Whether beef or chicken, we’re big fans of a good bone broth here at SoLé Soups and for good reason. In a bowl or a travel mug while you’re on the go, bone broth is an easy and comforting soup that can be enjoyed anywhere and at any time. Often confused with stock, bone broth is something entirely its own with all sorts of hidden health benefits that you might not know about.
Bone Broth Versus Stock
While bone broth and stock might look alike, they’re actually quite different. To prepare a stock, one would take roasted bones (or shells, like in seafood stocks) and simmer for a couple of hours alongside aromatic vegetables, herbs, and spices. Often simmered in a stock will be carrots, celery, and onion. As the roasted bones simmer, they release gelatin to provide that rich and hearty flavor that gives so much to the dishes the stocks are used in.
Bone broth is made a bit differently. In a bone broth, you use roasted bones and tissues alongside any herbs, vegetables, or spices you may wish to add, but you really ramp up that simmering time. Bone broths are prepared low and slow, cooking at a lower temperature for a time of about 24 to 48 hours, rather than the couple of hours needed to create a stock. Preparing the bone broth in this way allows more gelatin to be extracted, alongside calcium, collagen, and glucosamine.
Why Is Bone Broth So Nutritious?
While it might look just like a semi-clear broth, looks can be deceiving. For a simple looking soup, bone broth is absolutely packed with beneficial nutrients and rich flavor. Some of the benefits of enjoying bone broth soup are:
- Rich in necessary minerals – Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus can all be found in bone broth; 3 minerals that many lack in their everyday meals. With the ease in taking bone broth on the go, it makes it simpler than ever to give the body what it really needs throughout the day.
- Helpful for digestion – For those who tend to experience digestive upset, bone broth soup is an easy meal rich in glutamine that makes the stomach happy. In a 2017 study in the journal Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, it was found that glutamine may help to promote healing in the intestinal barrier in both humans and animals.
- Could promote better sleep – Bone broth is also rich in amino acids, including the amino acid glycine. Glycine is considered to be a safe therapeutic option for promoting better sleep.
Our SoLé Soups Studio has both beef and chicken bone broth soups perfect for enjoying warm and cozy at home or while on the go!