Higher Collagen Bone Broth
Back in the beginning of February, I did two blogs on stocks and broth. The first blog explain the differences between a broth, stock, consommé, and bone broth. If you would like to read that blog you can find it here.
The second blog was a recipe for making bone broth or stock that is more nutritious. You can find that blog here. In that blog, I listed two ingredients that you normally don’t find when you make ordinary stock or broth. These two items make this stock or bone broth more nutritious than when it is made in the standard way. Those two ingredients are chicken feet and apple cider vinegar.
Today I want to show you some pictures of bone broth that I made with and without chicken feet. Other than the chicken feet the broth was made exactly the same. And when I say exactly, I mean exactly because I measure everything by weight.
This first video is bone broth that is made without the chicken feet but with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar pulls nutrients out of the bones and deposits those nutrients into the stock or “bone broth.” I want you to notice as I’m pouring the broth out of the ladle that it is thin like water would be. This broth was cold, right from the refrigerator.
This second video is the same recipe with the addition of the chicken feet. I want you to notice that this broth when it is cold is like jello. The more feet you add the more jellied the broth becomes. I tend to use one chicken foot for each pound of bones. If you added 2 per pound the gelatin properties would be thicker.
Bone broth made with chicken feet
The reason it is so important to add the chicken feet and to have this gelatin property is that the gelatin contains collagen¹ and it is the collagen that has the healing properties not only for your joints, your skin, your hair, and your nails, but also to heal the lining of your gut². We hear so much today about all sorts of diseases and sicknesses that are traced back to gut issues. It is my understanding that the type of collagen that makes this stock gelatinous is collagen type 2. It is particular to chicken³. And apparently, from what I’ve read from trusted sources, it is the most healing form of collagen. Most collagen products that you buy in powdered form and in supplements are type 1 and 3, not type 2.
When healing your gut it is recommended that you have only bone broth at least once a day if not more. In fact one of the protocols that I read said that you should start with a bone broth fast, having only bone broth or bone broth and eggs or maybe you cooked spinach in it only for 3 to 7 days. The bone broth is continued even after you start adding other foods back to your diet. In fact, it is recommended daily for everyone not just until you feel better, but for life.
I hope this visual has helped you understand the importance of adding those chicken feet. If you don’t know where to buy them, I would try at a Mexican grocery. That is the easiest place to find chicken feet. At my Oriental Grocery, I can get duck feet but not chicken feet. There has not been any research that I’ve read on duck feet only on chicken feet so that’s what I’m staying with. After my original bone broth blog posted and also telling locals where to get the bones, my purveyor now carries the feet! Previously I had to get the bones one place and go to a Mexican grocery (not real close) to get the feet. Now I can get them at the same place.
¹ Collagen is the protein found in connective tissue of vertebrate animals. It’s abundant in bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. The breakdown of collagen in bone broths is what produces gelatin.
² Per Dr. Josh Axe, “Final Thoughts on Bone Broth Benefits. Remember, bone broth is rich in minerals that support the immune system and contains healing compounds like collagen, glutamine, glycine and proline. The collagen in bone broth heals your gut lining and reduces intestinal inflammation.”
³ Chicken Collagen Benefits & Collagen Sources in Food – Dr. Axe https://draxe.com/chicken-collagen/
There are many sources for good information on bone broth. Some medical sites have called it modern snake oil, but it is a tried and true ancient remedy. I myself have seen healing in my gut from using it, so I will go by what history in addition to my experience tell me.
