Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
One of the main reasons to learn how to make bone broth as a base for homemade soups and sauces is to supply hydrophilic colloids to the diet. This opens up the door to obtaining the numerous benefits of gelatin to health.
The hydrophilic nature of the gelatin in homemade meat broths has the unusual property of attracting digestive juices to itself. This is in the same manner as raw foods.
There is an extensive amount of research on gelatin benefits in the diet. Gelatin obviously aids digestion by rendering digestive juices more effective by attracting them to itself. It also has been found successful in treating digestive disorders such as IBS, colitis, and even Crohn’s disease.
Anemia and other blood disorders respond in healing fashion to gelatin in the diet. Interestingly, the first known reference to gelatin is from 204 AD. Chinese writings of that time describe gelatin as an agent to arrest bleeding or hemorrhage.
Benefits of Gelatin as a Home Remedy
Homemade stock is indispensable when a stomach flu makes its way around a household. It can slow and stop diarrhea when small amounts are consumed every few minutes.
In addition to stopping the runs, gelatin assists in neutralizing whatever intestinal poison is causing the problem. Unlike anti-diarrhea medicine from the pharmacy which only masks symptoms, gelatin goes to the root of the problem and facilitates healing.
Households where gelatinous broths, soups, and sauces are frequently consumed often get passed by when a stomach bug is making the rounds. Time spent in the kitchen preparing this age old remedy will be repaid many times over with fewer sleepless nights from ill children. No doubt fewer visits to the doctor and ER too.
How to Enjoy More Gelatin Benefits
A frequent question from folks new to Traditional Cooking who are enthusiastically seeking the benefits of gelatin to health, is “how do I get my stock to gel?” What does this mean? A successful batch of homemade bone broth turns into a jelly like substance in the refrigerator. This is due to the gelatin solidifying into a semi-solid state as it cools.
The #1 most common reason for stock that does not gel in the refrigerator is too much water was used to make the stock.
The amount of filtered water should just cover the bones. As the water boils off, feel free to add more water as the stock simmers for the required 4- 24 hours (or up to 72 hours if making beef stock), but only ever add enough additional water to cover the bones.
Stock can always be boiled down on the stove if too much water was inadvertently used. You can even boil it way down to a very concentrated, syrupy, reduction sauce, known as fumee, and then reconstitute with water when you are ready to use it.
Get More Gelatin in Your Stock
Is your stock is already gelling nicely but you want even more gelatin in the final product? Then be sure to ask your local poultry farmer for the heads and feet from your pastured chickens. They add loads of nutritious and healing gelatin to stock.
Another tip is to scald the feet in boiling water to remove the skin before placing them in the stockpot. This will allow even more gelatin to get into your stock.
One final tip is to always start with cold water. Let the bones sit in the water with the bit of vinegar for 30 minutes to an hour before turning on the heat. This allows the fibers of bones and cartilage to open slowly. When this occurs, the maximum amount of flavorful juices and gelatin are released.
Gelatin FAQ
The Reason You Need More Gelatin in Your Diet
Gelatin and Collagen Hydrolysate: What’s the Difference?
Hydrolyzed Collagen Benefits
5 Reasons Your Stock Won’t Gel
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: Gelatin in Nutrition and Medicine, Gotthoffer
I’ve been considering investing in a pressure cooker and wondered if pressure cooking stock reduces any of the positive benefits? It would be so much more convenient for me to have canned stock then remember to thaw it ahead of time.
Nourishing Traditions advises against a pressure cooker as it cooks foods too quickly at too high a temp.
So how do they propose canning food or don’t they? You’re supposed to use a pressure canner for certain foods.
Canned foods are not recommended as the canning process destroys most nutrients. Lactofermentation is the preferred method for preservation. Please check out my video classes at the top of the blog (pulldown menu for topics). I have over 20 videos on how to lactoferment various foods and beverages.
For those concerned about how much energy it takes on the stove…you could try using a crockpot. I use mine and if I put in enough bones and not too much water it gels. I also freeze my bones, guts, veggies scraps, etc. until I have enough to fill the crockpot. I then, add a little vinegar, and let it cook on low over night or longer. Just a thought 🙂
My stocks rarely gel as well. Regardless of the type of chicken I use. I am probably also guilty of too much water – trying to get as much stock as I can for my money 🙂 Next batch I will try to use just enough water. Thanks for the tips! I’ve been making stock for 3-4 years now.
The Wonders of Gelatin (and How to Get More in Your Stock) – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/vsaRXFu
I guess I used too much water last time. Thanks for the great article. I reposted it on my wall for my friends along with a few tips about getting ahead of the flu season.
Oh I forgot, I’m using feet for the first time. Can’t wait to see how much gelatin I get.
Making chicken stock today. That rooster will not be attacking my kids again 😉 We had a wonderful roasted rooster last night for dinner…so good!
Love it!
I have a question about chicken heads… do you just add them feathers, eyes and all?
Marianne
Citrus Co
The chickens I get are plucked but yes the eyeballs are still there! 🙂
Your statement that the gelatin helps with hemorraging jumped out at me as I’ve kept my eye out for foods that address this issue. All of my 4 births ended with a mini-crisis of hemorrage (none needing transferral to the hospital, but my midwife did inject me with something on 3 of the births.) Unfortunately, none of the pregnancies on a real food diet, and I’m confident in any subsequent pregnancies, excessive bleeding will not be a problem.
Also, people have told me that they simmer until the bones get mushy- maybe I’m a miser, but how economical is it to leave the stovetop on for days? I only go about 24 hours. I still get gelatinous broth (though this article cleared up why sometimes I didn’t). And I don’t have a crockpot.
That’s why I use a pressure cooker 🙂 I prefer having my stove on for 3 hours instead of 24 or more. I know some people who just keep a crock pot going or a pot simmering on the stove. It’s too hot in the summer and I can only imagine what cost that might incur.
Rachel, from what I understand, pressure cookers, for all their convenience, produce too high a heat and can damage nutrients and oxidize the fats, creating damaging free radicals. Best to use gentler cooking methods. As for summertime simmering, I use my Nesco roaster oven on the back porch or in the basement when it’s too hot in the kitchen for making broth.
Pressure cookers shorten cooking times and preserve cooking liquid. Everything I’m finding says that they are better for nutrient retention and digestibility than slow cookers, and personal experience says the taste is far superior.
The increase in temperature is not enough to outweigh the problem of cooking something for 8-12 hours.
I’m not sure what oxidizing the cholesterol is but coconut oil can help balance your cholesterol out. I cook nearly everything in it and for those who like butter I feel it imparts a buttery flavor…I really notice it because I don’t like my veggies buttery. 😉