Vegetarian considering bone broth- is it worth it?

[Chloe'sMama]

I have been an ethical vegetarian for over 10 years, although, I have started taking CLO in the last 6 months.

I am considering making bone broth for my family, but only if the health benefits are very great. I really want to raise DD vegetarian. DH and I were vegan for 5 years and had fertility issues. When we added dairy and eggs and cut back on the soy, we got pregnant within a year. So, I understand that some things make a huge difference.

Bone broth, worth it????

[FairyRae]

YES!!! Anything you can add in, IMO, is worth it!

http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html

Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

http://realfoodforhealthandpleasure....-benefits.html

What’s in real bone broth?

Calcium
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Potassium
Sulfate
Fluoride
Collagen
Chondroitin sulfate
Hyaluronic acid
Glycine
more…

The amount and types of substances in your bone broth will depend partly on the types of bone you use. Bone marrow and cartilage provide the most beneficial ingredients.

Bone broth is good for

Joint health
Asthma
Cancer patients
Immune system
Cold, flu, sore throat
Digestive problems, including inflammatory bowel disease
Many other health conditions

http://nourishedkitchen.com/the-benefits-of-bone-broth/

Homemade broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. The minerals in broth are easily absorbed by the body. Bone broth even contains glucosamine and chondroiton – which are thought to help mitigate the deletorious effects of arthritis and joint pain. Rather than shelling out big bucks for glucosamine-chondroitin and mineral supplements, just make bone broth and other nutritive foods a part of your regular diet.

Further, homemade bone broths are often rich in gelatin. Gelatin is an inexpensive source of supplementary protein. Gelatin also shows promise in the fight against degenerative joint disease. It helps to support the connective tissue in your body and also helps the fingernails and hair to grow well and strong.

http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache...&client=safari
http://northdenvernews.com/content/view/227/2/
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/0...urkey-etc.html


I was vegetarian for 12 years. I feel profoundly different and healthier eating a TF, gluten free (and dairy, soy and corn free) diet. Adding in bone broth, CLO, eggs and various meats has impacted my health enormously in a positive manner, and I would recommend them all to anyone who asked.

Bone broth is very rich in minerals and lots of other good stuff. Almost a super food, along w/ fermented foods and others...I think it is absolutely worth it.

Sort of off topic, but have you seen http://greensmoothiegirl.com? She does vegetarianism from a pretty TF standpoint--you may find some helpful ideas there as well that fit w/ your ethics...

Good luck figuring out what is best for you and your family!

ETA: Another animal food you *may* want to consider is liver--hugely nutritious! You can buy it in capsule form here.

[Holiztic]

Well, this is severely anecdotal, but we were doing a very good job of TF (just no organs, short of CLO) but were STILL getting 6+ colds a year since DS was born. Full week long miserable colds with all the symptoms! We could not figure out what was wrong. No other illnesses, even when exposed. Just those darned colds! Always Fall and Spring (Sep-Nov and Mar-May). It was starting again this year with a doozy in mid Sept. and then 2 weeks later we all woke up feeling the beginning of another one. To stave off that one we took turmeric every 2 hours (in honey). It worked! Then in a desperate attempt to prevent the next one (or 3!) I made this change:

We switched from milk (raw, organic, grass-fed, whole, local--the good stuff) to bone broth. We still do a little yogurt and cottage cheese, and lots of butter. But no big glasses of milk like we used to.

This accomplished 2 things: less mucous formation (so we're less hospitable to bugs) AND all the benefits from the bone broth listed above (nice job FairyRae!).

For 5 weeks now we've had a little congestion here and there from the temperature change--mostly upon waking, but nothing coming anywhere near a cold. This time last year or in the spring we'd have had at least 2 colds.

I actually have a pot on right now with feet, wings, and heads!

[FairyRae]

Wow Holiztic! Sounds like you all might have some dairy sensitivity issues. Each time I've trialed dairy w/ my son (except ghee) he's gotten a runny nose and week long cold. I've been reading a lot about the GAPS and SCD diets lately, and I'm really starting to believe that by using healing foods *like bone broth* (among other things) we may be able to, someday, reintroduce dairy (cultured and raw is what I'm thinking about...)

Glad to hear you've all been healthier! I know that since starting using bone broth, fermented veggies, CLO and liver, coconut oil, along w/ green smoothies, we have not.gotten.sick.at.all. It's been amazing! It's been a/b 1/2 a year, and my son who used to get a cold probably 1x a month has not been sick at all...(We have been off of his allergy/sensitivity foods for a/b a year and a half now and saw lots of improvement, but not a total health makeover like we have now! I love TF!!!)

Food is amazing!!!

[sisteeesmama]

count me in the group of former vegetarians who LOVE the results of going TF!

I LOVE BONE BROTH!

And I make it in the crockpot and its so easy I feel like I am cheating a little bit.

I say do it.
do it do it do it!

I think you already know the answer since you made those changes when you were trying to pregnant and had results like you did.
I hope it starts with bone broth and moves from there to other changes, too.

And you can get very humanely treated birds from farmers across this country who live happy healthy lives and then nourish you to boot. What could be wrong with that?

[CageFreeFamily]

For us the benefits are so great that life with it, and life without it, are simply not the same.

One simple example is that I had two pregnancies plagued with such severe nausea, vomiting and vertigo that I wound up in the hospital several times. It lasted the whole length of both pregnancies.
With the third DH decided that I would go on a bone broth diet for two weeks and have at least one bowl of bone broth soup each day in the 4 weeks following. The severe illness subsided then disappeared and never returned.

We also have no more than one illness each year and it is usually around the time that we fall off the wagon and have a weekend of eating in town
Though we know the strength of our bodies so well now that we can tell days in advance when a cold is coming and head it off with a few doses of bone broth. If we can't stop it entirely we usually succeed in keeping it down to a day or two of sniffles and reduced energy.

Yeah, bone broth is the good stuff.

[velcromom]

I consider it in the top 3 must-do TF concepts, along with CLO. Here's some research on bone broth for you to consider -
http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMar.../broth0205.htm

and more comments from people who have used bone broth -
http://www.pecanbread.com/new/brothinfo.html

[Holiztic]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Wow Holiztic! Sounds like you all might have some dairy sensitivity issues. Each time I've trialed dairy w/ my son (except ghee) he's gotten a runny nose and week long cold. I've been reading a lot about the GAPS and SCD diets lately, and I'm really starting to believe that by using healing foods *like bone broth* (among other things) we may be able to, someday, reintroduce dairy (cultured and raw is what I'm thinking about...)

Glad to hear you've all been healthier! I know that since starting using bone broth, fermented veggies, CLO and liver, coconut oil, along w/ green smoothies, we have not.gotten.sick.at.all. It's been amazing! It's been a/b 1/2 a year, and my son who used to get a cold probably 1x a month has not been sick at all...(We have been off of his allergy/sensitivity foods for a/b a year and a half now and saw lots of improvement, but not a total health makeover like we have now! I love TF!!!)

Food is amazing!!!

Yeah, I just don't know. I had lactose issues with pasteurized, homogenized, low fat milk (shocker, huh?!) Same with cheese. Not sure about yogurt as I didn't like it growing up. But I ONLY had these problems when I was dairy free or light for a while. Reintroducing gave me bloating, severe intestinal discomfort, and major diarrhea. But if I had some every day or so, I was "fine" (meaning I didn't *notice* anything.)

I though the switch to TF and real milk was the answer. For years I thought so. But then I started noticing when I'd have more than 8 ounces of fresh milk I'd have gas (but thankfully not the other stuff!) I was getting dairy everyday for years with no overt issues, until we started this experiment for cold prevention. After 3 or so weeks of very little dairy, now if I have a moderate serving of cheese or fresh milk--gas AND some mild intestinal issues. Small amounts of goat milk seem okay. Kefir and yogurt are totally fine (great even).

DS showed no problems with dairy in the usual sense (intestinal, allergy, skin, etc) And the cold thing was only an issue 4 months of the year (not even the winter).

I am reading up on Ayurvedic eating and seeing that even for those that do fine with dairy, the wetter months (spring and fall) are TERRIBLE times for dairy consumption in terms of mucous production, esp. when the milk is cold and especially in kids.

So we are playing it safe. Only raw cultured dairy, ideally at room temp (if I can remember to take it out of the fridge in time!) and only a small amount a day.

And to show I am not hijacking this thread.....

AND LOTS OF BONE BROTH!!!!!!!!!

I just mentioned to DH the last day any of us (DH, DS or myself) went even a day without bone broth was a month ago!!!!!!!!!!!! I made a stockpot full yesterday and there's another on right now! I am making about 9 quarts a week (and not even freezing any!)

[AnoriensMom]

Piping up as a former vegetarian who switched to TF.

That first batch of chicken broth was so hard. But I had read so many beneficial things about it that I had to try it.

I actually talked to the chicken (and still do every time I make broth) and thanked it for all the goodness it would be supplying for my family.

It has been so worth it!! No illness yet here either!

[weliveintheforest]

I was a vegetarian for a long time and the first things I added were fish oil and chicken broth. I really think the nutritional benefits are worth it.

[herenow2]

I have been struggling with this exact same thing. I want to incorporate it into my family's diet, but I can't imagine myself ACTUALLY making it, having been a vegetarian for almost twenty years. I started eating fish a few years ago, but am oddly squeamish about it all and really only eat it when someone else makes it. I don't suppose there is a way to just buy it somewhere and have someone else do the dirty work .

[AnoriensMom]

Originally Posted by herenow2

I don't suppose there is a way to just buy it somewhere and have someone else do the dirty work .

That would be great if you lived near me and I could sell you some. I would love to make a few extra bucks doing something I am interested in!!!

But seriously, you should check with some local farmers, like on eatwild.com or through the WAPF website or local chapters. I have found that the ones that sell chickens also make and sell their own broth, along with other TF items.

HTH

[herenow2]

Originally Posted by AnoriensMom

That would be great if you lived near me and I could sell you some. I would love to make a few extra bucks doing something I am interested in!!!

But seriously, you should check with some local farmers, like on eatwild.com or through the WAPF website or local chapters. I have found that the ones that sell chickens also make and sell their own broth, along with other TF items.

HTH

Great idea! I always balk at the "homemade" part. I will definitely check with local farmers. Thanks!

[FairyRae]

I believe you can buy it on US Wellness Meats.

But once you get the hang of it, it's not *that* bad.

You could also connect w/ your local Weston Price chapter--maybe some other local folks from there would be willing to make it for some money as well.

[Holiztic]

I was buying my chicken broth, not from squeemishness, though I was a very "ethical" veg*n for years. I bought it from the same farmer that I get my raw milk, eggs, etc. The farmer's wife makes it. It was so good, super gelatinous. But it was $10 a quart!! We used one quart every 2 weeks. Sad!

I finally bit the bullet and started getting chicken backs, wings, feet, and heads and making it myself. Its pretty gelatinous and very tasty. I figured it costs me about between $2 and $3 a quart! Now that's a huge savings. Can't believe I bought it all that time.

On a side note (well, not really), when I went back to eating meat, I decided I was going to be as honest as I could be. I thought the worst thing I could do was force myself to eat animals but hide from it--it wasn't natural and it wasn't fair to the animals that lost their lives so that I may eat. It is that view that allows me to look in the eyes (literally--chicken heads in my broth) of a chicken and say "thank you".

I also HIGHLY recommend "The Vegetarian Myth" by Lierre Keith to those of you struggling with the ethical (or any really) side of eating meat.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by Holiztic

On a side note (well, not really), when I went back to eating meat, I decided I was going to be as honest as I could be. I thought the worst thing I could do was force myself to eat animals but hide from it--it wasn't natural and it wasn't fair to the animals that lost their lives so that I may eat.

I think you said this so eloquently, and I honestly think this is a huge part of where this (rather new) feeling of connection to my food comes from. Buying at the farmers market straight from farmers or cooking a whole chicken from scratch (I've not done the heads, but have used lots of feet in broth) just *feels* more honest than my old boxed organic foods or even Taco Bell vegetarian days. (I was really a carb heavy, not so healthy vegetarian!) And I still buy meat from the grocery store and produce (at times--it's cheaper at our amazing farmer's market so I try to get it all there) but I do feel this amazing connection to what we are eating, what I am preparing now, a gratitude I had not known before.

Originally Posted by Holiztic

It is that view that allows me to look in the eyes (literally--chicken heads in my broth)

Ok, this just had me

[herenow2]

Yep, it's 25 bucks plus shipping for 2.4 pounds from U.S. Wellness Meats. I think I'll start with that. The price, I'm sure, will quickly get me over any reservations I may have, and I'll be saying "thank you" to the chickens directly someday too .

I know you all are right on the honesty and resulting gratitude of being more directly in touch with our food sources and all the sacrifice that went into it. I guess growing up in the suburbs eating t.v. dinners has made this more of a leap for me. I'm working on it though .

[gardenmommy]

Holiztic, I have been wondering about the chicken feet and whatnot in the broth. Do you just throw it all in the pot to simmer together? Somehow, the idea of dirty feet in my broth isn't very appetizing! I do make broth, and love it, but not with the feet.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by herenow2

I know you all are right on the honesty and resulting gratitude of being more directly in touch with our food sources and all the sacrifice that went into it. I guess growing up in the suburbs eating t.v. dinners has made this more of a leap for me. I'm working on it though .

Oh, we each have our own path, and I KNOW I've been in a place where the idea of eating bone broth, let alone making it, was repulsive to me--something I thought I could/would NEVER do. (I also thought I could NOT cook meat myself--and really only did it out of necessity--my son's food intolerances didn't allow him to eat food that I didn't prepare at home--were it not for this I probably would have never looked twice into TF practices...)

Anyways, it took me about 10 months after first learning about WAPF and traditional nutrition to really look into it and slowly let go of my belief that vegetarianism was the healthiest lifestyle and what human beings were *meant* to eat. It's a really tough transition to make! Woo hoo to you for considering adding bone broth to your diet!!! I think this kind of stuff really snowballs once you get started, but the way to implement it all and really stick w/ it (IME) is to take it one step at a time!!!!

[Holiztic]

Originally Posted by gardenmommy

Holiztic, I have been wondering about the chicken feet and whatnot in the broth. Do you just throw it all in the pot to simmer together? Somehow, the idea of dirty feet in my broth isn't very appetizing! I do make broth, and love it, but not with the feet.

Well, the feet don't seem any dirtier to me than the rest of the chicken! And it is simmering for 8+ hours! But you could certainly rinse them or something. Hadn't occurred to me, honestly!

Oh, and yes, I just put it all in the pot together.