For months my nutritionist, doctor and others have been extoling the therapeutic benefits of bone broth to me for my Hashimotos.  It is full of minerals, gelatin and amino acids (most notably glycine and proline) that can help cure the common cold and support the healing of damage done to our bodies over time.  But, somehow I was too lazy to make it for about a year!!!! Before we get to my broth making, let’s look at the benefits quickly.

According to Dr. Jolene Brighten, Functional Medicine Naturopathic Medical Doctor and the founder and CEO of Rubus Health, “Leaky gut and systemic inflammation are closely associated with autoimmune conditions across the board. And it’s well known that protein deficiency suppresses the immune response and increases susceptibility to infection. So, there are a couple of reasons your natural or functional health practitioner might recommend a high-quality bone broth.

1. High levels of dietary glycine may help with modulating the immune system and reducing inflammation, which helps you to heal from infection and/or disease.
2. Glycine plays an important role in digestive health by helping to regulate the synthesis of bile salts and the secretion of gastric acid.
3. Glycine is involved in the production of glutathione, one of the body’s most important antioxidants that helps to reduce oxidative stress.
4. Glycine promotes better sleep, mental clarity, improves mood, boosts memory, and helps to reduce stress.
5. Proline helps the body to break down proteins for use in the body.
6. Amino acids in bone broth are very easily assimilated by the body, making them perfect for those who may be on a journey of healing their gut.
7. Drinking bone broth counts toward your daily liquid consumption and helps you stay hydrated, which is essential for kidney health and helps keep digestion regular.”

Read more about benefits on bone broth

So back to making, this miracle broth. I had been fighting getting yet another utensil for my kitchen, and attempted to make broth on my stovetop. Well, not only did it make me nervous to have my gas stove on for 24-48 hours, but the result was less than tasty using lamb bones.

So, enter the crock pot … I finally did it. I must admit that my investment in this gadget has been totally worth it. I decided on a 4.5 litre crock pot – which is not a giant pot to store, but large enough to make two large containers of broth or about 8-10 mugs of broth.

Anyway, the most exciting thing is,

it takes 5 minutes to prepare.

a few minutes to stir during the cooking and,

5 minutes to strain and store.

I choose chicken bones now, as the taste is less pungent than lamb or beef. Just go to your butcher and ask them for chicken bones … anything goes legs, wings, beast, feet. Most of the time, they won’t even charge you for them.

The rest of the ingredients are super simple, and you probably have most at home already.  I used Dr Josh Ax’s recipe as a base and then added a few more ingredients. This recipe fits into a 4.5 litre slow cocker. You can easily double it for a larger pot.

I was amazed by the taste of this broth! 10 times better and more filling than a store-bought version. Play with the amount of cider vinegar; it makes a huge difference, so that you get the right balance for your taste.

Enjoy!