Bone Broth: The Nourishing Power of Slow Simmered Goodness

A warm, collagen-rich bone broth — comforting, healing, and deeply nourishing.

Bone broth is more than a comforting soup. It’s a nutrient-rich, collagen-filled, immune-supporting powerhouse that strengthens your gut, joints, skin, sleep, and overall well-being. Loved in Filipino kitchens—from sinigang na buto-buto to nilagang baka—bone broth continues to shine today as one of the world’s most healing foods.

Warm, simple, and deeply nourishing, it brings health and comfort in every sip.

What Makes Bone Broth Special?

Bone broth is created by simmering animal bones and connective tissues for long hours. This slow process extracts collagen, gelatin, amino acids, and essential minerals—nutrients that regular soups cannot provide.

The longer the simmer, the richer the nourishment.

Key Health Benefits of Bone Broth

1. Gut-Healing Goodness

Bone broth supports digestion and gut repair through:

• Gelatin, which helps seal and soothe the gut lining
• Amino acids (glycine & glutamine) that support gut integrity
• Easy-to-digest nutrients for sensitive stomachs

A strong gut supports stronger immunity, mood balance, and overall vitality.

2. Youthful Skin, Hair, and Joints

Bone broth delivers natural collagen that:

• Improves skin elasticity and hydration
• Strengthens hair and nails
• Reduces joint pain and inflammation
• Supports cartilage and connective tissues

Beauty and mobility—nourished from within.

3. Immunity Support

Rich in minerals and amino acids, bone broth helps:

• Strengthen immune response
• Reduce inflammation
• Support recovery from colds or fatigue

Perfect for cold days, sick days, or days you simply need comfort.

4. Healthy Weight & Blood Sugar Balance

Because bone broth is low in calories yet high in protein and nutrients, it:

• Satisfies hunger
• Reduces cravings
• Supports weight management
• Helps stabilize blood sugar

A warm cup can soothe both body and appetite.

5. Better Sleep & Calmer Mood

The amino acid glycine naturally promotes:

• Deeper, more restful sleep
• A calmer nervous system
• Reduced anxiety
• Better evening relaxation

A nighttime mug creates a peaceful wind-down ritual.

🦴 Best Bones to Use

For collagen-rich, nutrient-dense broth, choose:

Chicken

• Feet (highest collagen)
• Necks, backs, wings
• Whole carcass

Beef

• Marrow bones
• Knuckles
• Joints
• Shanks
• Oxtail

Pork

• Buto-buto
• Pata
• Neck bones

Fish

• Fish head
• Bones + skin

Tip: Mix collagen-rich bones (feet, knuckles) with marrow bones for the richest broth.

🔥 How to Make the Most Nutritious Bone Broth

1. Add an Acid

A splash of apple cider vinegar or calamansi helps pull minerals from the bones.

2. Simmer Low & Slow

• Chicken: 12–24 hours
• Beef/Pork: 18–48 hours
• Fish: 1–3 hours

3. Add Vegetables Near the End

Onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery—add them during the last 3–4 hours.

4. Skim Foam for a Clean Broth

5. Chill to Separate Excess Fat

❄️ How to Store Your Broth

• Refrigerator: 4–5 days
• Freezer: 3–4 months
• Freeze in jars, silicone trays, or containers.
• A gel-like texture when cold indicates that you have extracted excellent collagen.

🍲 Delicious Ways to Use Bone Broth

• Drink warm (like tea)
• Use for arroz caldo, lugaw, or mami
• Pour into sinigang, nilaga, bulalo, tinola
• Cook rice or quinoa in broth
• Blend into vegetable soups
• Build nourishing ramen bowls
• Add to sauces or gravies

🌸 Love.Eat.Live Tip

Bone broth teaches us that nourishment doesn’t need extravagance.
Sometimes healing comes from the simplest ingredients—slowly simmered with patience, intention, and love.

🌿 Bottom Line

Bone broth is affordable, flexible, deeply nutritious, and rooted in tradition. It supports your digestion, skin, joints, sleep, and immunity—one warm sip at a time.

Enjoy it often as part of your journey to live well, eat well, and love with intention.

Related: Salt: The Element That Heals, Awakens, and Sustains Life

References:

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Collagen
• USDA FoodData Central – Bone Broth, Home Prepared – Nutrient Profile
• Frontiers in Nutrition – Collagen Peptides and Gastrointestinal Health: A Review
• International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics – Gelatin and Gastric Mucosal Integrity
• Journal of Nutrition – Gelatin and Gut Barrier Restoration
• Current Medical Research and Opinion – Oral Collagen Supplements Improve Skin Elasticity
• Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry – Collagen Hydrolysates and Joint Function
• Nutrients – Collagen Peptides in Cartilage and Inflammation Reduction
• Nutrients – Roles of Glycine in Inflammation and Sleep Regulation
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – Glutamine and Intestinal Permeability
• Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition – Proline and Tissue Building
• Advances in Nutrition – Amino Acids and Immune Function
• Harvard Medical School – Gut Health and Immunity
• Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition – Amino Acids & Inflammation
• Sleep and Biological Rhythms – Glycine Improves Sleep Quality
• Frontiers in Neurology – Glycine & Nervous System Regulation
• Food and Chemical Toxicology – Lead Content in Bone Broth: Safety Assessment
• Journal of Food Science – Effects of Long Simmering on Nutrient Extraction
• Food Chemistry – Mineral Extraction in Acidic vs. Neutral Cooking