ANCESTRAL WISDOM
Over the course of the last 5 (+) years Bone Broths have created quite the hype in the health & nutrition world. Obviously, there are always critics, specifically the ones convinced that eliminating meat from our diets after millions of years of consumption is a “good” idea.
When considering primitive cultures & ancestral wisdom, when people did not have the ability to easily store food or have mass production like we have created over the last 150 years, they had to utilize everything from the animal they hunted or raised. How did they do this??? One way they would do this in hotter climates would be to smoke the animal carcass for weeks / even months to ward of pest and just eat at their convenience. All they needed to do was constantly feed the fire. I actually experienced this staying with a Quechua tribe out in the Amazon. Once they got to the bones of the animal they would then simmer them in water over a low fire while constantly adding new water to the pot. At times they would just pull what they needed to either drink or cook with. Their broths would actually simmer for weeks and even months until the bones broke down to nothing. This was their mineral and vitamin supplements that we now get packaged in convenient gel caps. Our 24-hour bone broths are actually a shorter period of time but gives us the ample nutrition we are looking for in a face paced & over populated environment.
Hunted Tapir steadily Smoked for 6 weeks time in the Amazon (preservation)
CRITICAL NOTE: The fact that people preach about things surrounding food because it suits their particular mission, without any background in anthropology, agriculture, or sustainability, is steadily becoming a nuisance to society and the nutritional world. I really wish they would stop, but money talks!
HEALTH BENEFITS
People think that Bone Broths are a great source of ample protein, but they are not. They are instead a complete protein, containing all 22 amino acids necessary for full bioavailability of mineral and vitamin absorption. Yes, the vitamins and minerals they contain are in abundance but it’s these protein amino acid chains that make them the power house food that they are. And in this land of overconsumption, we should very well be more focused on the quality of calories consumed versus the quantity of calories consumed for optimal health and performance. They may have less protein, but the protein that is available is unsurpassed by any other food in the market.
They are also rich in gelatin and collagen (made up of essential amino acids like glycine, proline, & lysine) which are two important contributors for gut health, for preserving muscle mass, protecting bones and joints, restoring cellular oxidation for skin and hair, and can even aid in a great night’s sleep. The amino acids they have in their protein chains help to balance out a modern diet way too high in methionine rich foods. Equal parts of amino acids are just as crucial as equal parts of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids when talking about dietary fat, and just as important and having equal parts calcium and phosphorous for strong and healthy teeth.
PROCESSES
This is a very important factor, especially when discussing powerful “Superfood” trends. People are producing Bone Broths to stock our shelves at stores, and this requires cooking and preserving processes that denature your food. Taste a homemade bone broth to one you buy in a store; the difference in taste will tell all.
To get your best sources of gelatin, collagen, and these essential amino acids is to make your own or know a trusted source. The quality of the bones in which the animals were raised and even slaughtered is vitally important. You are eating the minerals and vitamins that have made up that animals structure since it was conceived. When discussing animal consumption, DO NOT just buy something because you here it is good for you. At the end of the day, you are putting this in and fueling your body. Make sure what is being produced is being produced with integrity and accountability. Unfortunately, national brands and shelf stable brands have put this second to their pursuit of financial gain. This is where the natural world and humans again lose to capitalism in an unbalanced local and global economy.
FEEL YOUR BEST
After reading this you may have confusion as to how to feel your best with all the biased nutritional information out there. So here are the easiest steps to feel you best and forget the rest:
- Stick to a whole food diet with no processed foods
- Eating organic & local nutrient dense foods
- Eating a balanced diet of animals and plants
- When consuming animal protein, make sure you focus on nose to tail ancestral philosophy (eating organ meats & the gelatin and collagen from bones)
- When consuming plants, make sure to also utilize natural forms of preservation like fermented foods
We need to think about how we would utilize all the world offers us without industrialization and bad science interfering. This is of course if you wish to live your best life!
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