Real Food Summit

Room 1
Paul Chek

Room 2
Jeffrey Smith

Room 3
Sarah Pope

The Bountiful Benefits of Bone Broths
Presenter: Sarah Pope
Website: www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com
Live Q&A Session: Catch the Replay on UW Radio

This presentation’s Extended FREE viewing period has ended.

In This Presentation…
* The fascinating history of bone broth
* How and why bone broth fell out of favor
* Why bone broths were so important to the diets of traditional cultures
* The three primary benefits of bone broths
* How gelatin improves digestion
* Hidden forms of MSG they don’t tell you about
* How the amino acid glycine found in bone broth assists with detoxification
* How to prepare bone broths at home!

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Katalinfidel

Listening to this drinking bone broth.
Christine

I am listening to this with some bone broth cooking at the moment! Very interesting. Thank you for the information.
Christine

I noticed that you said to soak the bones first for 1 – 2 hours with vinegar. This is something I don’t usually do. Does it have to be vinegar, or is there anything else that could be used? What about salt?
- Treasa
  
  I have read that the vinegar is what draws the minerals out of the bone and into the broth
- Lholte77
  
  I enjoy using a white wine for chicken or pork stocks and a red for beef or lamb stocks. It gives another level of flavor to the finished stock and to the soup I’ll eventually make. You could use any type of acidic liquid like ACV, even white vinegar, wine vinegar, etc.
- http://twitter.com/TheFitRx TheFitRx.com
  
  As Lholte77 mentions, any acidic liquid works – but adding some Real Salt or Sea Salt is a great option to include. I typically use apple cider vinegar and Real Salt, then once the cooking process begins, add spices such as tumeric and black pepper. Happy Bone Broth!
- Taniko Kishimoto
  
  Salt by itself is just going to make the broth, well, salty. I like the suggestions others have given. Acidic liquids are going to behave differently than salty ones. You don’t have to over-do the vinegar/acid, if you prefer not.
- Paul Eliseo
  
  what ever you use it needs to be acidic, i use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  - Christine
    
    Would ascorbic acid powder (vitamin C) be any good?
    - http://astrotas.wordpress.com/ Seachangeau
      
      expensive and you would ruin the vit c. Just use the vinegar or lemon – they are also ultimately alkalising to the body whereas vit c remains acidic unless it is the mineral ascorbates.
      - Christine
        
        Thank you, but the problem I have is, that I am allergic to yeast (which I think means that I should avoid vinegar) and also allergic to citrus, which counts lemon out, so I don’t really know what to use.
AnnaC

When I use my stock pot, I see the foam rise to the top. But when I use my crock pot on low for 24 hrs, no foam rises. Instead it gently simmers the entire time. Do I need to set it on high first to get the foam to rise before setting it to low? I love the crockpot because I can leave it unattended.
- Taniko Kishimoto
  
  For my part, I start the broth in a stock pot. I get rid of the foam. If I am not going to be around, I transfer everything to the crock pot. If I am going to be around, I stick with the crock pot. I have also not seen foam in the crock pot, which is one reason I use this method. (I also just simply prefer my stock pot out of habit, but if I’m going to be gone, I feel the crock is safer.)
  - Taniko Kishimoto
    
    ER…. “ If I am going to be around, I stick with the crock pot.” WITH THE STOCK POT.
Annelie

Thank you for the great information!
http://twitter.com/balancedbites Balanced Bites

I thought I recalled from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook that she recommends removing the fat on stock since it’s been cooked for so long already. Thoughts on this?
- http://www.facebook.com/patrick.morvan1 Patrick Morvan
  
  there’s a clarification process possible to do that. This is what we do when we make Consommes.
- http://twitter.com/ComidaReal EvaMuerdeLaManzana
  
  I like to remove it as it’s been cooking for such a long time, I’m not sure if I want to eat that fat, also I don’t make the bone broth for the fat content (there is better stuff for that), rather for the mineral and gelatin content.
Elaine

I use my crockpot for bone broth, but only sporadically get a good supply of gelatin. I have watched the video on the “perfect simmer,” and it seems that the simmer I get from my stockpot is faster than what Sarah demonstrated in that video. I do like using the crockpot.
- Elaine
  
  Sorry, mistyped. I’m NOT using a stockpot at all. Only my crockpot — which gives me a faster roll than what Sarah demonstrated.
Michelle

Thank you for this great info. My 11 yr old son has just been diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. Because his “numbers” showed some signs of possible celiac disease a friend suggested I look into Leaky Gut Syndrome. I have no doubt his diet high in processed foods contributed to all of this. I will be making bone broth asap, wish I would have known about it sooner. I feel like a fool being duped all these years. I am so thankful for this entire summit. Thank you, thank you!!!
- Izzyksmom
  
  I just want to chime in and say YOU ARE NOT A FOOL! You were misled, misinformed, and lied to by the food industry, but it’s not your fault. The true fools are the people whose children are having these many and varied auto immune problems, who hear about GAPS and the like, and write it off as hippie nonsense (or whatever they say). My kids had severe food allergies, and I get how you feel because I felt the same way. But I fixed it, and they are fully healed. But when my husband’s cousin’s kids had the same problems and I suggested the things I did to heal my kids, I was written off as crazy. Instead she proceeded with the typical antibiotics, tonsil and adnoid removal, and ear tubes so many kids with chronic upper respiratory infections (the symptoms my kids had) get. And they STILL get sick all the time.
  - Cindy
    
    Thank you for your words of encouragement. Like Michelle, I also feel like a fool and grossly inadequate to be a parent (nutritionally speaking). My older kids are in their 20s now and my little are going to have a better chance because of what I am learning about nutrition (at almost 50 years old). My head was never ‘buried in the sand’, but I sure believed in a lot of bogus information. Many thanks for the presenters here who are helping me learn a better way – for life!
    - Heather
      
      Don’t beat yourself up – there so much misinformation out there and none of the quality info is mainstream – you sure have to hunt hard. At least you found it now!!!
Cara

Can you use a crockpot instead of a stockpot? It makes me a little nervous to leave my stove on for that long. Also, is this a continuous process or could you cook all day and then put in fridge and then continue cooking the next day? (if I didn’t want to leave my stove on all night?)
- http://twitter.com/AndrewPaleoGuy Andrew Trevors
  
  I use a crockpot all the time. Just put it on high until it boils then switch to low and let it simmer for 24-48 hours. I got the recipe off balancedbites.com
- http://twitter.com/Brookelorren Brooke Lorren
  
  I use the crockpot too. Last week, I made chicken in the crockpot, then I just added some water to the leftovers in the crockpot and cooked it on low for a day or so.
- Sharigrace
  
  I put my bones on Sunday morning in one of the small crockpots, and leave it on low ALL week long. We usually use up one full pot a day, either drinking it straight, or in soups, making rice, cooking veggies….. Even my Grandkids don’t know all the places I hid it!!!!
Marcie

Thank you so much for this presentation!

I live in a very small town. I have been driving an 1 1/2 to pick up free range organic chickens from Whole Foods.

I was hoping to roast the chicken and then use the carcass to make the broth. Will that work and do you have any other suggestions on where I can purchase better bones?
Rachel

I was vegan for spiritual reasons and I didn’t thrive. I have been eating raw food (green smoothies and soups) and animal protein because my naturopath insisted on this. I’m a vata in ayurvedic medicine and my skin, mouth, hair have all been getting drier on these diets. I got a cold a couple of weeks ago and I made chicken soup with the skin and bones in tact…what a difference. I think following Sara’s guidelines might be just what I need to achieve optimal health. Much love and gratitude!
Rachel

Is it possible to make bone broth with the meat connected to the broth…or are you supposed to cook the meat separate from the bones?
- Bb4wa
  
  With my bones that have meat, I roast them in the oven til brown, usually about 20-30 minutes. I then add them to the marrow bones that have been soaking in the pot with apple cider vinegar. The cooked meat gives it a richer taste, but you don’t have to roast it first.
Izzyksmom

FIRST I would like to say that while you said throw in any veggie, I strongly discourage people from using any crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc). They make for some nasty, stinky stock!

My questions:

Is it important to eat a variety of different types of bone stocks, or are the benefits pretty universal? We eat mostly chicken stock, should I change it up (for reasons other that flavor, that is!)?

Also, I read somewhere that you can break down the gelatin to a point where it will no longer gel if you cook it too long (not too hot, too long). I believe it was from The Nourished Kitchen on a post about continuous crock pot stock. She claims she doesn’t get a gel from crock pot stock, but it’s only because it has cooked too long and the health benefits are still all present.

Oh, and for those who use/want to use a crock pot- I stopped using mine even before this presentation because it was getting to hot even on low, and eventually the stock would get this weird off taste (and I would have stopped after this presentation otherwise…). Make sure your crock pot doesn’t get too hot- I know even the two I have cook at different enough temps I have to adjust cooking times depending on which one I use.

Anyway, really great presentation, and made me want to redouble my commitment to consuming stock every day!
Kslaart

Absolutely NO excuse for not eating healthy after listening to these presentations.
So thankful to Shawn and all the knowledgable presenters for making this info available.
Taniko Kishimoto

This is great. I have been doing bone broths and bone soups for ages, but in the last couple years have ratchetted up my involvement. I’ve used a bit of vinegar in the past because I LIKE the flavor, good to see it also has health enhancement qualities. At the moment, I have a bunch of duck bones waiting for cooler and less humid conditions, so I can make a good bone broth/soup etc. from them, when it is possible. I don’t have A/C and I am a fan of colder weather than your Florida. I agree with your recommendation to use bones and cartilage from the healthiest sources possible.
Elene Murray

When I make bone broth my husband think it stinks up the house! I turn on the vent fan but still the odor. When we do our butchering I just do a lot at once. Any suggestions?
Sewingtre

What about making bone broth in a crock pot?
Drlindhall

What about baking the bones first?
- Cdechon
  
  I do this only for beef. Keeps the stock from being “funky”. No problems with chicken or fish raw
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1241952645 Roseann Ligenza-Fisher

Thank you so much for this very informative presentation on the benefits of bone broth. My mom used to make stock all the time and used to tell me how nutritious the gelatin is. I will start making it more often now. The farmer where we buy our grass fed meats and dairy, also sells bones and they’re very inexpensive. Makes me wonder how anyone could say they can’t afford healthy food.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cate-Shanahan/741452310 Cate Shanahan

Just a couple finer chemistry points so we don’t confuse people about the benefits of broth. In the context of broth, the glutamate is not going to cause health problems. Making broth releases free glutamate by a hydrolysis process. Denaturing is a protein issue, amino acids can’t be denatured–technically.
Extremely fascinating presentation. Thanks Sean and Sarah!
- Matt
  
  Thanks for pointing out the correct science on the subject!
  - piperdwn
    
    Folks might be a little more open to your point of view Matt if you weren’t so rude in how you present it. And really…snopes as a reference? Who’s being irresponsible now?
http://primaltoad.com/ Todd Dosenberry

I’ve tried to make gelatin rich bone broth before and as far as I know there was no gelatin. But, we used it all right away. Did not store it in the fridge. I guess I will have to do this next time!

And next time I make it I might just let it simmer for a full 24 hours or more.

Great presentation. I learned a lot and will definitely be making bone broth much more frequently.
Matt

I think there’s some nuggets of truth in here, but there’s also nuggets of … Cooked food is more difficult to digest than raw? Really? That’s wrong, just plain wrong.
The MSG fear-mongering… meh. The microwave bashing? Hello,
anti-science hoodoo… boiling on the stove is just as denaturing as microwaving. Microwaving is just efficient heating.
- Lisa Mazzuca
  
  Well, regarding raw vs. cooked and digestion, it’s true that cooking some foods at high heat will kill enzymes that may aid the digestive process. In the case of some foods like legumes, cooking them thoroughly will make digestion easier. I think it depends on the food.
- http://www.facebook.com/marcia.woolf.7 Marcia Woolf
  
  If you have migraines triggered by MSG, you need to know when it’s present. Microwaving is not as easy to control as stovetop. Not hoodoo, rather sound advice.
  - Matt
    
    “While many people believe that monosodium glutamate
    (MSG) is the cause of these symptoms, an association has never been
    demonstrated under rigorously controlled conditions, even in studies
    with people who were convinced that they were sensitive to the compound.
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid_%28flavor%29#Safety_as_a_flavor_enhancer
- Ttattxfitness
  
  I have a presentation made by a grade school girl doing a science project using filtered tap water, and water that has been microwaved. She split a plant and watered them with the two controls… Within 9 days, the plant that was watered with the microwaved water, it was DEAD… You may think it’s convenient, but your really just being ignorant. If you would like to see the presentation, send me your email address and I will gladly share this with you!
  - http://www.facebook.com/cassie.bond.3557 Cassie Bond
    
    I sure would love that presentation. My email is bondcassie@gmail.com if you would be so kind.
    Cassie
  - Matt
    
    Sorry, that’s an urban legend: http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp
    
    It’s understandable that lay people might get things wrong, but somebody posing as an expert, it’s irresponsible.
http://www.facebook.com/jaemi Jamie Ann

Don’t throw out the bones! if they’re soft enough, grind it up and eat it! I crack open the long bones in chicken and eat the marrow.
Utzterrehaute

Thank you Sarah! Your blog is one of the first resources I turn to when I have a question.

Jen
Lewisjoa

Excellent presentation! I love homemade stocks and was wondering about a couple of things. One, you mentioned that broth has to be simmered low to extract maximum nutrients and you could not cook it too high, yet later you mentioned a possible fix for a too dilute stock was to simmer it to reduce it. In the interests of saving freezer space, could you reduce your broths down, almost making a demiglace, then freeze the broths in like ice cube trays, sort of your own homemade bouillon cubes? Would the extra cooking harm the nutrients, forming the MSG you warn against? Second, what are good types of bones to use? A local free range poultry supplier sold me some frozen chicken legs, telling me they made great broth. I haven’t got ton around to trying them yet. Lastly, lots of recipes call for browning the bones prior to adding the water for the stock-they say it will enhance the final flavor.
Comments?
Barbara

Wouldn’t cooking for such a long time oxidise the fat?

When I simmer chicken bones I do not get that much fat but
with beef I tend to have some fat which I remove because of the fear that it
oxidised. I would rather not remove it but rancid fat is really bad or you.
adyia

Can you make good bone broth in a slow cooker?
Great presentation, thanks tons!
Molly

Excited to make my own broth !! Thanks so much Sean and Sarah! This will be a huge part of my healing, I suspect. Best wishes.
On_the_way_2005

bone broth is good for pets too.
Sandy

What about using a pressure cooker? My Mom always used this to make soups and stews.
Rj

There are those that charge a lot of money for information Sarah shares for free on westonaprice.org and on her website. I have learned so much from her! Thank you Sarah
shawna

I grew up with a mother and grandmothers constantly serving Jell-O. Is it okay to supplement a diet with ample supply of bone broths with a sugar-laden gelatin? I guess my question is: does the gelatin benefit outweigh the effect of sugar in juice-prepared box gelatins?
- Heather
  
  We make our own – I can’t find the recipe on line now (It was GAPS gummies or something like that), but just use a little boiling water, some Bernard Jansen gelatin, a little honey and whatever. We’ve done cinnamon ones and everyone likes them, I am going to try it with juice sometime (from the juicer).
Virginia

If boiling too much is bad for the stock then what about boiling it down to make gravy? Is it bad only when the bones are still present?
Chellysnow

Thank you Sarah!
Kris

When animals are so poorly raised with chemicals, poor quality feed, etc. would the bones be healthy to eat?
Kris

OOOps, I meant, would the bones from these stock yard cattle which would be the typical bones from the typical butcher shop be so wonderful to make bone broth from?
Renni_G

Sarah, I think you should contact the ‘bridal-registry type’ stores ie Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Macy*s and have them advertise on your website. You gave stockpots as bridal gifts a huge boost to the ‘spending-stimulus-plan’. You deserve a commission. Now to figure out 4-50 hours of low simmer. . . .
Pingback: Real Food Summit – You can still watch days 1 & 2 | Andrea the Gastronaut
Rachaelmkeith

Is there ANY way to download these talks? It’s going to be hard to have 1.5 hours per day to listen to 9 days of discussions! I’m trying – but since the information is so dense, would also be nice to be able to refer back to. Anyone?
Faye Lam-Weickert

Lots of good info. Thank you, Sean, for putting this together! Not sure about some of the points about MSG and denatured proteins from microwaving… will have to research those further.

I used to make my bone broth in a crock pot, but that was before I invested in an electric pressure cooker. I LOVE it! I freeze the carcasses and wings, when I roast chicken, and use two at a time to make my broths. No defrosting necessary; straight into the pot, and cover with water. Sometimes I’ll use fresh chicken necks, if I’m out of frozen bones. Either way, I have perfect broth that gels so thick you can stand on it, in less than 90 mins.