get up to come out and eat it.
The night before I found out my mother’s ovarian cancer was now “ovarian cancer with brain metastasis” and the tumors in her brain were causing so much swelling and pressure that the epicenters of both speech and language, as well as motor skills, were being cut off completely unless she suffered through daily steroids and the insulin dependency that came with them, I watched my mother pick up er soup spoon, full of broth and noodles. I watched her hold the spoon while simultaneously completely unable to either know it was there or to stop herself from moving. She kept moving her hand, her arm, moving her whole body clunkily like a drying claymation model - slow and sort of jerky, confused and flailing. I said, “Hey stop, be careful, put the spoon down.” She looked at her hand holding the spoon. And then she turned to look at something and took the spoon with her and literally turned the spoon upside down onto the floor as I was speaking to her.
The night before I found out my mom was now considered “dying” instead of “fighting”, and before we stepped into two months of one long nightmare, I watched my mother pour soup onto the coffee table the floor the tv remote the table cloth all while I was telling her to put it down, and I didn’t know what was wrong with her and I had been running the household for a week while watching her deteriorate with no one to talk to about it, and I snapped.
The night before I took my mother to the ER and looked into her eyes when he said “the cancer has metastasized to the brain” and felt the first hint of everything bad coming down the pipeline, I screamed at her. I swore at her. I stomped around while I cleaned up the soup, yelling about how I was sick too and I didn’t know what was wrong or what to do and why would you DO this to ME when I’m already doing so much so suddenly and what the fuck is HAPPENING TO YOU TALK TO ME.
The day I wrote this post, I made her agree to begin oral steroid medication to keep down the swelling in her brain even though it made her bloat and caused her blood sugars to spike and crash over and over through each day, leaving her insulin dependent after an entire history of Type II diabetes managed with medication and diet. I made her agree even though she said, in a broken and stilted hodgepodge of words, no no no I’ll just go home I can’t I won’t they’re so awful. Take me home.
The day I wrote this post while sitting in an uncomfortable chair in a little ER cubby “room”, waiting for the ambulance to transfer her across town to UTKnox and admit her onto the 18th floor, Oncology - Adult, I told her I refused to drive her home, that if she continued ro refuse the treatment plan I would never forgive her, stop speaking to her, leave her there by herself because I refused to drive her home if she refused medicine.
She was fighting it so hard, I didn’t feel like I had any choice. If she had gone back home we would not have made it to June. I did the only thing I felt I could do. But I still threatened to abandon her if she didn’t take medication that made her sick and bloated and wrecked her sugar levels. I still told her if she made a choice for herself that was not mine I would never forgive her.
I made her go into the hospital that day, the day I wrote this post. And it was during this admission that everything went wrong and wrong and wrong, worse and worse. This few days of attempting to stabilize her brain swelling triggered something in her lungs; they said hospital aquired pneumonia in the same way I later heard “fluid pockets around the lungs [created by tumors growing there too] putting too much pressure on them, and taking so much space a deep breath was impossible. And that illness would be what sealed her fate. The extra ten days in and out of the ICU and Cardiac ICU, the sudden and severe loss of lung function she fought to reverse so she could get the brain surgery she was intent on having as soon as anyone would clear her, the horrific loss of muscle mass and motor functions, between laying in a bed and not allowed up on her own for over two weeks, to how little she ate and how often she was completely sedated. She would wind up spending all her energy trying to regain her strength enough to just get back to Michigan and find a surgeon who would put her under anesthesia and cut the tumors out of her brain on the 2% chance it would work, and give her more time. She would decide to spend thousands of dollars moving us both back to Michigan as quickly as possible, although our moving day got derailed when she started feeling dizzy and then coughing up blood, and that set back and last Tennessee hospitalization would directly set up the moving company refusing to deliver and refusing to deliver, a scenario that left my mother to spend her final days outside of the hospital she died in living in an apartment with no furniture for weak and aching body; forcing her to sleep on an air mattress that had popped a hole and kept deflating, leaving her asleep on the hard floor. It also led us to get delivery on July 11th, the last day my mom would spend alive and able to talk or laugh or even listen. The last day I had to spend with my mother, I spent instead overseeing the two man moving crew, and then sleeping after anxiety kept me up all through the night before.
I’ve spent so many hours, days, weeks, months, replaying it all over and over, connecting dots, seeing the entire story of the final year of my mom’s life, and how each step caused the next, or triggered something else down the line that rained down on her like invisible stones until her kidneys shut down, her heart became irrevocably destabilized as she spent hours in and out of atrial fibrillation that left her feeling like she was drowning even though she never stopped breathing until she was gone. And I know too now, all the times I could have saved her if I’d just stepped in, if she hadn’t moved away, if her oncologist hadn’t withheld information from my mother, from me, and acted with negligence repeatedly while she was under his care. If I had been able to do something and step in at one of a hundred different points over that final year... Maybe I could have gotten even a little bit more time for her. Maybe I could have saved her some of the pain, could have kept our house, could have insisted on cancelling the trip to Europe that wound up keeping her from the oral meds her doctor prescribed when chemo was over because she was no longer responding, and by skipping treatment for four+ weeks in addition to misunderstanding the doctor’s intentions on clearing her for travel, she unknowingly created the perfect petri dish inside her skull, and had a mostly miserable and lonely time repeatedly hurting herself and making mistakes like packing pain medication in her checked bag ahead of a 9 hour flight with connection and layover, and forgetting to put ANY ostomy supplies in her carryon then proceeding to blow out her bag before the plane to Vienna even took off.
I could have interceded back in 2017 when she “felt sick and bloated and never hungry and backed up” but never told her doctor or nurses because she was too stoic to allow herself to be seen as a potential “whiner” or as weak. If I had spoken up for her when she would not after describing her symptoms, they would have caught the tumor in her intestine months earlier. She could well have had only a temporary colostomy or maybe even none at all. I wouldn’t have spent six weeks stranded in Knoxville unplanned while she struggled to survive surgery and the results of how much that tumor destroyed her health. I wouldn’t have had to sell the condo. There would have been NO time gap in her transition from intravenous chemo drugs to oral new to market specialty medication that, if it had been given a proper chance, could have bought her at least a few more months.
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The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits
I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.
Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is simply a broth made by boiling bones (often with meat still on them). Usually vinegar is added as a medium (the thought is to draw out nutrients—more on this later). Sometimes vegetables, herbs, and spices are added for additional flavor and nutrients. Whereas soup is a meal, often containing vegetables, grains, seasonings, and even beans, bone broth stands on its own and is usually more cooked than soup.
Bone broth is an ingredient than can be used to create or flavor all kinds of dishes. It contains parts of the animal we typically like to discard (like cartilage and bone marrow), all nicely broken down so we get the full dose of nutrients.
What You Need to Know about Collagen
Inside the matrix of bones, there are many proteins including collagen, which forms the inside fibrous part of the bone.
Collagen is a group of amino acids making up 25-35% of our body. It’s found in our bones, skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, we lose collagen. This contributes to age-related joint issues, not to mention the loss of skin elasticity.
Type I is found in bone, skin, ligaments, tendons and the white of the eye, and makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Type II is found in the cartilage. Type III is found in bone marrow and lymph, also known as reticulin fiber.
Why Is Collagen So Important?
Glycine is the primary amino acid found in collagen. And it’s a pretty significant amino acid in terms of what it does for the body. Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning our body can synthesize it. However, it’s actually considered “conditionally essential,” as it’s synthesized from the amino acid serine at only about 3 grams per day—not nearly enough for our requirements.
The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we have a pretty significant daily deficit that we need to get through dietary or supplement means. Most of us these days aren’t eating ligaments and tendons and rougher cuts of meat containing glycine.
Bone broth contains approximately 27.2 grams of glycine per 100 grams of protein. Therefore, it makes for a great source of this amino acid. Rather than taking an isolated glycine supplement, bone broth contains glycine with other amino acids and minerals, which act synergistically with each other. Here are a few of the benefits glycine offers….
Bone Broth Offers Gut Healing Properties
Glycine improves our digestive health, through inhibiting cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation in the gut lining. Glycine helps with sealing the mucosal layer in the intestines. It aids in liver detoxification, and helps with fructose malabsorption.
It Improves Joint Health
Contrary to what you might have heard, these non-essential proteins are pretty darn useful. A study was done on a hundred women between the ages of 40 and 70 who presented with knee joint pain or discomfort. (PDF) The results suggested that collagen increases the proteoglycan content in knee cartilage after 6 months of treatment. We need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes. One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact).
Collagen concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repairing tissue after injury, or recovery from intense lifting. If you lift heavy, or are recovering from any sort of joint damage, supplementary collagen will improve your recovery.
It Can Help Keep Skin Supple
Research suggests collagen may act as a biological messenger, triggering the synthesis of new collagen fibers and extracellular matrix recognition by stimulating fibroblasts.
It Restores Glutathione
Glutathione protects against oxidative stress, and helps decrease the impact of bad estrogens that can build up over time, compromising our hormonal health.
It May Improve Cognition
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a significant role in learning and memory. Targeting the glycine modulatory site of the NMDA receptor has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognition. Glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” and can act in the brain similarly to an antidepressant, without all the side effects.
It Can Improve Sleep Quality
It does this by decreasing core body temperature and increasing cutaneous blood flow. Cooler body temp means deeper sleep. One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or suffering from placebo. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction. Sipping bone broth before bed provides a bioavailable source of glycine, helping us achieve deeper, more restorative sleep at night.
Other Key Nutrients in Bone Broth Cartilage: the Home of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
When is the last time you felt the urge to chew on a juicy piece of cartilage? Probably not so much. We tend to discard those parts of the animal containing cartilage like the nose, ears, and joints. However, joint cartilage is easily broken down in well-cooked bone broth. Cartilage contains collagen protein and elastin. Elastin fibers play a big role in maintaining the integrity, elasticity, and the mechanical properties of cartilage.
Cartilage also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both well known supplements for arthritic pain, particularly in the knees. In this study, glucosamine–chondroitin combined resulted in a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing at two years. Seeing as how those supplements get the chondroitin sulfate directly from animal cartilage, why not just eat the cartilage, or a bone broth made with plenty of cartilaginous substrate? Be sure to use bones with joints, like chicken feet and beef knuckles. Chicken backs are also a great source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
Bone Marrow: Deep in the Inner Matrix of the Bone
Bone marrow, found deep in the center of the bone, is also worth noting. There are two types: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is higher in fat cells, whereas red bone marrow is higher in platelets. Red bone marrow contains reticulin fibers, or type III collagen. Chicken bones have higher red marrow and make for a more flavorful broth. Bone marrow is fatty and gelatinous, and the marrow contains most of the minerals. Cooking bones longer (24-36 hours) will yield more of those minerals into the broth.
Bone Marrow Fat Is More Than Just Fat
A University of Michigan-led study shows that the fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of a hormone called adiponectin. These researchers discovered that the adiponectin in bone marrow helps with insulin sensitivity, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.
Hyaluronic Acid: slippery synovial lubricant
Sure you can get powdered gelatins, but these do not contain many of the valuable nutrients that work synergistically with gelatin, such as hyaluronic acid. Found in many high end beauty serums, hyaluronic acid is the main component in synovial fluid, acting as a joint lubricant. You can also find hyaluronic acid in the bones and the connective tissue (usually attached to the bones). This study compared hyaluronic acid with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis. Both worked about the same, but hyaluronic acid is a safer alternative.
Proline: another noteworthy amino acid in bone broth
Let’s not ignore proline. Proline forms the structure of collagen, and like glycine, is a “conditionally essential” amino acid that we can get through our diet. To the point, it’s found in bone broth. Proline is needed to build collagen, to increase collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells. As a result, it’s an important amino acid for skin health. Proline is great for healing, especially after intense workouts or straining the body. Animal studies suggest that proline helps with skin wound healing. People recovering from injuries have a higher need for proline. And don’t forget, heavy lifting is a stress to the body that requires recovery.
What about Minerals?
Bone broth can be high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium—with one caveat.
Recent research showed that bones cooked for more than eight hours were found not to exceed low tenths of a milligram per serving, or <5% of the daily recommended levels of calcium and magnesium. Another study highlighted veal bones sliced open to expose the marrow, placed in water with vinegar (more on vinegar later), and boiled for nine hours. The mineral loss from bones into the broth was extremely low—just a few milligrams of calcium and magnesium.
Keep in mind that longer cooking times (24-36 hours), where the meat falls of the bone and the bone really breaks down, tend to yield different results. It takes a long time for bones to break down and to get those interior nutrients. The marrow contains most of the minerals. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t rely on bone broth as a primary source of minerals if cooking under 24 hours, but with a longer cooking time I’d expect decent mineral content.
Are There Any Negatives to Bone Broth?
I’ve discussed many of the nutrients and positive benefits of bone broth, now let’s dive into some potential drawbacks. One concern often brought to my attention is the potential level of heavy metals found in bone broth. Some research says to avoid it because of markedly high lead concentrations, while other research suggests that the risks associated with the ingestion of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in broth are minimal, since levels were extremely low.
I’m not too worried. That second study had several limitations, which the Weston A. Price Foundation has covered pretty well. The focus should be on sourcing of the bones. What matters is how much lead the animals you’re using to make broth are exposed to throughout their lives. I’d like to see a comparison between chicken broths made from animals from different farms and environments.
The animals’ environments and upbringing are everything. Weston Price describes a follow-up study into two broths made from grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken bones that was unable to detect any lead in either. This despite the chickens having plenty of access to dirt and all the same dirt-dusting proclivities their kind is known for.
Another concern I often hear about is the glutamate content. Bone broth that cooks for over 48 hours releases more glutamate, which raises concerns for people with neurological issues such as autism, ADHD, and multiple sclerosis. The theory is that excess free glutamate found in long cooked broths may cross the blood brain barrier (for those with “leaky brain”) and may be harmful for these particular folks.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is naturally high in some nutritious foods such as bone broth, soups, and even sauerkraut. This doesn’t condemn the food and make it toxic. Most of us can process it just fine. Glutamate is only an issue if the person is highly sensitive to it. If you’re sensitive to glutamate or have a neurological condition of some kind, you may need to start with shorter cooking times, and gradually building up to see what you can handle. Keep in mind that there are many other foods we consume that are much higher in glutamate than bone broth. In my opinion the health benefits far outreach glutamate concerns for most people.
Beyond these suggestions, downsides you might hear include the taste and convenience. Oftentimes, when people tell me they just can’t stomach bone broth, I’m skeptical of what they’ve tried in the past. Recipe makes a big difference (as with any food). Let’s just say I’ve been able to change quite a few people’s minds with the good stuff. That said, others never quite get over the aversion. It’s just to their thing.
Likewise, it is a time commitment to make your own. It’s not hard. In fact, I dare say a basic bone broth is one of the simplest things you can cook. You just need time, which I know isn’t always practical. Carrying it around isn’t always easiest either. But the benefits of collagen are frankly too good for your health to pass up.
(Of course, that’s why I created Collagen Fuel and Collagen Bars—because I wanted an alternative for myself and others who desire a more convenient collagen source at times.)
But now let’s get down to the real business….
How to Make an Awesome Bone Broth Add Vinegar to My Broth? Yes or No?
I used to religiously add a big glug or two of vinegar to every batch of broth, but not anymore. I’ve never actually noticed a difference. The reason being is that the broth would need to be much more acidic to draw out the minerals. A splash of vinegar doesn’t really work, and you don’t want your broth to be pure vinegar. Another option I’ve discussed before is to simmer the bones in red wine first, then add water, or to smash the bones in vinegar before cooking, increasing the surface area exposed to cooking. Both of those methods can draw out more minerals.
Which Bones Will Give Me the Richest, Most Gelatinous Broth?
For the most luxurious, gelatinous flavorful broth, be sure to favor bones with joints. You want those intersections and moving parts! This is where the cartilage, collagen, and synovial fluid are highest, translating into legit bone broth. Include parts like knuckles, feet, tails, necks, backs, wings, and ears! Don’t be afraid to even cook the head of the animal in your broth. Bone broth is a great way to be resourceful, and use the entire animal.
Broth Variations and Recipes
Over the years I’ve shared a variety of recipes and variations for making different broths. Here is a compilation of my bone broth variations: chicken bone broth four ways, and turkey stock. It’s fun to play around with different seasonings, different bones, with and without vegetables, roasting and not roasting the bones, etc.
For those of you who enjoy bone broth but would rather not always cook your own (I’m one), I asked Kettle & Fire (a company, in the interest of full disclosure, that I believe in and even invested in) to offer a deal to MDA readers who wanted to try their product. Depending on the package you order, you’ll get up to 3 FREE cartons when you order their chicken bone broth (excellent flavor in my book).
That’s it for me, folks. Let me open it up for discussion now. Questions, additional recipes, comments? What’s your unique reason (or favorite way) to enjoy bone broth? Thanks for stopping by, and take care.
0 notes
Text
The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits
I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.
Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is simply a broth made by boiling bones (often with meat still on them). Usually vinegar is added as a medium (the thought is to draw out nutrients—more on this later). Sometimes vegetables, herbs, and spices are added for additional flavor and nutrients. Whereas soup is a meal, often containing vegetables, grains, seasonings, and even beans, bone broth stands on its own and is usually more cooked than soup.
Bone broth is an ingredient than can be used to create or flavor all kinds of dishes. It contains parts of the animal we typically like to discard (like cartilage and bone marrow), all nicely broken down so we get the full dose of nutrients.
What You Need to Know about Collagen
Inside the matrix of bones, there are many proteins including collagen, which forms the inside fibrous part of the bone.
Collagen is a group of amino acids making up 25-35% of our body. It’s found in our bones, skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, we lose collagen. This contributes to age-related joint issues, not to mention the loss of skin elasticity.
Type I is found in bone, skin, ligaments, tendons and the white of the eye, and makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Type II is found in the cartilage. Type III is found in bone marrow and lymph, also known as reticulin fiber.
Why Is Collagen So Important?
Glycine is the primary amino acid found in collagen. And it’s a pretty significant amino acid in terms of what it does for the body. Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning our body can synthesize it. However, it’s actually considered “conditionally essential,” as it’s synthesized from the amino acid serine at only about 3 grams per day—not nearly enough for our requirements.
The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we have a pretty significant daily deficit that we need to get through dietary or supplement means. Most of us these days aren’t eating ligaments and tendons and rougher cuts of meat containing glycine.
Bone broth contains approximately 27.2 grams of glycine per 100 grams of protein. Therefore, it makes for a great source of this amino acid. Rather than taking an isolated glycine supplement, bone broth contains glycine with other amino acids and minerals, which act synergistically with each other. Here are a few of the benefits glycine offers….
Bone Broth Offers Gut Healing Properties
Glycine improves our digestive health, through inhibiting cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation in the gut lining. Glycine helps with sealing the mucosal layer in the intestines. It aids in liver detoxification, and helps with fructose malabsorption.
It Improves Joint Health
Contrary to what you might have heard, these non-essential proteins are pretty darn useful. A study was done on a hundred women between the ages of 40 and 70 who presented with knee joint pain or discomfort. (PDF) The results suggested that collagen increases the proteoglycan content in knee cartilage after 6 months of treatment. We need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes. One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact).
Collagen concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repairing tissue after injury, or recovery from intense lifting. If you lift heavy, or are recovering from any sort of joint damage, supplementary collagen will improve your recovery.
It Can Help Keep Skin Supple
Research suggests collagen may act as a biological messenger, triggering the synthesis of new collagen fibers and extracellular matrix recognition by stimulating fibroblasts.
It Restores Glutathione
Glutathione protects against oxidative stress, and helps decrease the impact of bad estrogens that can build up over time, compromising our hormonal health.
It May Improve Cognition
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a significant role in learning and memory. Targeting the glycine modulatory site of the NMDA receptor has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognition. Glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” and can act in the brain similarly to an antidepressant, without all the side effects.
It Can Improve Sleep Quality
It does this by decreasing core body temperature and increasing cutaneous blood flow. Cooler body temp means deeper sleep. One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or suffering from placebo. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction. Sipping bone broth before bed provides a bioavailable source of glycine, helping us achieve deeper, more restorative sleep at night.
Other Key Nutrients in Bone Broth Cartilage: the Home of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
When is the last time you felt the urge to chew on a juicy piece of cartilage? Probably not so much. We tend to discard those parts of the animal containing cartilage like the nose, ears, and joints. However, joint cartilage is easily broken down in well-cooked bone broth. Cartilage contains collagen protein and elastin. Elastin fibers play a big role in maintaining the integrity, elasticity, and the mechanical properties of cartilage.
Cartilage also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both well known supplements for arthritic pain, particularly in the knees. In this study, glucosamine–chondroitin combined resulted in a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing at two years. Seeing as how those supplements get the chondroitin sulfate directly from animal cartilage, why not just eat the cartilage, or a bone broth made with plenty of cartilaginous substrate? Be sure to use bones with joints, like chicken feet and beef knuckles. Chicken backs are also a great source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
Bone Marrow: Deep in the Inner Matrix of the Bone
Bone marrow, found deep in the center of the bone, is also worth noting. There are two types: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is higher in fat cells, whereas red bone marrow is higher in platelets. Red bone marrow contains reticulin fibers, or type III collagen. Chicken bones have higher red marrow and make for a more flavorful broth. Bone marrow is fatty and gelatinous, and the marrow contains most of the minerals. Cooking bones longer (24-36 hours) will yield more of those minerals into the broth.
Bone Marrow Fat Is More Than Just Fat
A University of Michigan-led study shows that the fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of a hormone called adiponectin. These researchers discovered that the adiponectin in bone marrow helps with insulin sensitivity, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.
Hyaluronic Acid: slippery synovial lubricant
Sure you can get powdered gelatins, but these do not contain many of the valuable nutrients that work synergistically with gelatin, such as hyaluronic acid. Found in many high end beauty serums, hyaluronic acid is the main component in synovial fluid, acting as a joint lubricant. You can also find hyaluronic acid in the bones and the connective tissue (usually attached to the bones). This study compared hyaluronic acid with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis. Both worked about the same, but hyaluronic acid is a safer alternative.
Proline: another noteworthy amino acid in bone broth
Let’s not ignore proline. Proline forms the structure of collagen, and like glycine, is a “conditionally essential” amino acid that we can get through our diet. To the point, it’s found in bone broth. Proline is needed to build collagen, to increase collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells. As a result, it’s an important amino acid for skin health. Proline is great for healing, especially after intense workouts or straining the body. Animal studies suggest that proline helps with skin wound healing. People recovering from injuries have a higher need for proline. And don’t forget, heavy lifting is a stress to the body that requires recovery.
What about Minerals?
Bone broth can be high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium—with one caveat.
Recent research showed that bones cooked for more than eight hours were found not to exceed low tenths of a milligram per serving, or <5% of the daily recommended levels of calcium and magnesium. Another study highlighted veal bones sliced open to expose the marrow, placed in water with vinegar (more on vinegar later), and boiled for nine hours. The mineral loss from bones into the broth was extremely low—just a few milligrams of calcium and magnesium.
Keep in mind that longer cooking times (24-36 hours), where the meat falls of the bone and the bone really breaks down, tend to yield different results. It takes a long time for bones to break down and to get those interior nutrients. The marrow contains most of the minerals. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t rely on bone broth as a primary source of minerals if cooking under 24 hours, but with a longer cooking time I’d expect decent mineral content.
Are There Any Negatives to Bone Broth?
I’ve discussed many of the nutrients and positive benefits of bone broth, now let’s dive into some potential drawbacks. One concern often brought to my attention is the potential level of heavy metals found in bone broth. Some research says to avoid it because of markedly high lead concentrations, while other research suggests that the risks associated with the ingestion of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in broth are minimal, since levels were extremely low.
I’m not too worried. That second study had several limitations, which the Weston A. Price Foundation has covered pretty well. The focus should be on sourcing of the bones. What matters is how much lead the animals you’re using to make broth are exposed to throughout their lives. I’d like to see a comparison between chicken broths made from animals from different farms and environments.
The animals’ environments and upbringing are everything. Weston Price describes a follow-up study into two broths made from grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken bones that was unable to detect any lead in either. This despite the chickens having plenty of access to dirt and all the same dirt-dusting proclivities their kind is known for.
Another concern I often hear about is the glutamate content. Bone broth that cooks for over 48 hours releases more glutamate, which raises concerns for people with neurological issues such as autism, ADHD, and multiple sclerosis. The theory is that excess free glutamate found in long cooked broths may cross the blood brain barrier (for those with “leaky brain”) and may be harmful for these particular folks.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is naturally high in some nutritious foods such as bone broth, soups, and even sauerkraut. This doesn’t condemn the food and make it toxic. Most of us can process it just fine. Glutamate is only an issue if the person is highly sensitive to it. If you’re sensitive to glutamate or have a neurological condition of some kind, you may need to start with shorter cooking times, and gradually building up to see what you can handle. Keep in mind that there are many other foods we consume that are much higher in glutamate than bone broth. In my opinion the health benefits far outreach glutamate concerns for most people.
Beyond these suggestions, downsides you might hear include the taste and convenience. Oftentimes, when people tell me they just can’t stomach bone broth, I’m skeptical of what they’ve tried in the past. Recipe makes a big difference (as with any food). Let’s just say I’ve been able to change quite a few people’s minds with the good stuff. That said, others never quite get over the aversion. It’s just to their thing.
Likewise, it is a time commitment to make your own. It’s not hard. In fact, I dare say a basic bone broth is one of the simplest things you can cook. You just need time, which I know isn’t always practical. Carrying it around isn’t always easiest either. But the benefits of collagen are frankly too good for your health to pass up.
(Of course, that’s why I created Collagen Fuel and Collagen Bars—because I wanted an alternative for myself and others who desire a more convenient collagen source at times.)
But now let’s get down to the real business….
How to Make an Awesome Bone Broth Add Vinegar to My Broth? Yes or No?
I used to religiously add a big glug or two of vinegar to every batch of broth, but not anymore. I’ve never actually noticed a difference. The reason being is that the broth would need to be much more acidic to draw out the minerals. A splash of vinegar doesn’t really work, and you don’t want your broth to be pure vinegar. Another option I’ve discussed before is to simmer the bones in red wine first, then add water, or to smash the bones in vinegar before cooking, increasing the surface area exposed to cooking. Both of those methods can draw out more minerals.
Which Bones Will Give Me the Richest, Most Gelatinous Broth?
For the most luxurious, gelatinous flavorful broth, be sure to favor bones with joints. You want those intersections and moving parts! This is where the cartilage, collagen, and synovial fluid are highest, translating into legit bone broth. Include parts like knuckles, feet, tails, necks, backs, wings, and ears! Don’t be afraid to even cook the head of the animal in your broth. Bone broth is a great way to be resourceful, and use the entire animal.
Broth Variations and Recipes
Over the years I’ve shared a variety of recipes and variations for making different broths. Here is a compilation of my bone broth variations: chicken bone broth four ways, and turkey stock. It’s fun to play around with different seasonings, different bones, with and without vegetables, roasting and not roasting the bones, etc.
For those of you who enjoy bone broth but would rather not always cook your own (I’m one), I asked Kettle & Fire (a company, in the interest of full disclosure, that I believe in and even invested in) to offer a deal to MDA readers who wanted to try their product. Depending on the package you order, you’ll get up to 3 FREE cartons when you order their chicken bone broth (excellent flavor in my book).
That’s it for me, folks. Let me open it up for discussion now. Questions, additional recipes, comments? What’s your unique reason (or favorite way) to enjoy bone broth? Thanks for stopping by, and take care.
0 notes
Text
The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits
I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.
Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is simply a broth made by boiling bones (often with meat still on them). Usually vinegar is added as a medium (the thought is to draw out nutrients—more on this later). Sometimes vegetables, herbs, and spices are added for additional flavor and nutrients. Whereas soup is a meal, often containing vegetables, grains, seasonings, and even beans, bone broth stands on its own and is usually more cooked than soup.
Bone broth is an ingredient than can be used to create or flavor all kinds of dishes. It contains parts of the animal we typically like to discard (like cartilage and bone marrow), all nicely broken down so we get the full dose of nutrients.
What You Need to Know about Collagen
Inside the matrix of bones, there are many proteins including collagen, which forms the inside fibrous part of the bone.
Collagen is a group of amino acids making up 25-35% of our body. It’s found in our bones, skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, we lose collagen. This contributes to age-related joint issues, not to mention the loss of skin elasticity.
Type I is found in bone, skin, ligaments, tendons and the white of the eye, and makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Type II is found in the cartilage. Type III is found in bone marrow and lymph, also known as reticulin fiber.
Why Is Collagen So Important?
Glycine is the primary amino acid found in collagen. And it’s a pretty significant amino acid in terms of what it does for the body. Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning our body can synthesize it. However, it’s actually considered “conditionally essential,” as it’s synthesized from the amino acid serine at only about 3 grams per day—not nearly enough for our requirements.
The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we have a pretty significant daily deficit that we need to get through dietary or supplement means. Most of us these days aren’t eating ligaments and tendons and rougher cuts of meat containing glycine.
Bone broth contains approximately 27.2 grams of glycine per 100 grams of protein. Therefore, it makes for a great source of this amino acid. Rather than taking an isolated glycine supplement, bone broth contains glycine with other amino acids and minerals, which act synergistically with each other. Here are a few of the benefits glycine offers….
Bone Broth Offers Gut Healing Properties
Glycine improves our digestive health, through inhibiting cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation in the gut lining. Glycine helps with sealing the mucosal layer in the intestines. It aids in liver detoxification, and helps with fructose malabsorption.
It Improves Joint Health
Contrary to what you might have heard, these non-essential proteins are pretty darn useful. A study was done on a hundred women between the ages of 40 and 70 who presented with knee joint pain or discomfort. (PDF) The results suggested that collagen increases the proteoglycan content in knee cartilage after 6 months of treatment. We need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes. One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact).
Collagen concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repairing tissue after injury, or recovery from intense lifting. If you lift heavy, or are recovering from any sort of joint damage, supplementary collagen will improve your recovery.
It Can Help Keep Skin Supple
Research suggests collagen may act as a biological messenger, triggering the synthesis of new collagen fibers and extracellular matrix recognition by stimulating fibroblasts.
It Restores Glutathione
Glutathione protects against oxidative stress, and helps decrease the impact of bad estrogens that can build up over time, compromising our hormonal health.
It May Improve Cognition
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a significant role in learning and memory. Targeting the glycine modulatory site of the NMDA receptor has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognition. Glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” and can act in the brain similarly to an antidepressant, without all the side effects.
It Can Improve Sleep Quality
It does this by decreasing core body temperature and increasing cutaneous blood flow. Cooler body temp means deeper sleep. One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or suffering from placebo. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction. Sipping bone broth before bed provides a bioavailable source of glycine, helping us achieve deeper, more restorative sleep at night.
Other Key Nutrients in Bone Broth Cartilage: the Home of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
When is the last time you felt the urge to chew on a juicy piece of cartilage? Probably not so much. We tend to discard those parts of the animal containing cartilage like the nose, ears, and joints. However, joint cartilage is easily broken down in well-cooked bone broth. Cartilage contains collagen protein and elastin. Elastin fibers play a big role in maintaining the integrity, elasticity, and the mechanical properties of cartilage.
Cartilage also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both well known supplements for arthritic pain, particularly in the knees. In this study, glucosamine–chondroitin combined resulted in a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing at two years. Seeing as how those supplements get the chondroitin sulfate directly from animal cartilage, why not just eat the cartilage, or a bone broth made with plenty of cartilaginous substrate? Be sure to use bones with joints, like chicken feet and beef knuckles. Chicken backs are also a great source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
Bone Marrow: Deep in the Inner Matrix of the Bone
Bone marrow, found deep in the center of the bone, is also worth noting. There are two types: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is higher in fat cells, whereas red bone marrow is higher in platelets. Red bone marrow contains reticulin fibers, or type III collagen. Chicken bones have higher red marrow and make for a more flavorful broth. Bone marrow is fatty and gelatinous, and the marrow contains most of the minerals. Cooking bones longer (24-36 hours) will yield more of those minerals into the broth.
Bone Marrow Fat Is More Than Just Fat
A University of Michigan-led study shows that the fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of a hormone called adiponectin. These researchers discovered that the adiponectin in bone marrow helps with insulin sensitivity, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.
Hyaluronic Acid: slippery synovial lubricant
Sure you can get powdered gelatins, but these do not contain many of the valuable nutrients that work synergistically with gelatin, such as hyaluronic acid. Found in many high end beauty serums, hyaluronic acid is the main component in synovial fluid, acting as a joint lubricant. You can also find hyaluronic acid in the bones and the connective tissue (usually attached to the bones). This study compared hyaluronic acid with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis. Both worked about the same, but hyaluronic acid is a safer alternative.
Proline: another noteworthy amino acid in bone broth
Let’s not ignore proline. Proline forms the structure of collagen, and like glycine, is a “conditionally essential” amino acid that we can get through our diet. To the point, it’s found in bone broth. Proline is needed to build collagen, to increase collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells. As a result, it’s an important amino acid for skin health. Proline is great for healing, especially after intense workouts or straining the body. Animal studies suggest that proline helps with skin wound healing. People recovering from injuries have a higher need for proline. And don’t forget, heavy lifting is a stress to the body that requires recovery.
What about Minerals?
Bone broth can be high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium—with one caveat.
Recent research showed that bones cooked for more than eight hours were found not to exceed low tenths of a milligram per serving, or <5% of the daily recommended levels of calcium and magnesium. Another study highlighted veal bones sliced open to expose the marrow, placed in water with vinegar (more on vinegar later), and boiled for nine hours. The mineral loss from bones into the broth was extremely low—just a few milligrams of calcium and magnesium.
Keep in mind that longer cooking times (24-36 hours), where the meat falls of the bone and the bone really breaks down, tend to yield different results. It takes a long time for bones to break down and to get those interior nutrients. The marrow contains most of the minerals. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t rely on bone broth as a primary source of minerals if cooking under 24 hours, but with a longer cooking time I’d expect decent mineral content.
Are There Any Negatives to Bone Broth?
I’ve discussed many of the nutrients and positive benefits of bone broth, now let’s dive into some potential drawbacks. One concern often brought to my attention is the potential level of heavy metals found in bone broth. Some research says to avoid it because of markedly high lead concentrations, while other research suggests that the risks associated with the ingestion of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in broth are minimal, since levels were extremely low.
I’m not too worried. That second study had several limitations, which the Weston A. Price Foundation has covered pretty well. The focus should be on sourcing of the bones. What matters is how much lead the animals you’re using to make broth are exposed to throughout their lives. I’d like to see a comparison between chicken broths made from animals from different farms and environments.
The animals’ environments and upbringing are everything. Weston Price describes a follow-up study into two broths made from grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken bones that was unable to detect any lead in either. This despite the chickens having plenty of access to dirt and all the same dirt-dusting proclivities their kind is known for.
Another concern I often hear about is the glutamate content. Bone broth that cooks for over 48 hours releases more glutamate, which raises concerns for people with neurological issues such as autism, ADHD, and multiple sclerosis. The theory is that excess free glutamate found in long cooked broths may cross the blood brain barrier (for those with “leaky brain”) and may be harmful for these particular folks.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is naturally high in some nutritious foods such as bone broth, soups, and even sauerkraut. This doesn’t condemn the food and make it toxic. Most of us can process it just fine. Glutamate is only an issue if the person is highly sensitive to it. If you’re sensitive to glutamate or have a neurological condition of some kind, you may need to start with shorter cooking times, and gradually building up to see what you can handle. Keep in mind that there are many other foods we consume that are much higher in glutamate than bone broth. In my opinion the health benefits far outreach glutamate concerns for most people.
Beyond these suggestions, downsides you might hear include the taste and convenience. Oftentimes, when people tell me they just can’t stomach bone broth, I’m skeptical of what they’ve tried in the past. Recipe makes a big difference (as with any food). Let’s just say I’ve been able to change quite a few people’s minds with the good stuff. That said, others never quite get over the aversion. It’s just to their thing.
Likewise, it is a time commitment to make your own. It’s not hard. In fact, I dare say a basic bone broth is one of the simplest things you can cook. You just need time, which I know isn’t always practical. Carrying it around isn’t always easiest either. But the benefits of collagen are frankly too good for your health to pass up.
(Of course, that’s why I created Collagen Fuel and Collagen Bars—because I wanted an alternative for myself and others who desire a more convenient collagen source at times.)
But now let’s get down to the real business….
How to Make an Awesome Bone Broth Add Vinegar to My Broth? Yes or No?
I used to religiously add a big glug or two of vinegar to every batch of broth, but not anymore. I’ve never actually noticed a difference. The reason being is that the broth would need to be much more acidic to draw out the minerals. A splash of vinegar doesn’t really work, and you don’t want your broth to be pure vinegar. Another option I’ve discussed before is to simmer the bones in red wine first, then add water, or to smash the bones in vinegar before cooking, increasing the surface area exposed to cooking. Both of those methods can draw out more minerals.
Which Bones Will Give Me the Richest, Most Gelatinous Broth?
For the most luxurious, gelatinous flavorful broth, be sure to favor bones with joints. You want those intersections and moving parts! This is where the cartilage, collagen, and synovial fluid are highest, translating into legit bone broth. Include parts like knuckles, feet, tails, necks, backs, wings, and ears! Don’t be afraid to even cook the head of the animal in your broth. Bone broth is a great way to be resourceful, and use the entire animal.
Broth Variations and Recipes
Over the years I’ve shared a variety of recipes and variations for making different broths. Here is a compilation of my bone broth variations: chicken bone broth four ways, and turkey stock. It’s fun to play around with different seasonings, different bones, with and without vegetables, roasting and not roasting the bones, etc.
For those of you who enjoy bone broth but would rather not always cook your own (I’m one), I asked Kettle & Fire (a company, in the interest of full disclosure, that I believe in and even invested in) to offer a deal to MDA readers who wanted to try their product. Depending on the package you order, you’ll get up to 3 FREE cartons when you order their chicken bone broth (excellent flavor in my book).
That’s it for me, folks. Let me open it up for discussion now. Questions, additional recipes, comments? What’s your unique reason (or favorite way) to enjoy bone broth? Thanks for stopping by, and take care.
0 notes
Text
The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits
I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.
Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is simply a broth made by boiling bones (often with meat still on them). Usually vinegar is added as a medium (the thought is to draw out nutrients—more on this later). Sometimes vegetables, herbs, and spices are added for additional flavor and nutrients. Whereas soup is a meal, often containing vegetables, grains, seasonings, and even beans, bone broth stands on its own and is usually more cooked than soup.
Bone broth is an ingredient than can be used to create or flavor all kinds of dishes. It contains parts of the animal we typically like to discard (like cartilage and bone marrow), all nicely broken down so we get the full dose of nutrients.
What You Need to Know about Collagen
Inside the matrix of bones, there are many proteins including collagen, which forms the inside fibrous part of the bone.
Collagen is a group of amino acids making up 25-35% of our body. It’s found in our bones, skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, we lose collagen. This contributes to age-related joint issues, not to mention the loss of skin elasticity.
Type I is found in bone, skin, ligaments, tendons and the white of the eye, and makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Type II is found in the cartilage. Type III is found in bone marrow and lymph, also known as reticulin fiber.
Why Is Collagen So Important?
Glycine is the primary amino acid found in collagen. And it’s a pretty significant amino acid in terms of what it does for the body. Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning our body can synthesize it. However, it’s actually considered “conditionally essential,” as it’s synthesized from the amino acid serine at only about 3 grams per day—not nearly enough for our requirements.
The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we have a pretty significant daily deficit that we need to get through dietary or supplement means. Most of us these days aren’t eating ligaments and tendons and rougher cuts of meat containing glycine.
Bone broth contains approximately 27.2 grams of glycine per 100 grams of protein. Therefore, it makes for a great source of this amino acid. Rather than taking an isolated glycine supplement, bone broth contains glycine with other amino acids and minerals, which act synergistically with each other. Here are a few of the benefits glycine offers….
Bone Broth Offers Gut Healing Properties
Glycine improves our digestive health, through inhibiting cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation in the gut lining. Glycine helps with sealing the mucosal layer in the intestines. It aids in liver detoxification, and helps with fructose malabsorption.
It Improves Joint Health
Contrary to what you might have heard, these non-essential proteins are pretty darn useful. A study was done on a hundred women between the ages of 40 and 70 who presented with knee joint pain or discomfort. (PDF) The results suggested that collagen increases the proteoglycan content in knee cartilage after 6 months of treatment. We need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes. One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact).
Collagen concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repairing tissue after injury, or recovery from intense lifting. If you lift heavy, or are recovering from any sort of joint damage, supplementary collagen will improve your recovery.
It Can Help Keep Skin Supple
Research suggests collagen may act as a biological messenger, triggering the synthesis of new collagen fibers and extracellular matrix recognition by stimulating fibroblasts.
It Restores Glutathione
Glutathione protects against oxidative stress, and helps decrease the impact of bad estrogens that can build up over time, compromising our hormonal health.
It May Improve Cognition
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a significant role in learning and memory. Targeting the glycine modulatory site of the NMDA receptor has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognition. Glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” and can act in the brain similarly to an antidepressant, without all the side effects.
It Can Improve Sleep Quality
It does this by decreasing core body temperature and increasing cutaneous blood flow. Cooler body temp means deeper sleep. One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or suffering from placebo. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction. Sipping bone broth before bed provides a bioavailable source of glycine, helping us achieve deeper, more restorative sleep at night.
Other Key Nutrients in Bone Broth Cartilage: the Home of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
When is the last time you felt the urge to chew on a juicy piece of cartilage? Probably not so much. We tend to discard those parts of the animal containing cartilage like the nose, ears, and joints. However, joint cartilage is easily broken down in well-cooked bone broth. Cartilage contains collagen protein and elastin. Elastin fibers play a big role in maintaining the integrity, elasticity, and the mechanical properties of cartilage.
Cartilage also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both well known supplements for arthritic pain, particularly in the knees. In this study, glucosamine–chondroitin combined resulted in a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing at two years. Seeing as how those supplements get the chondroitin sulfate directly from animal cartilage, why not just eat the cartilage, or a bone broth made with plenty of cartilaginous substrate? Be sure to use bones with joints, like chicken feet and beef knuckles. Chicken backs are also a great source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
Bone Marrow: Deep in the Inner Matrix of the Bone
Bone marrow, found deep in the center of the bone, is also worth noting. There are two types: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is higher in fat cells, whereas red bone marrow is higher in platelets. Red bone marrow contains reticulin fibers, or type III collagen. Chicken bones have higher red marrow and make for a more flavorful broth. Bone marrow is fatty and gelatinous, and the marrow contains most of the minerals. Cooking bones longer (24-36 hours) will yield more of those minerals into the broth.
Bone Marrow Fat Is More Than Just Fat
A University of Michigan-led study shows that the fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of a hormone called adiponectin. These researchers discovered that the adiponectin in bone marrow helps with insulin sensitivity, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.
Hyaluronic Acid: slippery synovial lubricant
Sure you can get powdered gelatins, but these do not contain many of the valuable nutrients that work synergistically with gelatin, such as hyaluronic acid. Found in many high end beauty serums, hyaluronic acid is the main component in synovial fluid, acting as a joint lubricant. You can also find hyaluronic acid in the bones and the connective tissue (usually attached to the bones). This study compared hyaluronic acid with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis. Both worked about the same, but hyaluronic acid is a safer alternative.
Proline: another noteworthy amino acid in bone broth
Let’s not ignore proline. Proline forms the structure of collagen, and like glycine, is a “conditionally essential” amino acid that we can get through our diet. To the point, it’s found in bone broth. Proline is needed to build collagen, to increase collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells. As a result, it’s an important amino acid for skin health. Proline is great for healing, especially after intense workouts or straining the body. Animal studies suggest that proline helps with skin wound healing. People recovering from injuries have a higher need for proline. And don’t forget, heavy lifting is a stress to the body that requires recovery.
What about Minerals?
Bone broth can be high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium—with one caveat.
Recent research showed that bones cooked for more than eight hours were found not to exceed low tenths of a milligram per serving, or <5% of the daily recommended levels of calcium and magnesium. Another study highlighted veal bones sliced open to expose the marrow, placed in water with vinegar (more on vinegar later), and boiled for nine hours. The mineral loss from bones into the broth was extremely low—just a few milligrams of calcium and magnesium.
Keep in mind that longer cooking times (24-36 hours), where the meat falls of the bone and the bone really breaks down, tend to yield different results. It takes a long time for bones to break down and to get those interior nutrients. The marrow contains most of the minerals. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t rely on bone broth as a primary source of minerals if cooking under 24 hours, but with a longer cooking time I’d expect decent mineral content.
Are There Any Negatives to Bone Broth?
I’ve discussed many of the nutrients and positive benefits of bone broth, now let’s dive into some potential drawbacks. One concern often brought to my attention is the potential level of heavy metals found in bone broth. Some research says to avoid it because of markedly high lead concentrations, while other research suggests that the risks associated with the ingestion of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in broth are minimal, since levels were extremely low.
I’m not too worried. That second study had several limitations, which the Weston A. Price Foundation has covered pretty well. The focus should be on sourcing of the bones. What matters is how much lead the animals you’re using to make broth are exposed to throughout their lives. I’d like to see a comparison between chicken broths made from animals from different farms and environments.
The animals’ environments and upbringing are everything. Weston Price describes a follow-up study into two broths made from grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken bones that was unable to detect any lead in either. This despite the chickens having plenty of access to dirt and all the same dirt-dusting proclivities their kind is known for.
Another concern I often hear about is the glutamate content. Bone broth that cooks for over 48 hours releases more glutamate, which raises concerns for people with neurological issues such as autism, ADHD, and multiple sclerosis. The theory is that excess free glutamate found in long cooked broths may cross the blood brain barrier (for those with “leaky brain”) and may be harmful for these particular folks.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is naturally high in some nutritious foods such as bone broth, soups, and even sauerkraut. This doesn’t condemn the food and make it toxic. Most of us can process it just fine. Glutamate is only an issue if the person is highly sensitive to it. If you’re sensitive to glutamate or have a neurological condition of some kind, you may need to start with shorter cooking times, and gradually building up to see what you can handle. Keep in mind that there are many other foods we consume that are much higher in glutamate than bone broth. In my opinion the health benefits far outreach glutamate concerns for most people.
Beyond these suggestions, downsides you might hear include the taste and convenience. Oftentimes, when people tell me they just can’t stomach bone broth, I’m skeptical of what they’ve tried in the past. Recipe makes a big difference (as with any food). Let’s just say I’ve been able to change quite a few people’s minds with the good stuff. That said, others never quite get over the aversion. It’s just to their thing.
Likewise, it is a time commitment to make your own. It’s not hard. In fact, I dare say a basic bone broth is one of the simplest things you can cook. You just need time, which I know isn’t always practical. Carrying it around isn’t always easiest either. But the benefits of collagen are frankly too good for your health to pass up.
(Of course, that’s why I created Collagen Fuel and Collagen Bars—because I wanted an alternative for myself and others who desire a more convenient collagen source at times.)
But now let’s get down to the real business….
How to Make an Awesome Bone Broth Add Vinegar to My Broth? Yes or No?
I used to religiously add a big glug or two of vinegar to every batch of broth, but not anymore. I’ve never actually noticed a difference. The reason being is that the broth would need to be much more acidic to draw out the minerals. A splash of vinegar doesn’t really work, and you don’t want your broth to be pure vinegar. Another option I’ve discussed before is to simmer the bones in red wine first, then add water, or to smash the bones in vinegar before cooking, increasing the surface area exposed to cooking. Both of those methods can draw out more minerals.
Which Bones Will Give Me the Richest, Most Gelatinous Broth?
For the most luxurious, gelatinous flavorful broth, be sure to favor bones with joints. You want those intersections and moving parts! This is where the cartilage, collagen, and synovial fluid are highest, translating into legit bone broth. Include parts like knuckles, feet, tails, necks, backs, wings, and ears! Don’t be afraid to even cook the head of the animal in your broth. Bone broth is a great way to be resourceful, and use the entire animal.
Broth Variations and Recipes
Over the years I’ve shared a variety of recipes and variations for making different broths. Here is a compilation of my bone broth variations: chicken bone broth four ways, and turkey stock. It’s fun to play around with different seasonings, different bones, with and without vegetables, roasting and not roasting the bones, etc.
For those of you who enjoy bone broth but would rather not always cook your own (I’m one), I asked Kettle & Fire (a company, in the interest of full disclosure, that I believe in and even invested in) to offer a deal to MDA readers who wanted to try their product. Depending on the package you order, you’ll get up to 3 FREE cartons when you order their chicken bone broth (excellent flavor in my book).
That’s it for me, folks. Let me open it up for discussion now. Questions, additional recipes, comments? What’s your unique reason (or favorite way) to enjoy bone broth? Thanks for stopping by, and take care.
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The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits
I’ve been writing about bone broth for a long time. I’ve been drinking it even longer. I’m not sure you can get anything much more primal than a heap of bones cooked for hours into rich, gelatinous glory. Ritual and taste aside, however, I count quality bone broth as an important supplemental food. The copious health benefits are simply too substantial to pass up.
Some of you, I know, are bone broth fans—a few even connoisseurs. You’ve been making your own for decades, maybe with recipes you learned in your grandparents’ kitchen. But what does the average Primal type need to know about bone broth? What goes into making it? What are the distinct health advantages? Are there risks or downsides? What are the alternatives? Finally, what about some recipes? I’m glad you asked….
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is simply a broth made by boiling bones (often with meat still on them). Usually vinegar is added as a medium (the thought is to draw out nutrients—more on this later). Sometimes vegetables, herbs, and spices are added for additional flavor and nutrients. Whereas soup is a meal, often containing vegetables, grains, seasonings, and even beans, bone broth stands on its own and is usually more cooked than soup.
Bone broth is an ingredient than can be used to create or flavor all kinds of dishes. It contains parts of the animal we typically like to discard (like cartilage and bone marrow), all nicely broken down so we get the full dose of nutrients.
What You Need to Know about Collagen
Inside the matrix of bones, there are many proteins including collagen, which forms the inside fibrous part of the bone.
Collagen is a group of amino acids making up 25-35% of our body. It’s found in our bones, skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments. As we age, we lose collagen. This contributes to age-related joint issues, not to mention the loss of skin elasticity.
Type I is found in bone, skin, ligaments, tendons and the white of the eye, and makes up 90% of the collagen in the body. Type II is found in the cartilage. Type III is found in bone marrow and lymph, also known as reticulin fiber.
Why Is Collagen So Important?
Glycine is the primary amino acid found in collagen. And it’s a pretty significant amino acid in terms of what it does for the body. Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning our body can synthesize it. However, it’s actually considered “conditionally essential,” as it’s synthesized from the amino acid serine at only about 3 grams per day—not nearly enough for our requirements.
The human body requires at least 10 grams per day for basic metabolic processes, so we have a pretty significant daily deficit that we need to get through dietary or supplement means. Most of us these days aren’t eating ligaments and tendons and rougher cuts of meat containing glycine.
Bone broth contains approximately 27.2 grams of glycine per 100 grams of protein. Therefore, it makes for a great source of this amino acid. Rather than taking an isolated glycine supplement, bone broth contains glycine with other amino acids and minerals, which act synergistically with each other. Here are a few of the benefits glycine offers….
Bone Broth Offers Gut Healing Properties
Glycine improves our digestive health, through inhibiting cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation in the gut lining. Glycine helps with sealing the mucosal layer in the intestines. It aids in liver detoxification, and helps with fructose malabsorption.
It Improves Joint Health
Contrary to what you might have heard, these non-essential proteins are pretty darn useful. A study was done on a hundred women between the ages of 40 and 70 who presented with knee joint pain or discomfort. (PDF) The results suggested that collagen increases the proteoglycan content in knee cartilage after 6 months of treatment. We need at least 10 grams of glycine each day for basic metabolic processes. One of those processes is the maintenance of the collagen in our body (the most abundant protein we carry, in fact).
Collagen concentrates where joints meet and in the connective tissue binding us together. Those 10 grams of glycine is just for maintenance, not repairing tissue after injury, or recovery from intense lifting. If you lift heavy, or are recovering from any sort of joint damage, supplementary collagen will improve your recovery.
It Can Help Keep Skin Supple
Research suggests collagen may act as a biological messenger, triggering the synthesis of new collagen fibers and extracellular matrix recognition by stimulating fibroblasts.
It Restores Glutathione
Glutathione protects against oxidative stress, and helps decrease the impact of bad estrogens that can build up over time, compromising our hormonal health.
It May Improve Cognition
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a significant role in learning and memory. Targeting the glycine modulatory site of the NMDA receptor has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy to improve cognition. Glycine is considered an “inhibitory neurotransmitter,” and can act in the brain similarly to an antidepressant, without all the side effects.
It Can Improve Sleep Quality
It does this by decreasing core body temperature and increasing cutaneous blood flow. Cooler body temp means deeper sleep. One of my go-to “sleep hacks” is a big mug of bone broth about an hour before bed. It always knocks me out (in a good, non-narcotic way). And according to research, I’m not making this up or suffering from placebo. Human studies show that 3 grams of glycine taken before bed increases the quality of your sleep and reduces daytime sleepiness following sleep restriction. Sipping bone broth before bed provides a bioavailable source of glycine, helping us achieve deeper, more restorative sleep at night.
Other Key Nutrients in Bone Broth
Cartilage: the Home of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
When is the last time you felt the urge to chew on a juicy piece of cartilage? Probably not so much. We tend to discard those parts of the animal containing cartilage like the nose, ears, and joints. However, joint cartilage is easily broken down in well-cooked bone broth. Cartilage contains collagen protein and elastin. Elastin fibers play a big role in maintaining the integrity, elasticity, and the mechanical properties of cartilage.
Cartilage also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both well known supplements for arthritic pain, particularly in the knees. In this study, glucosamine–chondroitin combined resulted in a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing at two years. Seeing as how those supplements get the chondroitin sulfate directly from animal cartilage, why not just eat the cartilage, or a bone broth made with plenty of cartilaginous substrate? Be sure to use bones with joints, like chicken feet and beef knuckles. Chicken backs are also a great source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
Bone Marrow: Deep in the Inner Matrix of the Bone
Bone marrow, found deep in the center of the bone, is also worth noting. There are two types: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is higher in fat cells, whereas red bone marrow is higher in platelets. Red bone marrow contains reticulin fibers, or type III collagen. Chicken bones have higher red marrow and make for a more flavorful broth. Bone marrow is fatty and gelatinous, and the marrow contains most of the minerals. Cooking bones longer (24-36 hours) will yield more of those minerals into the broth.
Bone Marrow Fat Is More Than Just Fat
A University of Michigan-led study shows that the fat tissue in bone marrow is a significant source of a hormone called adiponectin. These researchers discovered that the adiponectin in bone marrow helps with insulin sensitivity, and has been linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity-associated cancers.
Hyaluronic Acid: slippery synovial lubricant
Sure you can get powdered gelatins, but these do not contain many of the valuable nutrients that work synergistically with gelatin, such as hyaluronic acid. Found in many high end beauty serums, hyaluronic acid is the main component in synovial fluid, acting as a joint lubricant. You can also find hyaluronic acid in the bones and the connective tissue (usually attached to the bones). This study compared hyaluronic acid with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis. Both worked about the same, but hyaluronic acid is a safer alternative.
Proline: another noteworthy amino acid in bone broth
Let’s not ignore proline. Proline forms the structure of collagen, and like glycine, is a “conditionally essential” amino acid that we can get through our diet. To the point, it’s found in bone broth. Proline is needed to build collagen, to increase collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells. As a result, it’s an important amino acid for skin health. Proline is great for healing, especially after intense workouts or straining the body. Animal studies suggest that proline helps with skin wound healing. People recovering from injuries have a higher need for proline. And don’t forget, heavy lifting is a stress to the body that requires recovery.
What about Minerals?
Bone broth can be high in minerals such as calcium and magnesium—with one caveat.
Recent research showed that bones cooked for more than eight hours were found not to exceed low tenths of a milligram per serving, or <5% of the daily recommended levels of calcium and magnesium. Another study highlighted veal bones sliced open to expose the marrow, placed in water with vinegar (more on vinegar later), and boiled for nine hours. The mineral loss from bones into the broth was extremely low—just a few milligrams of calcium and magnesium.
Keep in mind that longer cooking times (24-36 hours), where the meat falls of the bone and the bone really breaks down, tend to yield different results. It takes a long time for bones to break down and to get those interior nutrients. The marrow contains most of the minerals. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t rely on bone broth as a primary source of minerals if cooking under 24 hours, but with a longer cooking time I’d expect decent mineral content.
Are There Any Negatives to Bone Broth?
I’ve discussed many of the nutrients and positive benefits of bone broth, now let’s dive into some potential drawbacks. One concern often brought to my attention is the potential level of heavy metals found in bone broth. Some research says to avoid it because of markedly high lead concentrations, while other research suggests that the risks associated with the ingestion of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in broth are minimal, since levels were extremely low.
I’m not too worried. That second study had several limitations, which the Weston A. Price Foundation has covered pretty well. The focus should be on sourcing of the bones. What matters is how much lead the animals you’re using to make broth are exposed to throughout their lives. I’d like to see a comparison between chicken broths made from animals from different farms and environments.
The animals’ environments and upbringing are everything. Weston Price describes a follow-up study into two broths made from grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken bones that was unable to detect any lead in either. This despite the chickens having plenty of access to dirt and all the same dirt-dusting proclivities their kind is known for.
Another concern I often hear about is the glutamate content. Bone broth that cooks for over 48 hours releases more glutamate, which raises concerns for people with neurological issues such as autism, ADHD, and multiple sclerosis. The theory is that excess free glutamate found in long cooked broths may cross the blood brain barrier (for those with “leaky brain”) and may be harmful for these particular folks.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is naturally high in some nutritious foods such as bone broth, soups, and even sauerkraut. This doesn’t condemn the food and make it toxic. Most of us can process it just fine. Glutamate is only an issue if the person is highly sensitive to it. If you’re sensitive to glutamate or have a neurological condition of some kind, you may need to start with shorter cooking times, and gradually building up to see what you can handle. Keep in mind that there are many other foods we consume that are much higher in glutamate than bone broth. In my opinion the health benefits far outreach glutamate concerns for most people.
Beyond these suggestions, downsides you might hear include the taste and convenience. Oftentimes, when people tell me they just can’t stomach bone broth, I’m skeptical of what they’ve tried in the past. Recipe makes a big difference (as with any food). Let’s just say I’ve been able to change quite a few people’s minds with the good stuff. That said, others never quite get over the aversion. It’s just to their thing.
Likewise, it is a time commitment to make your own. It’s not hard. In fact, I dare say a basic bone broth is one of the simplest things you can cook. You just need time, which I know isn’t always practical. Carrying it around isn’t always easiest either. But the benefits of collagen are frankly too good for your health to pass up.
(Of course, that’s why I created Collagen Fuel and Collagen Bars—because I wanted an alternative for myself and others who desire a more convenient collagen source at times.)
But now let’s get down to the real business….
How to Make an Awesome Bone Broth
Add Vinegar to My Broth? Yes or No?
I used to religiously add a big glug or two of vinegar to every batch of broth, but not anymore. I’ve never actually noticed a difference. The reason being is that the broth would need to be much more acidic to draw out the minerals. A splash of vinegar doesn’t really work, and you don’t want your broth to be pure vinegar. Another option I’ve discussed before is to simmer the bones in red wine first, then add water, or to smash the bones in vinegar before cooking, increasing the surface area exposed to cooking. Both of those methods can draw out more minerals.
Which Bones Will Give Me the Richest, Most Gelatinous Broth?
For the most luxurious, gelatinous flavorful broth, be sure to favor bones with joints. You want those intersections and moving parts! This is where the cartilage, collagen, and synovial fluid are highest, translating into legit bone broth. Include parts like knuckles, feet, tails, necks, backs, wings, and ears! Don’t be afraid to even cook the head of the animal in your broth. Bone broth is a great way to be resourceful, and use the entire animal.
Broth Variations and Recipes
Over the years I’ve shared a variety of recipes and variations for making different broths. Here is a compilation of my bone broth variations: chicken bone broth four ways, and turkey stock. It’s fun to play around with different seasonings, different bones, with and without vegetables, roasting and not roasting the bones, etc.
For those of you who enjoy bone broth but would rather not always cook your own (I’m one), I asked Kettle & Fire (a company, in the interest of full disclosure, that I believe in and even invested in) to offer a deal to MDA readers who wanted to try their product. Depending on the package you order, you’ll get up to 3 FREE cartons when you order their chicken bone broth (excellent flavor in my book).
That’s it for me, folks. Let me open it up for discussion now. Questions, additional recipes, comments? What’s your unique reason (or favorite way) to enjoy bone broth? Thanks for stopping by, and take care.
The post The Definitive Guide to Bone Broth Benefits appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
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The Top 10 Worst Diets Ever Invented
When we look back over the sad, failed history of dieting, one thing came to mind: wtf. Diets alone are really fucking stupid, given the fact that most, if not all, are unsustainable. If you cut out a whole food group, eventually youre either going to slip up and eat from said forbidden food group OR crave it so much you go crawling back sans self-control or dignity. Same for any diet that considers soup your now only source of food.Do yourself a favor and eat HEALTHFULLY without restricting yourself to crazy, weird shit. By “crazy, weird shit” we mean any of the below aka the 10 worst diets of all time. Think of it like Nike, only the complete opposite i.e., just don’t do it.
1. The Tapeworm Diet
In todays batshit crazy news, we learned that there literally used to be a tapeworm diet. Back in Victorian times, when a womans biggest issue was fitting into a corset and pretending to not be interested in banging her husband, some medical professionals decided that swallowing a goddamn tapeworm was the answer to pesky chubbiness. We shouldnt have to explain why this is a terrible idea, but yeah, it is. To add to that, people are still buying janky capsules with tapeworm eggs inside/drinking the tap water in Mexico on purpoe. Earth to Matilda: This is really fucking dumb. Why doesnt it work? Because the damn tapeworm lives in your fucking intestines, eats all your food, can result in malnutrition, AND yes, you can die.
2. The Cabbage Soup Diet
Any diet that literally has you eating one food for an extended period of time is a terrible goddamn idea. Can you imagine how insanely crazy youre going to feel on Day 7 of eating cabbage soup? It doesnt even SOUND appetizing. Yes, vegetables are good for you, but eating just cabbage soup will make you drop a ton of weight and then instantly gain it back when you stop dieting. Next.
3. The Grapefruit Diet
As is the case with No. 2 on the list, eating just grapefruit for an extended period of time is an awful, awful idea. Can you even IMAGINE your new aversion to citrus after a few days of this shit? Yes, you should be working things like grapefruit into your dietshit, have one every morning for all we care. But if you go on replacing every meal with this sour af fruit, youre going to fail in the long run. Youll crave steak, fruit snacks, and all the carbs. Also if you’re on the pill it could fuck up your medication and you could end up pregnant. JUST SAY NO.
4. The Cookie Diet
This sounds like my kind of fucking diet, since my spirit animal is and always has been cookie monster. However, upon further investigation, we cant believe this was everor even still isa thing. Dr. Siegal, whose medical degree we question, came up with a diet that entails eating one to two cookies every few hours along with a 500-calorie meal of the dieter’s choice. The catch? The cookies are made of some bullshit ingredient (probably from Sweden and isnt legal in the U.S., like phentermine) that is apparently going to make you lose weight. So, not only will the cookies taste like shit, but youll start hating cookies. Additionally, this wont make you adjust your shitty eating habits AT ALL. Since, ya know, youre training your brain into thinking cookies are the answer. Which, in this case, they are not.
5. Cigarette Diet
This sounds like a theme from . Apparently, back in the 1920s, tobacco companies started pushing their cancer sticks as a means of controlling appetite. Nicotine does, in fact, suppress your urge to eat, but at the cost of having disgustingly smelling clothes, hair, and hands. Is the cancer worth dropping a few pounds? Gonna go with no on this one.
6. The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet
Ok so yes we were all obsessed with the Master Cleanse a few years ago because we were really fucking stupid. How fast did you gain back all that weight? Ill hold while you crunch the numbers. Drinking a combination of apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and other bullshit may have you drop a few pounds at first, but, like OF COURSE YOU WILL, YOURE NOT EATING ANYTHING. I could drink Blue Gatorade and Ensure and drop weight, too. To add to that, enjoy your gastrointestinal discomfort brought on by the whole drinking vinegar thing. Not to mention the terrible, terrible gas. Sexy.
7. Detox Diets
Hey! You know how you have a liver and kidneys? The job of those apparently ignorable organs is to DETOXIFY YOUR BODY. So, these fucking diets touting extreme regimens like liver flushes, body cleanses, colonics, etc. are literally (and I mean literally) full of shit. Your body detoxifies itself all the goddamn time. Sure, if you want to add a few veggie juices and whole foods to your diet after a week of bingeing on pizza, itll detox you in a mild way. But having shit literally sucked out your butt and calling it necessary is the shittiest shit weve ever heard.
8. The Air Diet
I cant even believe I have to address this, but, its a thing. Probably started by Gwyneth Paltrow and her ungodly shitty GOOP blog (Hey, Gwynethare you going to go ahead and rescind that jade vagina egg post? No? Cool). Hows it work? Dieters literally sit with an empty plate, fork, and pretend to fucking eat. Um, cant think of a faster way to a) starve and b) develop a high-key eating disorder. Man and betch do not live on air and sunlight alone. There need to be nachos and chocolate. On second thought, anyone who does this probably has a great future in miming.
9. The Clay Diet
Something else probably piloted by Diet and Lifestyle Professional, Gwyneth Paltrow, is the clay diet. Apparently, you stir clayyes, literally clayinto water and drink it. Why? Because itll totally detoxify your organs, of course! Wow, I cant even begin to wrap my head around how thrilled mothers of toddlers everywhere will be when they find out that, yes, their children can continue eating mud for health benefits. Seriously, whoever came up with this one: Go fuck yourself.
10. Miracle Diets
Any diet that starts with miracle or what doctors dont want you to know is probably going to be really fucking stupid. Additionally, any diet that tells you to drink green tea or chug acai juice or roll in memberberries to prevent eating more than 500 calories per day is going to make you gain double the weight back in the long run. Your metabolism will actually slow down, so when you start eating like a human being again, youll get fat. Congratulations, idiot.
May all of your diets fail and may you eat like a normal human being. Amen.
Read more: http://ift.tt/2lofIEL
from The Top 10 Worst Diets Ever Invented
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